PDA

View Full Version : Happy Fathers Day



rocketsocks
06-17-2012, 07:29
Happy Fathers Day,many have been influenced by someone with regard to the outdoors,for me it was my Dad:) who brought the outdoors,in,and thats where it stayed,close to my heart.How bout you?:sun

Pumba
06-17-2012, 07:34
My dad was very involved with me when I was in scouts, eventually working his way to scoutmaster, even after I had gone to college and was no longer involved. He was an inspiration and tought me a LOT of things. I don't know where I'd be without him. I'm now trying to be the best dad I can be to my 12 year old daughter.

Happy fathers day!

coach lou
06-17-2012, 07:38
Happy Fathers Day,many have been influenced by someone with regard to the outdoors,for me it was my Dad:) who brought the outdoors,in,and thats where it stayed,close to my heart.How bout you?:sun

I was 10. my dad hiked us up to Little Rock Pond, VTAT. I've been hooked since. My sister and father camp for weeks at Hammonnasett Park every year. A huge multi tent compound, her kids practically grew up there. My step kids go now and they've taken right up with backpacking.

Tinker
06-17-2012, 07:41
My dad was an avid camper (first we used a big canvas tent, then graduated to a pop-up camper, and finally he bought a hard shell trailer after I moved out of the house). He wasn't a hiker, but the early exposure to the outdoors and an incurable ADHD worked in my life to get me hopelessly addicted to hiking. Age and previous injuries and illnesses are slowing me down a bit right now, but I hope to improve and be back on the trail (though likely slower) soon.

Thank your dad, and try to forget all the bad stuff. He won't be around forever (my dad died two weeks before 9/11/01).

Pumba
06-17-2012, 07:43
My sister and father camp for weeks at Hammonnasett Park every year.

My dad grew up in Old Saybrook, and I grew up in Clinton. We always loved going to the beach at Hammonnasett Park!

coach lou
06-17-2012, 07:52
My dad grew up in Old Saybrook, and I grew up in Clinton. We always loved going to the beach at Hammonnasett Park!

In 'Staven we called Clinton the sticks..............any camping trip past Branford was, 'out in the wilderness'!:D I do love living out here now, in a few minutes I'm going to go ride my bike down Cornfield Point, by the seawall, and then catch some rays at Dock & Dine!

Turk6177
06-17-2012, 08:06
My dad inspired me by always yelling, "Get outside and play!" lol

WhiplashEm
06-17-2012, 08:15
My dad got me interested in hiking several years ago. He also got me interested in the AT when he hiked a section several years ago. When I decided I'm going to thru-hike next year he's the first person I told and the fact that he actually believed me and supports me make me feel a whoooole lot better. I don't know what I'd do without him.

rocketsocks
06-17-2012, 08:32
We use to have some friends that lived in the Poconos in PA,and when we would go visit we would go through the Delaware Water Gap,it was always a treat and something I always looked forward to.My fathers explained about the trail,and how it was marked with blazes.Back at the house he marked a trail that lead through a section of woods where me and some Friends use to play,so we would always find our way home,I've since looked for those old blazes......with binoculars,as now they'd be about 15-20 feet above the ground,never found a one.But the memory is forever etched in my mind.........good stuff.:sunOn a different trip,we headed through the Lehigh tunnel in PA,and he would say "see the top of that mountain,that's where the Appalachian Trail is,now follow that Mountain all the way to the right,that's where the trail heads to the Delaware Water Gap where we came through last time on our way to the Poconos,as a kid,I was amazed that he always new right where we were,funny how those skills have rubbed off,no wonder though.When he would take me to the Reading Air Show in PA(no longer there,use to be a huge show that swapped every other year with the Paris air show)he would set me up with the map,and say"Were right here,and we want to go here"and then point to the map,with out even looking,how'd he do that? again funny how those things got past off........good stuff.

verasch
06-17-2012, 08:47
My dad was always an avid day hiker, and everywhere we lived he would buy some book with really bad graphic design in it called 50 hikes in [insert location here]. He would dog ear the ones he wanted to go to and try to go to as many as possible while we were stationed where we were. I went with him and the man hauled a** through thick in pine. It was as if he wanted to make a liar out of the authors for putting down the wrong estimated time. I could never keep up his pace.

Recently, I asked him to try out hammock camping, and figured i'd be in much better shape. We hiked some part of the AT near mt. greylock, found a trail on a ski hill, climbed up some more hills, camped and hiked twice that the next day. Still couldn't keep up with my dad. He's almost 70 and he's still a machine.

Odd Man Out
06-17-2012, 10:19
My dad took me backpacking when I was maybe around 10 or 11 years old on the AT in MD (late 1960's). I remember visiting the Washington Monument state park and we hiked to a shelter somewhere near there. I had a khaki colored canvas rucksak and dad had a big forest green canvas external pack. I was always fascinated by dad's lightweight camping equipment. I also remember he spent hours waterproofing his ginormous all-leather boots with multiple layers of oil and wax. He took more ambitious section hikes with a buddy, such as his summit of Katahdin and vividly described the knife edge to me when he come home. Later when I was a boy scout, he was also an adult troop leader. I was selected the Senior Patrol Leader (as a First Class Scout) because all the Eagle Scouts in the troop were pretty helpless in the woods. My dad would tell stories around the campfire that started out harmless enough and then turned into spooky ghost/alien/monster encounters. Afterwards, I would have terrified Tenderfeet scouts coming to my tent at all hours of the night. Of course, they were not the only gullible ones. He led me (and the rest of the troop) on the mother of all snipe hunts. I still haven't forgiven him for that stunt!

atmilkman
06-17-2012, 10:30
My dad took me backpacking when I was maybe around 10 or 11 years old on the AT in MD (late 1960's). I remember visiting the Washington Monument state park and we hiked to a shelter somewhere near there. I had a khaki colored canvas rucksak and dad had a big forest green canvas external pack. I was always fascinated by dad's lightweight camping equipment. I also remember he spent hours waterproofing his ginormous all-leather boots with multiple layers of oil and wax. He took more ambitious section hikes with a buddy, such as his summit of Katahdin and vividly described the knife edge to me when he come home. Later when I was a boy scout, he was also an adult troop leader. I was selected the Senior Patrol Leader (as a First Class Scout) because all the Eagle Scouts in the troop were pretty helpless in the woods. My dad would tell stories around the campfire that started out harmless enough and then turned into spooky ghost/alien/monster encounters. Afterwards, I would have terrified Tenderfeet scouts coming to my tent at all hours of the night. Of course, they were not the only gullible ones. He led me (and the rest of the troop) on the mother of all snipe hunts. I still haven't forgiven him for that stunt!
Your lucky. In our troop you had to at least be a star to even get into the senior patrol. I guess they were trying to instill incentive. Some (most) of my best childhood memories come from scouting.

Rain Man
06-17-2012, 14:14
...I've since looked for those old blazes......with binoculars,as now they'd be about 15-20 feet above the ground....

Why is that , Rocketsocks? Trees grow from the tips, not from the base. Or, did he blaze them in that much snow?


My dad inspired me by always yelling, "Get outside and play!" lol

Same here! LOL

Rain Man

.

rocketsocks
06-17-2012, 14:34
Why is that , Rocketsocks? Trees grow from the tips, not from the base. Or, did he blaze them in that much snow?



Same here! LOL

Rain Man

.I just got Schooled...Again:o,Rain:sun Man,I had no idea,thats great news,no I can save about a pound,not having to bring them.Probably is also the reason I haven't found them yet,hehehe,Thanks,and happy fathers day.

daddytwosticks
06-17-2012, 14:49
My dad inspired me too. He used to yell a lot. One of my favorite screams was "Go take a #*!@ hike!" I can still see his eyes bugging out and the spittle down his chin as he towered over me. This happened the first time after I groomed the cat using his new electric razor - a gift for Father's Day 1968. Man. I miss my dad. Happy Father's Day to all! :)

kayak karl
06-17-2012, 14:50
http://image76.webshots.com/176/1/37/93/2797137930104593866OQClMS_fs.jpg

http://image76.webshots.com/176/1/55/96/2470155960104593866mPMHUh_fs.jpg

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

hikerboy57
06-17-2012, 14:58
you guys are lucky. my own dads favorite expression was "shut up and go to your room."
when I was young my dad travelled quite a bit for business. my grandparents lived with us and my grandpa was actually the one who introduced me to the outdoors. His family migrated from poland at the turn of the century and settled in n.central PA in a small town of LosCrik, a coal miner, who used to take me mushroom picking in the woods around his old home. Later he would take me to visit relatives in Hartford,CT. One of his brothers lived in New Britain, and I remeber there was a path to a lake behind his house we'd hike. it was where i first saw my first rattlesnake, and also my first bobcat. from then on i was hooked.
I have my dad to thank for teaching me the importance of providing for your family, and my grandpa for sharing his love of the woods with me.
My dad is 82, still going okay although hes battled a number of health issues the past few years. he still has bladder cancer, but its contained, and he keeps on going like the eveready energizer bunny!
I love him.

kayak karl
06-17-2012, 15:04
http://image76.webshots.com/176/1/37/93/2797137930104593866OQClMS_fs.jpg

http://image76.webshots.com/176/1/55/96/2470155960104593866mPMHUh_fs.jpg

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

you can read the article (http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pine-barrens-enthusiast-is-the-genuine-article.7046/) on this sight. if you can't read pic scroll down to where TEXT was posted. Thanks.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pine-barrens-enthusiast-is-the-genuine-article.7046/

rocketsocks
06-17-2012, 15:46
you can read the article (http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pine-barrens-enthusiast-is-the-genuine-article.7046/) on this sight. if you can't read pic scroll down to where TEXT was posted. Thanks.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pine-barrens-enthusiast-is-the-genuine-article.7046/Thanks for the link Karl,great article,I too have used the term "Recharge the batteries",when referring to going for a hike.and the trash that would make an Indian cry,thats interesting ,when the article was written there was that TV commercial I remember growing up where they show the Indian crying because of the trash,we need another campaign like that of the early 70's.Yep,that sure is a nice piece of history for your family,thanks again for sharing that,and Happy Fathers Day.

kayak karl
06-17-2012, 15:49
Daily News Tuesday, November 21, 1978.
Daily News was a subsidiary of the Philadelphia Inquire.

jakedatc
06-17-2012, 20:31
Took my dad on 2 10mi day hikes in the Whites this weekend with 2 NH4000 footers each day. was also his 60th bday this week. he said on the way up a steep section today "i guess this is my own fault for getting you into this stuff" bahahaha

HikerMom58
06-17-2012, 21:56
Awesome thread!! Enjoyed reading them all sooo much! :) My husband and I both introduced our 2 kids to hiking. I'll never forget when we were all in woods on the AT. (can't remember the section but in VA somewhere) The kids asked where the trail took you if you followed it until the end. My husband answered, if you keep following the whites blazes going this way you will end up in GA, if you go this way, you will end up in Maine. Their eyes got as big as saucers. Our daughter has hiked over 1/2 the trail by age 30. Our son has done some sections but they BOTH love the trail, hiking and being outside to this day. :)

Feral Bill
06-17-2012, 22:17
My first backpacking trip was with my dad, to Silers Bald. Our last trip together was to (the now) Wm. Brien Shelter. The last time I saw him, we took a stroll in a local park outside Birmingham. He passed away last winter, but left good hiking memories. I'm happy to say both my kids are hikers.

rocketsocks
06-17-2012, 22:44
Got some new Crocs (in my size,no longer have to wear my sons old ones that are 2x to big,felt like Bozo)for daddys day,and some 72% Ghirardelli cacao intence dark chocolate,Awesome.

miassis dragon
06-18-2012, 01:12
I didn't realize it was fathers day until I saw this thread and starting reading it. Dad passed away on thanksgiving of last year but he's still with me every day. I would love to be able to do something for him today. My heart breaks...