Thendara Mountain Club

Do a lot of eating and a little kayaking this weekend.

I was upstate but not at Sebago Lake. I was two lakes north, at Lake Tiorati, a guest of the Thendara Mountain Club . They have a great lodgy cabin on top of a hill overlooking the south end of the lake. The Sebago gang get there at about 10:00AM on Saturday.

After introduction and a tour of the cabin, we get our stuff into respective room. Once that is settle we have to work the logistic of getting our kayaks to their dock once we scout of the boat down from their clubhouse to the dock and find it to be barely managable just hiking down much less with a 17feet book. It was decided that the only way to get our boats to the dock is to drive around the lake to a park boat launch and paddle the boat over to the dock, off course someone would have to drive the cars back. It end up my boat was towed to the dock and I drove my car back to the club. The other two cars also get a drive to drove them back to the club.

When we get back to the club, it was brunch time but we should just call it lunch since it was noon by the time we were ready to eat.

After lunch we hiked down to the dock for a tour of the lake. The dock was not design for kayak so it is a bit high for getting into and out of the kayak. I get in without any problem but it was tricky for other in our group. We paddled along the shore, around a couple of island, and back up north to the public beach. It was a good 2 hours paddlying. Because of the lake not close cockpit kayak rule I was not able to used my sprayskirt. I have it one, but did not used it because I don't want to cause any trouble. I feel a bit naked and unsecure without my skirt one, and it also mean I can't Eskimo role or do any tricks. I was done by the time we are ready to head back to the dock. This is the only time I went kayaking at Lake Tiorati. It is just too much trouble to get down to the dock just to go sigh seeing. After return from kayaking I went swimming. I just jump in and jump out again. I was not into it.

The rest of the day is just seating around listening to people talking. Happy hours started at 6PM, with everyone bringing out their contribution of alcohols to argment the abundants amount of wine already provided by our host. Thankfully happy hour is also accompany by lot of good finger foods. It is a very Italian affair with lot of cheese, smoke salmons, cookcut on breads. By 7PM we moved the alcohol indoor to have dinner. We dinner we have bbq beefs, roasted chicken, and 3 different salad. I get a little of each. I was not a particularly good dinner guests being that I usually don't talk at the table. My follow Sebagoian make up for my lack of dinner conversation with their antics. Let just say that a little wines were spill, and a blueberry desert end up on the floor during the course of the dinner.

Talking of Blueberry desert, every for a person who normally do not do desert after dinner, desert was great. We have Blueberry pie topped with ice cream, mix fruit salad, and italian ices in a tube.) After dinner and desert, we went for a nigh work down to the gate, a good one mile down very steep hill. Everyone was in good spirits as we make our way down to the gate, and take a couple of pictures. After the worked I end up leading everyone (the four person that actually goes all the way down to the gate) back up the the clubhouse. We try to goes back up without using flash light. We were almost back to the clubhouse when some cheated and turn on her flashlight. As we get closed to the club we encounters the rest of the group, sitting on a rock off the side of the road. They are practicing for the rest of the night, siting around waiting for the meteor shower.

I end up hiking in the dark down to the dock to watch the light show. It was a very long and uncomfortable 3 hours way to see 6 confirms sighting of a strick of lights in the night sky. It was cold and damn hard on the neck laying on the metal dock waiting. I called it quit at 12:30AM and goes to bed.

Get up at 8AM for breakfast. Part of the requirement as invited guest is to voluntee for a duty. I voluntee for breakfast clean up and cleaning up the grill. It take forever to rinse all the dishes, and clean the baking pans. Susan end up doing much of the grill cleaning otherwise I would have to spend all day doing it.

After breakfast most of the group when paddling. I loaned my boat to one of the Thendaran since I was not interest in paddling that morning. I was tired and sweating just going up and down the path to the dock. While people paddled, I packed my car and get ready for the trip home in the evening. When people get back we rested a bit, then two persons paddle the boat over to the park launch while three of use drove to the launch to put the boats onto our car. It was noon by the time we get back to the lodge.

I end up runnning around looking for Susan who I promised to help with her tent. I can find her anyway so I end up dismantling the tent by myself and leave the folding up of the tent to her. I finally find her sleeping on the hammock nearby. I was helping her with the tent when the hike schedule for the afternoon get underway. We hurry up to meet them down by the entrance gate. It was a pleasant hike, our guide was very informative. We get back by 3:30PM. I have my lunch then we started to our drive home. My passenger on the way up on Saturday agree to find another ride home so I can stop by Sebago Lake on the way.

It is fortunated that I was able to find other ride for my passenger because I end up staying Sunday night over at Sebago Lake. When I arrived at the lake I ran into Matty and her parents(mother and stepdad). I meet Matty last weekend and hit if off right away. A very happy and outgoing woman. I thought that she would be at the lake the next weekend but I was wrong. It turn out they arrived at 1pm on Sunday and end up swimming much of the time because all the boat is being used. It was a busy weekend for Sebago. I paddle out to meet them then back to the dock. Matty mom wanted to change boat, and Matty to grab something to eat. After Matty come back I take them on a tour of my favority corner of the lake. After paddling Matty, her mother, Sandy and I went swiming. Correction, they went swiming, I just jump in and out again due to uncontrollable shivering. The water was not cold, but my body is losing too much heat in the chilly air. I was to have dinner with them at a local restaurant but decided that the logistic just would not work at so I cancelled.

I end up staying at the cabin over night. I attempted to stay up to see more meteor shower but after spending 2 hours waiting, getting biten by bugs I give up and went to sleep by 11PM.

Get up at 5:30AM, and decided I don't want to drive back home for work. Get up again at 9AM to have breakfast, one english muffen with butter and a single serving box of AppleJack without milk. After breakfast take the boat out for some rolling practices and a short paddle. Get back by noon to go swimming. End up watching the kids attempted to catch fishes with a net. Surprisingly they did catched a couple of good side fishes with just bread and a kid fishing net. I end up not swimming. The air is a bit cold and blowing a bit so I don't want to get wet (surprising because I send two hours before rolling).

I have a sandwich with baloney coldcut with fresh mints and honey mustard, two soft boil eggs and a bowl of Lo Mein noodle. I decided to start back to NYC a bit early, 1:30PM instead of 2PM as planned.

After all the careful planning and making sure that everything is in order before departureI still end up forgeting a couple of important matter. One, the forget to take the garbage out, two I did not remember to clean the pot I used to boil the eggs, and third I did not remember my cooler with my peanut butter, jam and bread. The bread will spoil by the time I get to it next weekend. One other item with I am 99 percent sure about is the coffee maker. I am very sure I turn it off after making hot water for tea last night.

Get home at 5PM due to traffic and a short stop at Ikea on the way back.

Will post pictures of the Thendara lodge later.

Where were they when I was younger?

Spend a lot of time at the lake last weekend.

Aug 2 was ACA Youth Regatta at the lake. I get there by 7AM. I wasn't expecting anyone in the cabin on a Thursday so I was surprise to find the door unlocked. Just in case, I hollowed "Anyone in here." A pretty a pretty woman in her twenty with bond dreadlocks hair stick her head out of the "couple" room. I asked her if I meet here before. I have not. Turn out her name is Laura and she is Scott's daughter, here to help out with the Youth Regatta. I brought my stuff into one of the bunk room and lift to give Laura some privacy.

I was expecting hustling of activities in preparation for the race but I find no car in the parking lot, and no one walking around. I walked up to Linda's cabin, and find her there. Turn out everyone already went to Sebago Beach, a couple of miles away from where we are but the race itself will not commence to 9:30. I went back to Sebago cabin, and ran into Scott and his wife who is getting ready to drive to the Sebago beach. Laura apparently get up and dress while I was talking to Linda, when I get back she was ready to drive her truck with the trailer to Sebago Beach. Scott and his wife follow in their own car.

Since there is nothing for me to do and it still 2 hours till the race, I setted up my sleeping pad, and sleeping bag and went back to bed. I did not get up till 8:3o, when Paul knocked on the door. I had not seen Paul in a long time, since at least 2 winters ago when we spend a lot of time together helping with the cabin renovation. Paul drove a large converted van, with beds and other comfort of home. Paul introduced me to his friend (who name I forget right away.) We talked a bit, I informed him that everyone is already at Sebago Beach. Before Paul drove off, I asked him to help me load one of the club's kayak on top of my car so I can drive it to Sebago Beach later on.

After Paul drove off in his mobile home, I site on the front deck and eat my breakfast. While eating my breakfast, I saw Anne come out of her cabin. I asked her if she is driving with her kayak to Sebago beach, she informed me that she and Jerry are paddling over. I never thought of that. I have paddle to Sebago numerous time, but I never thought that it was an option for this event. Since I already have my boat up, and tied down and everything I was hesitant to undo everything but in the end I end up paddling over the Sebago Beach with Jerry and Anne.


Along the right shores next to Sebago Beach is a grassy area where coal fire bbq and picnic is allowed, the various camps that participate in the Youth Regatta have their own little area where they can set up their boats and cheering section. ACA, being the smallest group there have the smallest section, right next to the Korean Campers. I paddled up to the ACA encampment, and say hello to Linda, her daughter Tiffany (or Steffiny), her son Cody, Pete, Paul, Paul's friend, Paul's wife Sandy, a young woman with the most spontaneous smile I ever seen, Paul's stepdaughter, Matty. I must have return her contagious smile because she get on one of the sit on top kayak and paddle out to meet me.


"Is there any restriction on where we can paddle" Matty asked me as she paddle out to meet me.
"Not as far as I know, except for the Beach, and we have to stay away from the racer when it start" I reply, not know if she mean at this moment or for the race itself.


We paddled out together. Matty want to compare the various touring kayak stroke with white water stroke, which she knew. Me showing off my sea kayaking moves as she compare it to her whitewater strokes. I think she was impress by some of my skills.

Our along time did not last long. I have to get back to shore to get some water, and rest before the canoe race get start. Somehow I did not notice if Matty come ashore with me or not. When I returned to the water to get ready for the race I did not know where she is. I spotted someone alone at the finish line of the race course. I have veryt poor distance eye sight. I can't see any detail more then 5 feet in front of me. This is usually not a problem except when I need to read a computer screen when showing my boss where a file is, or when I am trying to find a pretty girl I want to hang out with. It turned out the long paddle at the finish line was not Matty, just some fella with a cowboy hat, which if I have my subscription class on I would have seen. Since I paddle all the way to the finish line already, I have to stay they when the race start. I end up directing traffic, and yelling encouragement to the 9 to 12 years old boys and girls as they finished their race. It was an interesting even even if boring after the 20th time one see a race.

I left my position at the finish line after the more mature paddlers start to race since they should all know where to go when they crossed the finish line.

When I return to the water, I paddled along the side instead of siting at the finish line. Run into Matty a couple of time, and we did a couple of rescues together. After the race end, Matty and her parents drive back to the cabin while I stay around to see the camp spirit contest.

I paddled back to Sebago dock at 6PM and went for a swim. Meet Matty there but she did not stay long. For the first time I actually swim out to the diving dock. I am not a strong swimmer so I have never left the safety of swimming dock or the wading pool. I decided to swim out with a bunch of kids just because. I spend about an hour swimming from platforms to platforms. Meet another cute girl at the platform and end up playing tag with her and a couple of kids that hang out on the diving platform. It was fun and tiring.

After an hour someone come down and say that the pizza is here for the after race pizza party. Matty and her parents were at the pizza party but I end up spending most of the time talking to her dad. Matty and her parent have to leave that evening so there was not much time to talk.


Friday Aug 3
Everyone left except for me and young paddlers campers. Get up relatively late, 9nish in the morning. Had breakfast, then take a kayak out to practice rolling. I borrowed Jerry's Greenland paddle as backup. I have never did eskimo roll without Stevie or someone experience as backup before so I was a bit nervous. I did a couple of rolls in front of the dock. I had no any problem rolling with the Greenland paddle. I make a couple of rolls as I paddled to the usual area where I normally practice rolling. My goal on Friday was to do as much rolling outside of my comfort area as possible and only go to the comfort area when I want to do some roll that I am not sure about. I don't want to have happen to me what happen when I did my Star 3 assessment. I wet exit out off my boats every time I capsided even thought I can roll because I panic. I realized then that I only roll when I am at the "Green" beach where I practiced with Stevie. I need to expand my comfort zone for rolling. I rolled a dozen time by the time I get the the Green Beach on Friday. It is so much more relaxing to roll with a mask on, no burning nose when I get back up.

I switched to my European paddle when I get to the Green beach. I need to practice with my Euro paddle because it is still a hit or miss. I am much more comfortable do static braces, and high braces with the euro paddle now then I was the week before but still not comfidence that I can do it in an emergency. I find that I can do my on side roll with 99% accuracy, but still a bit shaky on my off side with the euro paddle.

I have to wet exit once when I fail a an offside roll with the euro paddle. I went half way up, then end up back down again, reset and did it again, same result. I end up going out of breath and bailing out. I attempt a couple of time to do a reenter and roll but no luck. End up scrapping my left knee a bit. I attempt to swim the boat to shore but it was impossible to move it. I finally realize that I get the Greenland paddle with me. I reenter and roll with the greenland paddle to get back onto my boat, pumped it out and continue with my rolling practices.

I get back at noon to have lunch. Grilled myself some sausages and vegetable on my portable gas grill. After lunch it was more swimming with the kids. The cute girl that I meet at my swim on Thursday invited me to play Dubadubo with her and some of the kids. Its a diving game, where on person would dive down with a floating object, on our case an oak nut and released it. The people of the dock would look for the oak nut as it float up, if you see it you yell Dubdubo and dive in for it. Whoever get the oaknut "the Dubdubo" would then dive down with it and release it for everyone else on the dock to find. The game gave one the incentive to dive. We play that for a bout an hour and the same boy still keep on trying to drown me.

I went out for a paddle and more rolling practice in the evening. I think I spend almost 5 hours rolling on Friday, and 3 hours swimming.

Saturday Aug 4

Stay at the cabin by myself till about midnight when David and his girlfriend come in on his motocycle, in the rain. I end up vacating the queen side bed for them. I did not plan to stay the whole day because I was supposed to go around Manhattan on Sunday (a story for another day). I did a bit of paddling (more rolling practices) in the morning and come back right as Stevie and Adele were launching. I told Stevie that I would meet him after I get some padding for the knee braces.

When entered the Sebago Cabin, I noticed some belong that were not there before, some of which I identified as Stevie and Adele but also alot of food on the countertop. I did not notice that woman working in the kitchen till come into the cabin. I asked her if I meet her before? Not exactly a proper greeting. She told me she was a daughter of one of Sebago member. The woman was petit, Middle East characteristics, neither Lebanon or Isrealis. I did not recalled her name or her father's name whole I do not recognized till I see him at dinner. She asked me what to do with the used knife. I give her a bucket that I used to bring the dirty dishes to the public restroom to clean and the soap. I also told her I usually just put it in the freeze over night if I am using it again. I did not spend too much time chatting with her. I picked up what I need and get back in the water.

When I get to the Green Beach Stevie and Adele was no where to be find. I did meet up with two paddlers from Yonker who seen Stevie and Adele previously. I stay at the Green Beach and practive my rolls till they show up, which is about 1 hour later. As I excepted, they paddle around the lake to warm up. Stevied help another member, Jane I believes, learn to roll while I practiced my rolls on my own. The only roll I still get wrong everytime on my offside is teh shotgun roll. I keep on getting the set up wrong when I am upside down.

We did not get back for lunch till 2PM. I have some food that Stevie brought for lunch. I meet the woman from the cabin again, and finally meet her father, who I used to paddle with alot on last year Saturday paddle. I again get intoduce but again did not remember her name. It is a beautiful Isreal sounding name.

I did not went back out again in the afternoon. I decided, I have enough rolling for the time being. I end up swiming and play Dubadopo again with the kids.

I stay for dinner with Anne, Jerry, Stevie, Adele, the woman and her dad and a couple of other sebago members. It was a nice dinner. I learn about for the woman, she 26year old, Isreali and have a nose piecing with a very small diamond. I did not notice that the last couple of time I meet her earlier.

I end up driving home at 8:30PM.

Where were all the pretty girls when I was younger? I was with the club for 6 years and know some of the members for a couple of years and never know that they have such pretty daughters.

Update:
Get home at 10:30 PM. Left Pete a message inquiring as to when and where we were to meet for the around Manhattan trip. Get no reply when I went to bed at midnight.

Get up to check my voice mail and email at 4AM. No email or voice mail from Pete. I decided to get ready anyway and drove to the clubhouse. Get there before the sunrise. See a cop car in front of the sport club next door, and people driving out of their parking lot. Apparantly 4Am is when the parking lot party must end. I open our parking lot gate and drive in without any question from the cop next door. There is noone in the club. I check my voice mail again, still nothing. I decided to have a nap in my car. At 6AM, someone arrive at the club and wake me up. The club member went on the Manhattan trip on Saturday with Pete. He informed me that Pete get sick and most likely would not be leading this Sunday Manhatten trip. He also told me that he think Sunday Manhattan trip would be meeting at the same place as Saturday trip, except instead of 4AM, they would leave at 6AM. The launching site for Saturday Manhattan trip was Inwood, at the northernmost tip of Manhatten, at least a one hour drive from the clubhouse. If I know and plan ahead, I would have carry my boat to up to the lake on Thursday, and then just drive down from the lake to Inwood on Sunday morning. It would be faster then from the clubhouse in Brooklyn to inwood. It is already 6AM when I learn this. It is way too late to drive up to Inwood. I decided to make a workday of it. I went back to sleep and get up at 8AM to drove to the local Home Deport to buy some stuff that I need for a boat repair job I have been putting off.