Beautiful Bodfish Valley

Some of my favorite times as a child were spent in Bodfish Valley.  Located some 20 miles or so south of Mooshead Lake in western Maine, my grandparents first began spending summers there in the early 1960's.  For years, my Dad's family of 8 stayed in a tiny, one room camp (2 girls on the top bunk, parents in the lower bunk and 3-4 boys in sleeping bags on the floor).  By the time we grandchildren came along, we also made use of a slightly larger vacant cabin next door.  This is where my grandmother gathered lots of discarded furniture to make a life-size playhouse for us kids (when we weren't fishing in the brook or climbing trees).  Fast forward many more years, and 3 sets of relatives now have built cabins on small parcels of land down the valley.  I'd heard about the new camps, but haven't been back to the Valley for over 30 years.

Last weekend Aunt Bonnie invited the kids and I up to camp for the weekend.  What an amazing time we had!  Lots of things have changed (the old camp is long gone), but many things were the same - including the (lack of) amenities.

 

The Appalachian Trail runs through the valley, and we hiked a bit and replenished Aunt Bonnie's store of "Trail Magic" (food and medical goods for the hikers).  We stopped at Otter Pond to look for wildlife, and then we checked out Toby Falls where one can slide down a natural water slide made of giant boulders made smooth by the force of untold gallons of water over the years.  The temptation was strong, but luckily enough the ice cold water kept the kids from plunging right in.  Brrrrr!

We fearlessly walked along the train trestle that my Dad has written about in his book of Bodfish memories.  Annabel and Thane were thrilled to be up so high, and they enjoyed the view of Borestone and Barren Mountains.  And Mom?  She was counting the seconds until we were back on good old terra firma!

We worked up quite the appetite with all of this adventuring, and we even got a taste of amazingly fresh water from an old fashioned well.

After a traditional Saturday night bean and hot dog supper back at camp, the kids roasted marshmallows, finished a puzzle and played card games with Great Aunt Sandy and 3rd cousin Charissa. 

It was such a great time of reconnecting with loved ones and carrying on family traditions.  We are so looking forward to the next visit.