Holding Your Manhood Cheap…

After much planning and coordinating of schedules, the Men’s Annual Outing took place this past weekend. Early in the planning, considerations for not interfering with Father’s Day or work conflicts were addressed and we were set to go on the last weekend in June…until someone had a work conflict…then someone else…then good tickets to a Red Sox game. This year settled down to a “hard” core group of three (we have been up to twelve at the most and typically have 7 – 8).

Small numbers were not going to deter us, and taking liberties with and paraphrasing what Shakespeare wrote in Henry V became our thought,

“And gentlemen in [New] England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought [camped] with us [in the 100 Mile Wilderness of Maine] upon Saint Crispin’s day.”

We were going to have a good time!

The journey began with Charlie Bottieri and Jim Nowak meeting me at our house and the three of us heading off to the North. We left before noon on Friday with plans to stop for lunch along the way, push on to Greenville, ME, and then to Long Pond and the AMC Gorman Chairback Lodge in the 100 Mile Wilderness.

The last few years we have gone to Little Lyford Pond Camp (LLPC) in the same region and this year we wanted to try something a little different. A difference that becomes very quickly obvious is that while LLPC sits along the Pleasant River and is several hundred yards through the woods to First Roach Pond, Gorman Chairback Lodge (GCL) is located right on the edge of Long Pond.

Our cabin (#6) had a bunk bed, double bed and futon so it could easily sleep four guys (or six women…since they aren’t as squeamish about the whole sharing a bed thing…and I am not sure Charlie and Jim were either).



We had a nicely covered porch (which helped with the rain), a couple of rockers and large folding chairs (which helped when having cocktails), and a view from the porch right out over the lake.

Since we arrived close to dinner time (served promptly at 6 pm) we moved into the cabin and then headed to the lodge. The food at LLPC has always been outstanding and the fare at GCL measured right up to what we have come to expect—roasted herb covered chicken, caramelized onions with broccoli, fresh homemade bread, and the surprising winning side dish…baked butternut squash filled with quinoa, celery, onions, carrots, and roasted pumpkin seeds…it could have been a meal by itself.

Somehow on the drive into GCL we talked about food, and desserts in particular. We determined that based on the season (and this is a couple of hundred miles north of Woodstock, CT) a strawberry-rhubarb pie would be appropriate…and that was just what they served us…with some homemade whipped cream…a great start to the fare to go along with the outstanding board.

Following dinner it was going to stay light until after 9 pm, so we took the time to settle into the cabin (which is code for making cocktails), and I did take some time to put on waders and test the waters out in front of the cabin. I tried a couple of different flies (both wet and dry) and finally caught what I think is a brook trout that was about 13 -14 inches long on a dry fly. He was pretty jumping out of the water and Charlie witnessed it. I tried to get some photos as well, but getting my iPhone out of my pocket (under the waders) and then trying to reel in the fish and get a photo…without dropping the phone in the water means you can see it is a fish and that it fills the bottom of the netting…and that’s about it.

As it got dark the fishing ended and we all moved inside and settled in to play some cards and have a small libation. By 10:30 it was time for bed and listening to the sound of rain on the tin roof of the cabin.

I was up around 5 am (as usual) and went out to try my hand at trying to fool more fish…no luck this time. But, I was able to get some early morning coffee in the lodge as well as a slice of the left-over strawberry-rhubarb pie…so it was a successful start to the day.







Once Jim and Charlie were up we headed in for a very filling breakfast—something to get us ready for a busy day—of homemade muffins, a frittata made with the left-over vegetables from the night before, and a pile of bacon. More coffee…orange juice and we were ready to go.

Only it was raining…with occasional lighter times and then some very heavy downpours.
We decided that we were going to go out in the weather (there wasn’t any lightning) and trust that the day would get better. Our hiking was going to take us up the 3^rd Mountain Trail and join in with the Appalachian Trail (AT) to the top of Third Mountain.

We did get a lesson in the differences between water-proof (which would be like my waders or Charlie’s North Face jacket), water resistant (which resists, but doesn’t necessarily keep out water…like Jim’s and my pull-overs), and water resilient (which Charlie pointed out means it doesn’t break down in water…just like all of our boots).

Although it was a light rain when we started after about 0.1 miles we were hit with a deluge. We thought that standing under some trees for a few minutes (remember there was no lightning) would help…it didn’t. So eventually we pressed on.

Besides dealing with the rain, the trail was pretty good. Well marked and travelled, only the path of least resistance for much of the rainfall was right down the middle of the trail or pooling in the middle of the trail…regardless we pressed on.

After awhile the rain let up and eventually stopped. The trail had us starting to climb up onto a ridge where we met up with the AT. It was then more climbing through the mist filled forest and along a moss covered carpet. There was still quite a bit of water, but it seemed okay with all of the green moss and lichen around us.

Finally we broke through to the upper ridge and after scrambling up several rock faces we finally came to the top of Third Mountain and the Monument Cliffs. The view was beautiful (in a mist covered way) and if it had been clear we were sure it would have been spectacular.

After a break and some photos we continued along the trail towards West Chairback Pond. One of the staff at GCL had shown us on the map where there is a trail back down from the pond that isn’t on the map, but it would keep us from backtracking the way we had just come. The trail was obvious and we quickly dropped back down to the logging roads and a way back to GCL.

We were back at our cabin in the early afternoon. So we devoured our lunches, rubbed sore muscles, took naps and then spent some more time around the camp. Jim and Charlie did some kayaking while I fished a little and took some photos. No fish this time either…

Dinner was once again great (we do seem to focus a bit on the food) with pesto covered halibut, sweet potatoes covered with a ratatouille, homemade bread, and cinnamon butter. I was going to put a little salt on my vegetables but the moisture had the shaker clogged. So I took off the top and banged a pile of salt onto the table trying to clear the holes. I ended up just putting some in my hand in and sprinkling it over the veggies.

Then I swept up the capful of salt that came from the cap into my right hand and Jim (the instigator to my right) said, “Aren’t you going to throw that over your shoulder for luck?”…which I then did.
The problem is that a few grains of salt or dry salt will go over your shoulder and fall gently to the floor…this wet collection flew across the aisle and sprayed itself across the neck and back of a teenage boy visiting the lodge with his mother who holds classes there.

Now Charlie, who was sitting across from us couldn't say anything because he was laughing too hard and just pointing to Jim and me...

Needless to say, Jim explained the old wive's tale to the young man and apologized for instigating me, I later apologized to the young man, and Charlie just kept saying, “The boy's father looked really mad...and he knows what cabin you're in.” Nevertheless we went back to the cabin for some more card playing, reading and lights out by a little after 10 pm.

Surprisingly Sunday morning Charlie was up a few minutes before me and headed out looking for some coffee. I decided to put on my waders and take out a canoe to see if the fish in another part of the pond had any interest in what was being offered as flies. I also took my camera along to get some early morning photos.













None of these fish were interested as well...do you see a pattern here?

The weather was much better on Sunday and we decided to take another hike after breakfast. This time we took the Henderson Brook Trail and it was a fun hike following the brook down through a small valley.










The trail did include a few challenges to crossing...

slippery logs... slippery rocks...

and one point where the brook level was so high we had no choice but to wade through… It was a great way to spend the morning. Then we had to pack up and check ourselves out of the cabin; getting on the road by about 11:30.

The Adventures do Continue...

                              

Another Direction

If the January Adventures were North and South it only seemed right to make February Adventures move East and West.

We started out by heading Down East to the Morris Estate for our Annual Valentine’s Day weekend.  We arrived Friday evening along with Dan and Liz Manz to begin the celebration.  Friday evening was a simple, relaxing time with us beginning to share stories and toasts over some grilled salmon, steamed asparagus, and a mushroom risotto.

Saturday was then a day of preparations and the big event.  The ladies headed out to look through some antique shops and to have a nice lunch out while we guys did some shopping, picking up flowers, and then to start decorating and cooking…we did manage to get out for a nice lunch as well.

Our menu this year was one of de-construction—taking a recipe, breaking it down into the standard components and then putting it back together in a different way.  Since the menu didn’t provide a clear theme we decided to focus on construction—putting things back together.

So the table was put together with the construction theme…



and we guys dressed for the part…obviously safety shoes were optional…



Then we got into the meal…

For an appetizer we started with a form of onion soup.  It was de-constructed into a thick onion soup…then rolling thick bread chunks in the liquid…covering with gruyere cheese…then baking and serving with skewers…a big hit!



Then it was on to the soup course.  In this case we re-constructed a lobster bisque recipe.  We took the meat out of two steamed lobsters, used the shells to make a stock—from which we made the bisque—put the meat into bowls with the bisque in a pitcher and let the ladies put it together.

Next we had the salad course…a de-constructed Caesar salad.  We brushed romaine lettuce with olive oil that we had infused with garlic and put them on the grill to wilt and blacken up a little.  Then we served the lettuce with shaven parmesan cheese and whole anchovies.

We then moved on to the main entree…de-constructed beef wellington.  The plating was a base of thinly sliced sautéed zucchini, topped with garlic mashed blue potatoes, with medium rare tenderloin on top of that, and the final piece was a puff pastry shell filled with duxelle (sautéed mushrooms) and shallots.  Finally we squirted on a red wine reduction with the left over pan juices from the beef…a few glaze carrots on the side for color…
        
 
Dessert was individually built ice cream sundaes.  I was too busy eating them and recovering from the other courses to take any pictures of them…

Another great Valentine’s Day meal for our Valentines!

The next day we all slept in a bit before getting on the road for Connecticut and Vermont.  Now we need to start planning next years.

The following weekend we headed to San Francisco.  I had a Planning, Design and Construction Conference taking place and Cheri came along with me to enjoy some time out west.

We arrived on Saturday and found out that one of the largest Chinese New Year parades outside of China was taking place that night only a few blocks from our hotel…so of course we went.

Sunday we spent some time doing a walking tour of the Italian section of San Francisco, led by Blondina (her real name)…she is somewhat a throwback to the 60’s.  After the tour we walked around the waterfront area as well…

The conference went well and ended up just after noon on Wednesday.  Since we were already in the area  we had decided to spend a few extra days and travel up to Napa and the wine region.  Our friends Jack and Stephanie Gosselin came out and met us for this part of the Adventure. 

Since we were in sunny California we decided a convertible mustang would be the right kind of car for us.  Of course that meant the ladies had to get in the back…plus Cheri and I had packed for a week plus some business clothes…so some of our luggage needed to be in the back seat with them…and off we headed for the Golden Gate Bridge.



Our first stop on the other side of the bridge was in Tiburon for some lunch.  We had a great view back across the bay and a very pleasant way to start a few days off.

The view from our lunch table.

We arrived at a three bedroom cottage that we had rented in Napa late in the afternoon.  A little bit of shopping and exploring the area and then it was an evening of snacks, card playing and the hot-tub.  A nice way to end the day.

We did find a nice olive oil shop that makes it products from olive trees in the vineyards of the Napa Valley.  The owner was fun to talk to and gave us some advice for getting to some of the vineyards we were interested in visiting.

Thursday had no set plans other than visit some vineyards and explore the valley.  We took some back roads up one side of the valley and then swung west to St. Helena for a coffee and pastry—it was still too early for wine drinking…or to have the top down

Then it was on to Duckhorn Vineyard for our first tasting.  We sat out on a large wrap-around porch and enjoyed a nice sampling—Duckhorn has been one of my favorites for many years so it was fun to be at the vineyard and enjoying the wine in a beautiful setting.

   

 

Plus…the roof came back down…

It was a fun day with a few stops (Jack was our designated driver) and a few glasses of wine.
We got back to the cottage fairly early and later went out for dinner at a local place…nothing special.  When we got back to the bungalow later that evening there was still time for another couple of rounds of sh#$$%head—a card game that we taught Jack and Stephanie. 

Friday was a fairly full day of activities for us.  Jack had arranged for us to ride the Napa Valley Wine Train and it was a great experience. As we boarded we were shown to our table seat for the ride up the Valley. And the meal was outstanding.  The best we had on the trip…so far. It was a good tour of the facilities  followed by another tasting…it must have been good because we ended up splitting a case to be sent back to Connecticut. When we re-boarded the  train we were directed to a different car to lounge over our desserts on the return trip.

Before they started serving lunch  (which is shown on the menu to the left) I went up to the Kitchen car and took a few photos.  Shortly after the meal we arrived at Grgich (pronounced Grrr  gich) Vineyard were Cheri, Stephanie and I got off for a tour and a tasting.  Jack was more interested in riding the train further up the line and watching them switch the engines.

Then it was coffee and either Tiramisu or Crème Brule while we chugged through the vineyards…
      

Meanwhile Jack, the train aficionado, enjoyed the ride back on the platform…


After arriving back in the Napa station we made a grocery stop and then headed back to the cottage.  It was a good time to get some naps in before heading out for the evening.

Dinner on Friday was at Ad Hoc, a Thomas Kelleher restaurant.
 


The menu is unique in that it is a daily changing fixed prix with no other options…served family style…and if you don’t like what they are serving you are welcome to try someplace else.  It was outstanding!  We would definitely go back again and try whatever the chef is preparing…because it will be good!

There was another round of cards that evening and it turned out that it was enough that everyone was the designated sh#$%head at least once…and they may have been ganging up on me to make that happen, since until then I had avoided the moniker…I’m just saying…

Saturday morning we needed to be out of the Cottage by 10 am so we worked our way over to Sonoma for a little walking around and seeing the town.  Then we headed over to the west coast and Route 1 back to San Francisco.  Rte 1 reminded me of the Great Ocean Road in Australia or Cape Breton in Nova Scotia—a scenic winding road along the coast with few if any guard rails.  It was fun.


 

We had some time to spend down near the Ferry Terminal  where we had a light supper and then off to the airport for red-eye flights back to the East Coast.

By late afternoon we were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in the other direction…

Another Great Adventure…what does March have in store for us?