Kid Tracks Column: Crayons + nature = family fun

There were plenty of fall foliage colors to enjoy during our hike last month around Sawyer Mountain in Limington but it turned out that the colors in a box of crayons we had taken along proved to be even more interesting.

I was prompted to bring crayons and paper in my backpack after reading an article in a magazine about the art of crayon rubbing. I remembered making my own leaf rubbings as a child and although my own girls had tried the activity as preschoolers, it wasn't something we had done recently.

So as we started our climb up Sawyer Mountain, the kids scoured the trail looking for nice leaves to collect to make impressions of once we reached the summit. My 8-year-old, who takes collecting stuff very seriously, found more than her share of "perfect" leaves. As the collection grew and became tiresome to carry, she came up with a more creative way of managing her bounty. She tucked them into her knit hat.

"It's a leaf crown!" she said.

As my husband and I smiled while shaking our heads about our offspring, we came across a 19th century cemetery on the trail.

I remember a former co-worker telling me about his travels around the Northeast taking photos of cemetery tombstones. I thought the hobby a bit morbid and odd but he said the stones were fascinating pieces of history and could sometimes be quite amusing. Having edited obituaries for the better part of a year at the newspaper, I had to agree that people do choose to say - in print - the darndest thing about their loved ones.

My suggestion to stop at the cemetery was met with a comment from my 10-year-old about it, "being a little creepy." But I prevailed with my let's-just-take-a-quick-look suggestion. 

The large obelisk facing the trail caught my attention immediately. Bless Ivory Estes' family members for including exactly how old she was when she died, "78 yrs. 2 mos. 1 day." This was a no-math-required kind of place and my 10-year-old liked that a lot.

Then my 8-year-old spotted a mispelling on one of the epitaphs and was concerned, then amused, by the discovery. "Broter," was next to, "Sister" and "Mother" so it was likely only six letters could fit on the smaller stones and the "H" was the chosen letter to omit.

I doubt there is a kid alive who doesn't relish the moment they discover an adult's mistake (actual or perceived, it doesn't seem to matter). She was no exception and asked if she could make a rubbing of the stone. I agreed and she immediately set out her supplies to do it.

After reading the rest of the stones in the cemetery and making a few more crayon impressions, we agreed the detour was really interesting but it was time to get back on the trail. In typical Almeida fashion, we had started later in the afternoon than originally planned and if we wanted to make it to the top of the mountain, we needed to get moving again. 

Once we reached the summit a little while later, we found a nice spot to spread out our blanket for a snack break and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains.

After their snack the kids, who can't sit around doing "nothing" for long (enjoying the view is not a top-ten activity in their book), dug out the crayons, paper and leaves they had collected to do their art work. They quickly discovered however that there weren't any smooth surfaces to make their leaf rubbings. There were a lot of flat rocks but most had small grooves that made it difficult to get a good impression of the leaves. But they adapted and ended up making some colorful works of art with a full compliment of crayon colors.

As we headed back down the mountain, my 8-year-old spotted a variation of her name carved out in a rock just off the trail. 

" 'Lulu' is going to be my new nickname," she declared as soon as she made a quick crayon rubbing with her dad of the inscription. "It's famous!"

She is a special child.

We made it back to the trail head just as the light started to fade. The hike was about three miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of about 500 feet and took us, with our various stops, about three hours total. For older children who have the endurance for a steady uphill climb, this trail offers them a sense of hiking a "big" mountain with the self-esteem boost that comes from a manageable challenge. And being only 40 minutes from Portland, it's a nice option for busy families looking for an afternoon hiking adventure close to home. Plus, there's plenty of fun to be had if you pack some crayons and paper with the rest of your hiking gear too.

If you decide to try crayon rubbing on this trail or any other, be sure to take a photo and share your work of art with us. 

NEED TO KNOW

Trail name: Sawyer Mountain Nearest Town: Limington
Region: Western Lakes & Mountains
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Directions: The trailhead is located at a sharp turn in Route 117, 2.5 miles south of the junction of Routes 25 and 117, or 2.4 miles north of the junction of Routes 11 and 117. There is a small parking area where trail maps are available in a map box.
Learn more about the Sawyer Mountain Land Trust
Learn more about Tombstone rubbings

HOW TO MAKE A CRAYON RUBBING
Materials you need: a sheet of light weight paper wax crayons in a variety of colors (fat crayons are ideal) with the crayon's label removed masking tape (the kind that peels off easily) leaves, bark, a coin, or anything else that has a grooved or rough surface Put your leaf or other object on a smooth surface and tape a corner down (to ensure the object doesn't move). Then place your paper on top. Use the side of your crayon to rub gently over the paper until you can see an impression of the object underneath.

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram December 2006