Cooper, the mischievous dog, seized my left sock and began to chew on it. “Dude,” I exclaimed as I snatched the sock back, now sullied with puppy drool, “you’re going to need that energy today.”
My wife, Gillian, our teenager, and I were about to embark on Cooper’s first real hike – a nine-mile journey into Pharaoh Lake in the eastern Adirondacks. Pharaoh Lake is an ideal hike for a young pup as it doesn’t have steep inclines and offers various streams for a hot dog like Cooper to cool off in.
This trip to Pharaoh Lake is not new to us. It’s a hike I’ve done in all seasons, whether on skis, hiking, or trail running. For reasons I can’t fully explain, I feel the need to visit the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness at least once a year.
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As a child, I have vivid memories of sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen, where my aunts and grandparents would gather, sipping their coffee and engaging in conversations. While they assumed I was off doing something else, I listened attentively. I listened to stories about our family and the residents of our quaint Catskills town.
During one of these gatherings, I inadvertently became the subject of discussion. I overheard whispers that I was excessively quiet and withdrawn. They predicted that the demands of summer camp, school, and the real world would overwhelm me.
Just over a mile into our hike, we reached a small bridge that crossed over Mill Brook. The tall grasses swayed gently in the breeze, and red-wing blackbirds perched on the alders, while Number 8 Mountain dominated the southern skyline. I often find myself lost in daydreams about that particular spot on Mill Brook.
Through time and with the support of others, I have come to realize that quiet individuals are often the most attentive. They are the ones tirelessly trying to make sense of the world around them.
Cooper took a refreshing dip in Pharaoh Lake Brook to cool off. Nearby, there were stands of red pines that provided shade from the summer sun. Among the pines, our teenager engaged in a thought-provoking conversation about what animals we would be if we were given the choice. Gillian and our teenager know me better than anyone else, and they agreed that I resemble a wolf the most as wolves can exist both in packs and as solitary creatures.
Over time, I haven’t necessarily become better at instantaneously grasping the complexities of the world. However, I have grown more patient, knowing that understanding will eventually come. I have learned that I need places like Pharaoh Lake, where I can bring my metaphorical mental backpack and unravel my thoughts at my own pace.
At the outlet of Pharaoh Lake, we took the path along the eastern shore. Soon, we found ourselves seated by the lakeside, gazing across the water at Treadway Mountain. Cooper eagerly dove into the lake, while I couldn’t help but smile. I have taken every dog I’ve had in the past 20 years on this pilgrimage to Pharaoh Lake, and Cooper is the latest addition.
Unlike Cooper, our teenager hesitated when it came to going into the lake, asking about potential dangers in the water. I reassured them that the scary things of the world couldn’t reach us in Pharaoh Lake. I’m not sure if my explanation made sense to a 13-year-old, but they chose to swim nevertheless.
After finishing our swim, we basked in the sun by the lake for over an hour. The sky was a vivid blue, scattered with fluffy white clouds, and the lake was serene. We witnessed a heron gliding just above the water’s surface, and a crayfish emerged from beneath a rock, startling a nearby school of small fish. In that blissful hour at Pharaoh Lake, we shared more laughter than we do in an entire week at home. As the time came to leave, I was reluctant to go, as the world seemed to have slowed down just enough, providing a rare moment of tranquility.
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