No weather data, the Caretaker forgot to take note of it. However, today was even nicer than yesterday.
10/11/08
10/11/08
9/2/08
The Caretaker went off in the boat today with S. to go for a picnic on Black Mountain Point. Originally S. was thinking of going to town for an event in the afternoon, the Caretaker suggested that instead they go up the Lake for a picnic, S. immediately saw this as a much better option. One couldn't ask for a better day on the Lake and the Caretaker felt that to spend the day on the mainland would only serve to squander it. So they loaded the boat with themselves, some groceries, and of course, libations.
There was little in the way of clouds, same too for wind and waves on the water. Most all of the leaves on the trees all across the mountains were screaming color at the peak of their slow burn. It will be a shame whence they go, but no need to dwell on such things now. The air was a touch crisp, thus the Sun warmed without burning as it can do at times in the Summer. Not wanting to rush past the glorious scenery of Autumn leaves glowing along the mountain sides, S. and the Caretaker did little more than an idle much of the way up to Black Mountain Point. Just past the mouth of the Narrows between the East shore and the Tongue Mountain range, an area that the Caretaker refers to as The Cathedral, these two happy travelers were surrounded by the vibrant colors of Autumn's foliage, carried upon a great shimmer of blue below, and sheltered by a wonderful blue wide open above.
So they had their picnic. Not wanting to leave in the boat so soon they decided to go for a jaunt along the shore trail, however, before departing on down the trail the Caretaker met a woman who was originally from New Jersey, she grew up a few towns away from where the Caretaker grew up, go figure. After the two Jersey-ians parted ways the Caretaker and S. ambled on down the trail for a piece. If you have never hiked along the East shore trail from Black Mountain Point down to the mouth of the narrows you should definitely make a point to do so before you die. It is actually an old carriage road so it is plenty wide, mostly level and hasn't much in the way of elevation. As you go, with little to no effort, being a carriage trail you need not often worry about stumbling over rocks because there are so very few, you can focus on the scenery as opposed to minding were each step is tread as is often the case while on traditional hiking trails. The quiet lap of the water upon the shore on a calm day such as this one was helps to set a gentle pace for both the feet and the mind. If ever there is a way to relax this is most certainly it. The leaves on the surrounding trees in their various stages of colorful demise seen up close, soft on the eyes, with ever a clear path ahead one can examine these leaves and their beauty while walking without a care for the World nor a measure of Time. Every here and there this shaded path is pierced by beams of Sunlight illuminating the great contrast between dark and light.
Not wanting to build up too much of an appetite nor thirst, the two happy ramblers found their destination, a rock outcropping, took in the Lake view from their end of the trail, then retraced their steps from where they did hail. They got in the boat. Before leaving the dock a couple pulled up in their boat, made some obscure comment that seemed to have the intent to insult, which S. and the Caretaker duly ignored and carried on their merry way home to the Island.
These great Autumn days, if only they could go on forever.
--The Caretaker
