Bookfield, Blue Mountain - Part 2

The next morning at eight o’clock we all got into the canoes owned by the Cayuga facility and began to paddle to Blue Mountain. It was maybe 3 miles away and with 3 canoeists in each boat, it was easy going and fun. The lake was peaceful and gorgeous and we could see the Adirondack Mountains in the distance all around. There was one short portage, and then we were quickly back into the water for the last leg of paddling. We disembarked at the foot of Blue Mountain and met our two guides. We could summit before lunch hiking at a steady pace. So we started out, led by our guides.

I kept pace with the guides easily and we spoke about the flora and fauna of the Adirondacks. It was supposed to be an educational trip, after all. I had quite a southern accent, and everyone wanted to know how I came by it and inevitably I ended up regaling them with my Parchment stories. Suddenly, I felt so energized that I began to race up ahead. One of the guides followed me and one other student did as well. We pretty much ran up the side of Blue Mountain, making it to the summit and hour before schedule. It was exhilarating and terrific. I felt I was on top of the world both literally and figuratively and nothing could bring me down. It was a pristine view from up there; nothing bad in sight. I was in the best shape of my life from all of the riding I had done that summer.

The view from atop Blue Mountain

The way back was a breeze. We had a wonderful dinner and next on the agenda was the cedar sauna, which I had never done. I was pretty excited about it. The bad news was that the girls were going first then the boys. Though at the time there were lots of snickers and whispers on both sides about peeking and checking each other out.

After we got back to camp, the women went into the cedar sauna first. We all stripped naked. Man was it hot in there and really dry. One gal threw water onto the hot rocks and the steam rose and was almost suffocating. It felt so good to let all of my tensions go after a hard day’s rowing and hiking.

I looked around tentatively at all of the other women. Women are typically modest sorts in locker room situations and modest when together in the nude. But here in the sauna they had to be relaxed. So I took full advantage to slyly take a look. Then, it was time to take a dip into the cool lake. Steam rose from our bodies as we exited the sauna and entered the lake. The water was so cold, but if I stayed still I could feel the heat from my body warm the water near my skin. I kept thinking that this was how Native Americans bathed and how cool was that!

We all wanted to catch a glimpse of the boys getting into the sauna. But, try as we might, none of us did.