Our preparation

In order to get in shape and toughen up mentally for hours of hiking my daughter and I both will need to excercise regularly and spend some hours in our hiking boots.

I love to get out of the office in the middle of the day, and away from my desk, but I find it very challenging to make my self break from work. However this walk is so gorgeous that I look forward to it all morning! (View Larger Google Map) The walk through MIT and along the Charles River on the Esplanade is relaxing and beautiful.

My daughter is walking to school and planning on joining the cross country team. Cross country should get her in shape pretty fast!

Venture Crew for my daughter?

Today we had lunch with the Bonings, a very active family in MANY ways. The lunch was a thank you to my husband Chris for his help with their oldest son's Eagle project for Boy Scouts. Our wonderful dim sum brunch at Mary Chungs in Cambridge was suplemented with talk of their recent advetures with the co-ed Venture Crew 304 trip to Philmont, NM last month. All four members of the Boning family went on this trip (check out the pictures!) and had a wonderful time. My son also spent over two fantastic weeks at Philmont this summer with the Boy Scouts Troop 304.

Since Venturers are for teenagers (pdf) of 14 or older, my daughter won't be able to join until this summer. Hopefully we will be able to attend some of their trips later this (academic) year. She would very much enjoy the outdoor activies of this organization.

All of this means that, if we are lucky, there may be a Philmont trip in our future. (Yes, I AM assuming that she will want me along - she better 'cause I'm going!) This is very intimiating! I have seen the maps and heard the stories - this is some serious high altitude hiking (up to over 11,000 feet). My daughter and I really do need to get into shape before we try something like this. Gradually increasing the intesity of our NH 4000+ peak hikes will help, but we need to really train if we get a chance to go to Philmont!