We moved the event date to late January in hopes that we’d see snow. Or rather *some* snow. Indeed, we did. But it was not ski-able for the second consecutive year. Several years ago during a particularly rainy winter event, we had joked about changing the name from Ski For Light to Hike For Light or even Mud For Light. Skiing was becoming a fond memory rather than the main activity.
Monday morning was overcast and we were met with a damp freezing cold. Nevertheless, we donned our cold weather clothing and embarked on an invigorating hike up the logging road to the falls. Often times that road is muddy but it wasn’t a factor on this occasion due to the freezing temperatures. Sometimes we meet fellow travelers on four-wheelers who know their way. Sometimes we meet bewildered car drivers who are mindlessly following their GPS over a road they have become certain wasn’t meant for modern luxury cars. And they’d be correct. As the name suggests, the Logging Road is, indeed, for logging trucks and equipment. Very large and quite noisy equipment. On this day, we met no other four wheeled travelers as we had experienced in the past. No, gentle reader. This day we met the men and the equipment of Logging!
Walking on a trail with a friend is usually a relaxed and pleasant diversion from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city or dense population of housing complexes near four-lane highways and cramped shopping centers. But today there was no relaxing hike. It was more about listening for the large equipment that made several trips up and down the logging road causing us to scamper to the side of the road to let the behemoth of a vehicle safely pass.
To be fair, our innkeeper had warned us that there was a logging operation taking place on the property AND up the logging road that we normally hike. We didn’t think through how that operation would impact our walks on the otherwise quiet and docile dirt road.
I was not able to get pictures of these monster trucks and the specialty logging equipment. I was too busy directing hikers to the side of the road and sometimes instructing members of the group to hug a tree for orientation and safe placement from slipping down a steep embankment. It became very evident that the road was no longer the quiet uphill walk to the water falls. We were now unintentionally engaged in a dangerous game of “dodge-the-log-truck.”
The afternoon found us conducting a more normal activity with decidedly less drama than avoiding heavy equipment while navigating slippery melting mud. Marilee arranged a visit to an area that has acquired the nickname of “Magic Woods.” We’ve been there many times and the trail never loses its appeal. The trail is well groomed, there are educational opportunities along the way (Lift & Learn placements), and, if one follows the very evident trail markers, it is difficult to become lost.
Not impossible; just difficult. However, on this trip, several folks wandered off the trail and became lost rather easily. Happily, everyone was only delayed by a half hour or so and no other drama was experienced.
Tuesday was another cold, damp, and overcast morning but everybody was eager to find their way to the Dancing Tree Trail.
The Dancing Tree Trail received its name from a photo taken by Raisa where two trees appear to be captured in an expression of jubilation with “arms” raised in what might be seen as an abstract dance.
There was no mention of significant snow in the weather forecast. In other years, another trip to the water falls would have been an option but the heavy equipment movements were a bit unnerving. We expanded our search for local nature trails. There needed to be a balance of adventure and safety. Neither guides nor participants were up for bushwhacking our way through untraveled state forrest wilderness but we all wanted get outdoors and be in the woods. Something like the Boy Scouts might offer. If only we knew a Boy Scout who would be familiar with such a concept.
As it turned out, we had an Eagle Scout right in our group offering his talent as a guide and then as a “contact” person for Camp Tuscarora.
A quick phone call to the camp master confirmed that the camp was available for winter hikers since there were no activities taking place in the camp while we were visiting.
John, our resident Eagle Scout took us on a short one mile hike around the large lake which comprises the main admin and camp area of the reservation. There are 14 miles of trails which we did not have time to explore but we expect to visit some of them in the coming years if snow continues to allude us.
Most activities had to do with exploring the various trails in the region but one special daytime event included yoga. Dawn, a friend of guide Roxy, donated her time away from her professional studio to lead our group in a yoga session.
There is much more to yoga practice than meets the eye. Weight training with various pieces of handheld equipment is how many people think of becoming “fit.” While this has merit, yoga can be strenuous in its own special way. Dawn took us through several introductory exercises and poses. For the few of us who weren’t as “bendy” as we once were a good number of years ago, she quickly introduced another pose within a person’s capabilities. We hope we can convince her to return next year both as a yoga instructor AND as a guide on the trails.
Speaking of guides, let me give a big shout-out to the “day trippers” from the local downhill ski club. Without guides, the program doesn’t happen. It’s that simple. This year you literally saved the program. I think I speak for all attendees when I say: We extend to you a very sincere and heartfelt *Thank you* for your contributions of time, talent, and friendship.
Our stay was abbreviated this year. We had to compress our activities into fewer days. The evenings were decidedly relaxed with such a small friendly group. But still there was the strumming of a guitar, songs sung, stories told, and card games played.
While we normally enjoy a Sunday evening to the following Sunday morning, this three day event fulfilled our NEPA Regional Ski For Light / Sports For Health charter “…to arrange and coordinate recreational sports and related activities that bring sighted and blind individuals together in an effort to enable blind individuals to participate in and experience such activities that may require sighted assistance.”
You can learn more about Ski For Light International by visiting their official website: https://sfl.org.
Visit the official website for North East Pennsylvania Regional Ski For Light and Sports For Health here: https://nepaoutdoors.org.
