Teacher & Snacktime

No Hiker Left Behind....

There are strange things done in the winter sun by the folks who lurk the blaze.
The AT trails could tell some tales to astonish and amaze.
The New York parks can host queer larks but the queerest they ever did see
was that night in the dark in Harriman Park when Teacher wrenched her knee.

Now Teacher Jeanne came on the scene of WhiteBlaze one year back
with Snacktime Ed, a boy she's led through miles of wooded track.
Through field and stream they could be seen a-trekkin' in their style
of stopping here and resting there, and learning all the while.

“We'll take all day” she'd often say, “we're not here to run a race”.
She'd come to know that “low and slow” could be their only pace.
“The boy's in school and this trail's a tool and everybody knows
that lessons learned at every turn mean frequent stops and goes.”

This King's day past some folks amassed to give NY a try
in winter's cold, but they would hold that if kept warm and dry
there was no hike they didn't like when frost was in the air.
“The cold's ok”, is what they'd say, “as long as you prepare.”

Teacher knew (and Snacktime too) the challenge they would face
on tough terrain with elev gains to even just keep pace.
“Still” she thought, “perhaps we aught to learn what it is like
with others there.” and so they dared to join this winter hike.

Sure they'd be warm and safe from harm, that others had their backs
they set about their fitting-out of winter clothes and packs.
Brave and bold they'd face the cold clad in their down and wool,
so came to pass another class in Snacktime's nature-school.

The Bear Mountain Lot was the rendezvous spot, and with almost an hour to spare
T&S, Another Kevin, Moose717, Coach, Elf, and RSocks met there.
They drove to Elk Pen and met with more friends: Brighteyes, Askus with Trekker in tow.
The smiles and excitement and squeals of delight meant that there'd be no turning back now!