Taye we hiked up Glory Bowl on the Teton Pass today. It was wicked steep, and of course it started to rain/sleet half way up. I remembered the last time we hiked together was last summer in Hawaii and then again at Sunday River, when we were dropping Kiki off at Bowdoin.
It made me smile as I remember you "bounding" during our hike at Sunday River! I imagined all of us hiking Glory Bowl and Kiki & Weston complaining, and you racing and bounding to the top, to make the rest of us feel feeble and weak.
When you were six you hiked with your cousin Joel in the Sister's backcountry, and Joel being five years older and a boy scout was anxious to be the first person to the falls. You two practically raced all the miles to that area, and when we all caught up to you and Joel, you were on the slippery rock ledge, where the waterfall was crashing down. Even Joel had not dared to go that close to the edge. You always scared me, because you never seemed to have fear. I had enough fear for the both of us. I only wanted to keep you safe.
As dad and I slowly made it to the summit today, we both agreed had you not crosssed over to Nordic skiing, you probably would've been one of those TGR extreme skiers. I said you'd probably be wearing the avalanche beacon skiing down the Pass, but dad thought you probably wouldn't be one to wear a beacon, always playing life on the edge. I said you might wear the beacon, but you would've probably forgotten to charge the battery. I think we have always lived in fear, a fear you never recongized.
Even when you were paddling on your Stand Up Paddleboard on the North Shore, I was always having heart attacks, because you seemed so very far from shore, I was sure a current would float you to Japan. You would remind me people SUP to Molokai.
Remember when you decided to swim out to the island off of Kailua Beach, and a six foot Tiger Shark passed you on your swim, and those cute teenage boys "saved" you, by sailing you back to shore on their catamaran.
I'm sorry I was such a worrier all the time, I just wanted to keep you safe. We are missing you so much Taye.