The Heyman Family Reunion, August 2005


The Heyman family reunion took place at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY this year. The Victorian castle is the Winchester Mystery House of of the East. It started as a 10-room cabin in 1869. It's slightly larger than that now.



Dinner

The dining room staff set aside the two largest tables in the informal dining room for the entire weekend to accommodate our small army. The buffet was consistently excellent and provided at least four courses at each meal.



Mohonk in the Myst

We awoke on Saturday to rain and a thick, heavy fog. Undaunted, I walked around the lake. Interesting figures and shapes came in and out of focus as the mist blew through. The lodge looked haunting, dark, and foreboding. I was reminded of the computer game Myst by the timber pathways and gazebos partially hidden in the gloom.

The rain did not stop Steven either. He did manage to catch two fish, but he agreed that two fish in two hours is not a huge amount.



The Hike

When the fog broke, it was time to scramble, and scramble we did. We hiked along the so-called Labyrinth which was just a boulder field. Just a boulder field? The trail was marked with blood and we had to squeeze through narrow passageways and climb rocks in order to proceed.

The penultimate section of the trail was The Crevice which was exactly that. We ascended the crevice via a narrow ladder in its depths.

We emerged like ants from the hole and climbed the Smiley Memorial at the top of the ridge.

Victorious, we headed down the path, skipped high tea, and went swimming in the lake instead.



Other Lake Activities

There was boating and swimming...



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