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"That's not much of an excuse," Harry grinned. "A guy like you should be able to carry the kid!" he joked. "But jokes aside, you'll love it, let me tell you! I've hiked in several times with my son. It's beautiful there. The meadows, the lake, and you'll love climbing the Black Tusk. It's an easy climb with a nice chimney. And then let me tell you about the glacier, a feast for the eyes...."
"I'm sure we'll have a good time there," I interrupted him. "It wouldn't even matter if the place wasn't that great. It will be fun, and more so with both our families together. We've known each other for years now. We always enjoy being away from it all in the mountains. That's where I bumped into them in the first place. I met Frank one morning in the Rocky Mountains near Boulder, where I live..."
"Somewhere near Milner Pass?" Harry asked.
I nodded.
"There is a trail that goes from the 12,000 foot level, right near the parking lot...."
"Yes, Harry, that's where I met Frank; at the end of the trail, on the lookout hill, searching for his 28-mm lens. He looked terribly distressed. He said it had slipped out of his hands when he swapped lenses. I helped him look for it. It's the natural thing to do...."
We were interrupted at this point by Rosalinde, Harry's favorite flight attendant. She had come onto the flight deck asking if we wanted coffee or tea.
I ordered milk!
Harry declined.
"Would you rather have a glass of cold apple juice?" she replied. "I have great biscuits to go with it."
I said yes, to the whole package.
Ken Collins, our flight engineer declined also.
"One apple juice coming up," she remarked as she left the flight deck, as cheerful as she came.
"I was lucky to have found Frank's lens," I continued. "It had tumbled behind a rock. You should have seen Frank's face. The camera had been a birthday present from his wife. He was so pleased to have his lens back that he invited me to his trailer where I met his wife Jennie. Actually he wanted me to see the motor home he had built, a converted school bus. He was proud of it, and rightfully so. Even the wood paneling was made by hand, of narrow cedar strips, covered with four coats of varnish. The old school bus was a real cozy home...."
"Did you just say that his wife's name is Jennie?" Harry cut me off.
"Yes. Do you know them? Frank is also a pilot."
"Frank and Jennie! Hmmm! The combination sounds familiar. I met a couple like that at one of the conventions. She has dark hair, if I remember correctly, and a nice smile. Frank would be somewhat taller, with a freckled face, full beard. Am I right? I think he was working for CP-Air when I met him."
"Absolutely. But that was a while ago. He hasn't got the beard anymore."
"Oh, what a shame! Still, they are both very nice people."
"That's an understatement, Harry!"
"We really should get together for a visit," said Harry, "your family, his, and ours. You should all come to our place, for a week perhaps, for two if you can spare the time. I would give you a personally guided tour of the entire Northwest. I would show you Seattle as you've never seen it...."
"That sounds great!" I interrupted. "Let's do that. I'll talk to Frank about it. I'm sure, he would love to see you again."
Harry grinned. He always grinned when he was delighted with something.
"What is your wife's name, Harry?" I asked, as we crossed the last of the Cascade Mountains.
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