[at-l] Trespassing on the Ice Ponds

[TOKTAADN@aol.com]

In what is becoming a personal New Year ritual of sorts, I just hiked the 2.5 
mile perimeter of what here in PA is called the Ice Ponds.  My first 
circumnavigation by foot occurred last January 1 in the morning when it was 5 
degrees out.  Today was sunny and in the twenties.  The ice was not groaning 
as it did last year during the arctic blast.

The Ice Ponds are the jewels of a large undeveloped property that adjoins my 
mother's home.  Because Mom knows the caretaker and has permission to take 
walks on the property to feed the 4 Canadian Geese unable to migrate south 
due to injury of themselves or their mates, I guess technically I'm not 
trespassing.  But if the developers who own this property knew what I feel in 
my heart for this property, they would wish me excluded.  No doubt they 
intend for this waterfront property of theirs -- now natural and unspoiled -- 
to be lined with expensive homes owned by those who achieve what excess -- I 
choose not to call it success -- has taught them by example is the American 
Dream.

Mom has a wonderful home in large part because of the wildlife that frequents 
her property from the Ice Ponds property.  Bears, deer, turkeys all make 
their homes in this abundant piece of nature.  Alas, I feel I must make at 
least an annual pilgrimmage here so that I can experience the beauty of this 
property while it remains undeveloped.  Fortunately -- for the bears, the 
deer and the turkeys, northeastern Pennsylvania hasn't had the vibrant 
economy that much of the rest of the country has enjoyed the past decade.  So 
the region must grow further and consume more of nature before development of 
the Ice Ponds becomes economically viable.

There's a parallel here.  For the last 5 years up until last Thanksgiving 
when my grandmother passed away at age 92,  I made the trip here from Florida 
to be with her on her birthday.  I didn't want to skip a year for fear that 
it would be her last.  I wonder how much longer I'll be able to hike on the 
unspoiled Ice Ponds...

Happy trails,

Solar Bear
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |  http://www.backcountry.net  *

==============================================================================