Like many other people, we usually have an extra little Traveling Companion when we go out, especially hiking. Meet Larry the Pirate!

We found Larry on The Cape in 2004.  Since then, Larry has become a vital part of our hiking routine, accompanying us up several of the Presidentials, Mt. Flume, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, Little Haystack, and several other mountains in the northeast.

Traveling companions like Larry should have a few particular characteristics. First, they should be cute in a quirky way. Larry has all the characteristics of a pirate – the hunchback, the bandanna, the peg leg, the irritated expression. He looks out of place in The White Mountains, which makes him a perfect hiking companion. He’s unique.  He’s portable and can easily slide into and out of a backpack. People like being in pictures with him, which makes him popular with other hikers.

Of course there are dangers to traveling companions when hiking. Larry is hollow, so he is particularly susceptible to damage during falls in rocks or being crushed in the pack when setting it down. Travel for Larry is fraught with peril, and he has bravely faced each challenge and returned home intact.

We have retired Larry to the top of the piano where he spends his days holding bicentennial quarters. Next summer, we will take a miniature Moai. The Moai fits all of the same criteria Larry fit. Jocelyn received the Moai as a gift from my mother, and we can’t wait to get him out on the mountains and down to The Cape this year.