Maybe we'll tweak the requirement to say we must visit the Pond every season... yeah. That's better. If we do that then I've been there every season since 2005-2006. That was back when Lilly was still in the backpack. FOREVER AGO!

Over the years we've had lots of partners on this trip. This time around it was Paul, Katherine, and Josie. Everybody walked on the way in. Hurray! The shorter in stature got rides on the way out. Ouch. The weather looked like it was going in the pot, but turned out to be about as good as we could hope for. Blue skies, upper 30s, no wind. Wow.

Needless to say, after the grueling trek in we hung out for quite a while at the lake. I even took a picture or two, if you can believe that. When we ran out of hot chocolate and apple cider we reluctantly headed back. Naps, it turns out, are more important than lounging lakeside. Maybe next time I'll set up a tent so they can snooze there.

Total epic distance: 1.5 miles and 100 feet of gain.