It’s been over six months since we’ve posted on here, but I promise we have good excuses.

One is that we’ve embarked on the most intense and surprising adventure of our lives thus far: We’re now foster parents of a 17 year old trans teen girl. She tests us beyond measure and at the same time we’re her absolute biggest fans. It’s been quite a ride and I’m sure will continue to be.

The other reason the blog’s been quiet is because we’ve been outside and enjoying the spring and summer months!

Though it’s long overdue, here’s a quick post on an overnight hike my dear friend Beth let me drag her out on back in May.

Sick of putting our whole life on hold while we waited for our foster parent license to be approved so we could have a little, squishy baby placed with us, Nate and I had booked a Getaway House for a weekend in May. Our life took a turn and before we knew it, our foster teen was placed with us instead. So I headed up to New Hampshire on my own to get some deep breaths while Nate stayed back with the teen and the pup.

The first night, I stayed in the Getaway House on my own. I love waking up there to the silence, the forest spread out before me through the giant picture window. I made a campfire the night before and enjoyed some whiskey while warming my feet and trying not to be freaked out at all the little woodsy night noises. It was perfect.

Getaway perfection

The next day, I met Beth at the trailhead and we headed up to Lonesome Lake and then eventually to the Kinsman Pond Shelter. Since it was May, the trails were pretty quiet, and at the shelter, we were the only ones there all night.

Beth navigating a waterfall crossing like a pro

The weather our first day was variable, but after we got to the lake, the mist cleared just enough for us to enjoy a stellar show of cloud cover blowing off North Kinsman during the sunset.

Kinsman Pond

We had dinner (with gin and tonics because spirits are always worth the weight) and settled into the shelter for the night. It was nice not to have to set up our tent, but it was also a bit unnerving to sleep next to a wide open doorway all night knowing there were no other humans for miles.

The next day’s weather was clear and gorgeous. It took all our effort to peel ourselves off the rocks at peaceful Kinsman Pond and begin the hike back to the trailhead.

Kinsman Pond Shelter

She’s amazing

Lonesome Lake with Franconia Ridge behind us

Worth mentioning is the fact that this was Beth’s first overnight hike! She was a rockstar and a joy to share the trail with. We ended up doing a second hike in July over three days. It feels great to share the insight and wisdom I’ve gained over the last few years and learn new lessons together, too.

Learnings from this trip? Always bring one more pair of socks than you think you need. And don’t skimp on the sleeping pad. And don’t trust that the site will have a bear box even if it says it does.