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.