There's so much interesting history up at our Mountain Cabin in the Sequoias. I'll share more of it with you as the summer season unfolds. I'm glad, though, that Robert spoke a little about his family history in Silver City, because they're the reason that we have our cabin there, and we are grateful to them, for the legacy that they left us.
However, despite the fascinating origin story, there is another, more personal kind of history in Silver City, and that's the history of Robert and me.
As I have mentioned before in my blog, Robert and I met each other in the first grade at our local Catholic elementary school. We became fast friends in 6th grade, and went steady in the 7th! We went to separate high schools, Robert to an all boy Catholic High School, and I to an all girl Catholic high school across town. But we remained close, and spent much of our time together, throughout our teenage years.
When Robert was a young teenager, he would spend his whole summers up at the cabin helping his grandfather and other Silver City residents maintain their cabins. ( As a consequence, Robert is very handy!)
I would spend much of my summers with my parents at our cabin in Crestline, in the San Bernardino mountains. Until we were 17 or 18, my parents thought it unseemly that I would spend time alone with Robert at his cabin in such a remote location -- even though his grandmother would have been a very strict chaperone!
However, when we were juniors in high school, my parents agreed that I could visit this place that meant so much to Robert...IF they could come along!!!! So they did!! And they were in for a big surprise!!!
Our cabin in Crestline, was small but very comfortable with every modern appliance (dishwasher included) and television, with fancy restaurants nearby, and city life easily accessible down the hill. So despite our warnings, they were not prepared for how "rustic" Robert's grandparent's cabin really was.
First, the drive up the Mineral King Road to get to Robert's cabin is not for the faint of heart. It's 90 minutes of twisty turns with steep cliffs on either side. By the time we reached the cabin, my parents knew it was going to be a different world.
The first morning we were there, it was coooold. There was no heater, (no electricity) and no hot water in the bunk cabin where Grandma Hubbell put us up. And when we woke, it was quite a shock. My dad asked me to request if Grandma Hubbell could bring his coffee to the Upper Cabin, where we were bunking. Well, if you knew Grandma Hubbell you would know how that went over. Not well at all.
So, my dad dressed in the icy cold, shaved in the icy cold, and bravely went into the main cabin to face Grandma Hubbell, who I'm not sure actually had coffee waiting.
After that visit, my parents let me visit the cabin with Robert by myself, with Robert's grandparents as chaperones. I wasn't afraid of Grandma Hubbell. But my dad sure was!
And so began our story in Silver City. We have hiked many miles together, ate many mountain burritos at the little mountain store, and enjoyed many late night campfires.
It sometimes feels like a dream that we are able to now have our own little cabin in this place that meant so much to Robert and me as we were growing up.
And we don't need chaperones any more!!!