The Bonds, the Twins, a Brother and Two Friends

Since taking my full-time position as a salesman at Q Drinks (www.qdrinks.com)  I have become the poster child for a Weekend Warrior. Most work days last from 7am-6pm, followed by a few hours of work on business development for my kombucha company and, if I'm lucky, some social time.

As a tour guide Ray, on the other hand, is a Weekend Worker. Despite this fact we've still managed to spend a lot of time together this year. It helps that we have an overlapping peer group and still haven't found a way to get sick of each other.

Nonetheless, this past weekend I decided to leave Ray and NYC behind. Friday after work I hit the outbound traffic on I95 with two adventurous friends, Thea, Anna. Destination: the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Saturday AM, first light after a late night. Notice my expert sleeping posture. 

En route to the White Mountains we stopped at Kingswood Camp, a place very dear to both Ray and me that has been the subject of several blog posts. This is the first summer I have missed in 15 years and it was wonderful and nostalgic for me to visit.

Saturday sunrise over Mt. Moosilauke at Kingswood Camp

After a quick stop with the other early birds at the world-renown FLAPJACKS Pancake House in Lincoln, NH (squeeze bottles of real maple syrup at every table!) we hit the trail.

The team limbers up.

Then, as it is on the trail to Bond Cliff, Mt. Bond and West Bond mountains, we hit the views.

After about three hours we break tree line at summit of Bond Cliff

Bond Cliff is one of the most stark summits in the White Mountains

Anna the Storm Queen

Thea and the sky

The Bonds are one of the few mountain ranges in the North East where you can hike for nearly two days and see no sign of civilization 

So we spent a lot of time doing this

Looking at views like this

While still having just enough time for this.

Twenty-two miles, two great friends, ten pounds of Trader Joes just-add-hot-water Indian Food and the best weekend I can remember for a long while.

All made possible by a commendable commitment from Thea and Anna to follow through on the plan when staying in Brooklyn was the easy move.


Oh, and by the Man Van.

Rolling through the Whites in the Silver Beast

A truly wonderful trip!

A brother, proud Weekend Warrior