“Could you make me six turkey sandwiches?” he asked.
“We’re driving to New York...not California, Jack. I don’t have that much bread, turkey or room in the cooler. Do you suppose you could eat dinner now so you won’t be so hungry once we get going?” I asked.
He thought it was a strange request, but he went ahead and had a dinner while I made him three sandwiches and loaded 24 Clif bars into the cooler for him. I had loads of fruit and other kinds of food bars, and when Savannah and Kyle arrived from Columbus, we loaded the van and were on the road. It was six o’clock.
At 6:05, Jack started. “Can I have a sandwich, dad?”
I got a bit excited. “Seriously, Jack? We haven’t even made it to the freeway and you’re hungry? You just finished dinner 20 minutes ago.”
He looked sheepish, but not malnourished and I didn’t feel too sorry for him. I always stop on the last exit in Ohio off of I90 when traveling to the Adirondacks for my final fill of Ohio gas, which is usually considerably cheaper than Pa. and New York. Everyone went inside to look over the snacks and Jack returned with a one-foot sub sandwich. When I questioned him about his purchase he said, “You wouldn’t let me eat.” I would have...I was just trying to manage something which was apparently unmanageable.
We played twenty questions for a couple of hours, but as darkness set it, conversation became more sporadic. I reached Exit 33 on the New York thruway around midnight, got off and began a three hour journey on back country scenic roads, though all I could see was what my headlights illuminated.
We worked our way north on I87 and exited about 10 miles outside of Keene Valley...our camping and hiking destination. My plan had been to drive into Keene and park in a public lot where we could roll out of the car, throw our tarps on the ground and climb in our sleeping bags under a star-studded sky. I seemed to be alone in thinking how idyllic this would be, but I never made it to Keene. Instead, I elected to park in one of the many pull-offs on State Route 73 just beyond the freeway and try to catch some sleep. It was after 3 a.m. and no one wanted to go further.
I found a spot quickly and parked. Heidi elected to sleep on the back seat in the van and Jack decided he needed something more to eat. He grabbed a couple of Clif bars and was opening them in his sleeping bag when Savannah took charge.
“Jack...are you crazy? You NEVER bring food into your tent or sleeping bag. Do you want a bear eating you tonight?”
I felt sorry for him since I’d not had the chance to give him the lay of the land. There was zero chance that we’d have a bear encounter in our current location so close to the road and nowhere near a campsite...their favorite haunt...but Savannah was right and I’m sure made a healthy, lasting impression. In Jack’s case though, I think the bear would have more to fear about being eaten than actually getting to eat something.
I climbed into my bag on a tarp next to Jack and he quickly reminded me of what a wiggle worm he was while sleeping. I was exhausted though, and his bumping hardly had an impact. I was out in no time.
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