i.m. traveling

Okay let me see if I can explain this:

Andrew, Ana and I were walking on this trail Saturday morning a little before 7am. Andrew was first, Ana was about 20 feet behind him and I was about the same distance behind her. We were walking TOWARDS where I’m taking this picture from.

The BEAR was also standing right where I’m taking this picture and encountered Andrew first. They froze.

Then the bear took a few running steps in Andrew’s direction before veering off trail (those are his footprints they’re looking at), and flinging himself down the side of this steep mountain to get away from us. You can see the track he left on the way down! 🐻 😂

I missed him. Ana saw him a little from behind. Andrew exchanged cell phone numbers with him.

Everything worked like it should have 🙏 Andrew said it looked like an adolescent black bear (though it was brown). There are lots of wild berries on the trail (I tried some raspberries!). That’s what the bear was after.

Wished you all had been there! ❤️

It made me proud to walk in their shadow and know that they understood their civic responsibilities.

Shortly after graduation the country broke out in Civil War. The wealthy were allowed to purchase exemptions with large donations. Ario Sr. made a large donation and funded the 147th Pennsylvania Rifles…but he would not exempt his family. Ario Jr. and Calvin served, risked and sacrificed for their country in war.

As you come to the bottom of the second row of donated dorms, on the corner of Sage and 15th you’ll find the Pardee Dorms, donated by Calvin.

Calvin understood and appreciated the responsibility he bore in helping others. The Pardee’s generosity was not a rare event.

A gentleman who attended Rensselaer a few years before Calvin wanted to celebrate his 50th graduation anniversary and decided to build the college a model dorm building, and to challenge other successful grads (some had gone on to fame, for example, building the Brooklyn Bridge) to make similar donations of their own.

These are horse chestnut trees near the dorms where I walked…