Dear William (and Daniel, Catherine, Michael & Baby Girl Y) (and your parents), (and any future descendants and their parents),

The other day, I mentioned that Wójcio Rysiu hiked the Appalachian Trail. Well, let me tell you about that …

In our youth, both Babcia Krysia and I did a fair amount of hiking.

In the above left photo are: (1) Babcia Krysia; (2) my Sister Oleńka, who was/is a very close friend of Babcia Krysia; (3) Irka Rak — I already introduced you to her; Aldona Woś — she grew up to be the United States Ambassador to Estonia; and (4) Zosia Langner — she was the daughter of Druh and Druhna Langner — I already introduced you to them.

NOTE: Obóz means camp (like summer camp); Druh means Scout Master — Druhna is a female Scout Master.

I already told you about my girlfriend Joan; well, after that failed relationship, I dated Pat (she also was a student at Baruch College, and a member of the Boosters). At that time, Babcia Krysia was dating John. From time to time, we went on double dates; i.e., Babcia Krysia and her boyfriend John, and my girlfriend Pat and I.

Sometime during the Summer of 1970 (probably August), a few of us decided to climb Mt. Washington in New Hampshire — I had climbed it already some time earlier (so, I was the EXPERIENCED one). Pat and I went; and Babcia Krysia went; and John apparently wanted to go, but Babcia Krysia convinced him that he should not go for some reason; and I think that Hania and Ryszard Assarabowski from New Hartford, CT went with us.

As it turned out, the first night on the trail going up to Mt. Washington was not very warm — we were all in one tent, and I was sleeping between Babcia Krysia and Pat. At some point during the night, Babcia Krysia covered me up with a blanket. I was aware of that good deed, and decided that perhaps I should pay more attention to her. Two years later, we were married.

One of the many trails crossing Mt. Washington is the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine.

After your Dad and Wojcio Rysio were born, once they were able to hike with us, we started going on day-trips. One place we liked to go was Harriman State Park, in New York State.

The Lemon Squeezer is a rock formation on the Appalachian Trail in Harriman State Park. The AT goes through an opening created by rocks, there you need to squeeze through a narrow section.

Once your Ciocia Malgosia was born, we drove to Mt. Washington again, and did some hiking up on top of the mountain (we drove our car to the top of Mt. Washington).

Over the next twenty years, your Dad and Wojcio Rysiu did a fair amount of hiking, mostly through the Boy Scouts of America.

Babcia Krysia knew about a book she thought Wojcio Rysiu would enjoy, so she got it for him — it was all about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Well … that got him excited; and he decided that he wanted to do it — to hike from Georgia to Maine. He made preparations; and off he went.

William — I believe that your Dad joined his brother to accompany him for a day on the Appalachian Trail; and I know that Wojcio Rysio kept a journal of his adventures on the Appalachian Trail — you should ask him about that.

Love,

Dziadziuś Paweł.

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