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Pair take on epic trek for Parkinson's

CAROLINE LOBSINGER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 9 months AGO
by CAROLINE LOBSINGER
I grew up in the Tri-Cities, Wash., and have always loved to write. I attended the University of Washington, where I earned a double major in journalism and political science, with an area of emphasis in history. I am the fifth out of six kids — don't believe any of the stories that my siblings tell. To be able to tell others stories and take photos for a living is a dream come true — and I considered myself blessed to be a community journalist. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking and spending time outdoors, genealogy, reading, and watching the UW Huskies and the Seattle Seahawks. I am a servant to my cat, Frankie, who yes, will eat anything and everything in sight … even wedding cookies. | August 26, 2018 1:00 AM

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(Courtesy photo) Brandon Woolnough leads the llamas during the Pass to Pass hike.

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(Courtesy photo)Hikers taking part in the Pass to Pass for Parkinson's hike get their picture taken during the first leg of the hike, held Aug. 13-17 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

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(Courtesy photo)Brandon Woolnough, left, and his grandfather, A.C. Woolnough, take a selfie during Pass to Pass for Parkinson's hike.

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(Courtesy photo)A.C. Woolnough, left, and his grandson, Brandon Woolnough, get their photo taken during the first leg of the Pass to Pass for Parkinson's hike, held Aug. 13-17 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

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(Courtesy photo)A.C. Woolnough, right, and his grandson, Brandon Woolnough, get their photo taken during the first leg of the Pass to Pass for Parkinson's hike, held Aug. 13-17 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

SANDPOINT — A.C. Woolnough swore after completing last year’s Pass to Pass for Parkinson’s hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, he’d never do another one.

He changed his mind, however, when his grandson Brandon Woolnough selected this trail as his trip to share with “the Old Man” as part of his high school graduation celebration.

“My goal with each of my grandsons is to have an experience, not just give them a check,” Woolnough said.

For his eldest grandson, it was a trip to Yellowstone. Brandon had three choices, Yellowstone, Alaska or the Pacific Crest Trail. When he picked the trail, Woolnough changed his mind about taking part in Pass to Pass.

“Once he said that was what he wanted to do, I was sold,” Woolnough said.

He also knew Brandon had all the right camping gear — because he had given him all of his gear after his decision not to do the hike again. Once he bought a new backpack and borrowed a tent and sleeping bag as well as “a few more tons of freeze-dried good,” the pair were ready to hit the trail.

The 32-mile hike between Hart’s Pass to Rainy Pass was “fantastic,” but because it was a higher elevation, it was a bit colder than anticipated, Woolnough said.

“Nothing terrible but when you’re sleeping in a long-sleeve shirt and long-sleeve fleece in a sleeping bag and you’re still just a tad chilly,” he added, drawing out the last few words, “you probably left some clothes at home you wish you had but other than that nobody got hurt, everybody had fun.”

There were seven hikers in the group, four with Parkinson’s and three support hiker. The second leg of the trip featured five hikers for the first few days and four for the rest. The hike, only in its third year, is an example of the difference that one person can make.

“It’s the idea of one guy and it’s just mushroomed,” A.C. Woolnough said. “It’s kind of neat that one person can make a difference.”

While the first two days of the hike, Aug. 13-14, were marred by smoke, the rest of the hike was more clear, making visible the dramatic scenery. It also made for an interesting few minutes when the group could hear the sounds of a rock slide in the next valley over that went on for several minutes.

The hike varied in distance and terrain each day; one day it was mostly downhill and 10 miles and another the 6-mile hike was mostly uphill. The group visited six mountain passes and while the net elevation was a drop of 1,300 feet, the hikers actually climbed over 5,000 feet down and up 4,000.

“It’s not like it was a 32-mile walk the sidewalk between here and Coeur d’Alene kind of thing,” Woolnough said. “It was mostly all up and/or mostly all down and very little of it was flat. That’s what made it a challenge, that’s why they call it Pass to Pass.”

Woolnough estimates he took about 98,000 steps over the course of the five-day hike. Grandson Brandon Woolnough took a little over 115,000 steps, in large part because he and the other support hikers decide to hike up another 1,000 feet during to some mountain lakes to go swimming while the rest of the team rested back at camp.

A.C. Woolnough carried between 15-20 pounds in his pack, and Brandon Woolnough, who will be attending the U.S. Marine Corps Academy now that his hike with his granddad is complete, carried between 35-40 pounds. Several pack llamas also make the trek with the group, carrying about 60 pounds of supplies each.

“So do we love the llamas or what,” he turns and asks his grandson.

“Eh,” responded Brandon.

Woolnough laughed, adding his grandson had a love-hate relationship with the pack animals.

“They’re not pets, they’re not especially friendly, they’re not especially unfriendly, but if you’re the llama leader in the afternoon and they’re just as tired and cranky as anybody else, all of the sudden it’s like, (he makes his voice gruff), ‘I’m not going anywhere, go ahead and pull. I’m not going anywhere.’

“ ‘OK, I’ll give you some slack, c’mon now,’ ” Woolnough said in a normal voice

“I’m not going anywhere,” he says in a gruff voice again.

“I mean they were like mules almost that one afternoon.”

While shorter than last year’s hike, it was also higher. That made for dramatic scenery with 3,000- to 4,000-foot peaks above the trails, which sat at an elevation of about 6,000 feet above sea level. Some of the mountain in the range were smooth, where in others you could see where there had been avalanches and rockfalls.

“I would say it was almost stark,” Woolnough said. “it wasn’t a cute little waterfall picture. it was just massive and incredible mountains everywhere you looked.”

A.C. Woolnough said he was better prepared this year compared to last, both physically and emotionally, and having his grandson with him made the trip even more special.

“It was just neat,” he added. “It was interesting to work with him essentially an equal. He’s a man now, he’s not a kid any more. It was really nice to see that I must have done something OK with his dad because his dad did well by him.”

He joked they could almost read each other’s minds. A trash bag held out would find Brandon Woolnough nearby, coming to get it. Or as the teen was waking up in the morning, he’d hold out his cup and find his grandfather nearby ready to pour some coffee or hot chocolate into it.

Brandon Woolnough said he had a great time and enjoyed his role as a support camper and being able to help out. He counts as his favorite memories the hike to the mountain lakes and meeting the other hikers and hearing their stories. “It was just great to kind of learn more about Parkinson’s and just helping out,” he added.

“Just spending time not, necessarily around campfire, but just hanging out and telling stories and probably going up to those lakes,” Brandon said. “I’ve been backpacking before but I was never able to actually go swimming in a lake so that was super cool and the llamas were a blessing (and a curse).”

When his grandfather shared the destination, Brandon Woolnough said he was excited.

“I’ve always like the outdoors and I figured it’d be a great experience to learn more about the disease the Old Man has,” he added. “I figured I should probably know a little more and tell my family and friends so they know more about it so if they run into somebody who has it, I’ve actually heard about it and understand what they’re going through.”

He’d heard about last year’s hike and when his grandfather brought it up, he told him that he thought it would be fun.

“The next thing you know he’s giving me dates and I’m, ‘Sweet, he’s actually going to do it.’ ”

For A.C. Woolnough, the bottom line is the hike not only gave him a chance to create a special memory with his grandson but offered another chance to increase awareness about Parkinson’s disease as well as raise money for funds for research.

“I’ve got a dad who had Parkinson’s, I’ve got Parkinson’s, 50 years from now he could have Parkinson’s and I want it gone by that time,” the former educator and high school principal said. “I always say there isn’t going to be a cure in my lifetime but it hopefully it will stop with his dad or his generation so that’s a lot of motivation.

“I think there’s an obligation if you can to make a difference, you should try to and it’s an easy thing to do. Even if it wasn’t for Parkinson’s, it was kind of a neat activity as far as a bonding experience. I mean we’ll be talking about this hopefully for another 20 years.”

The hike, A.C. Woolnough said, allows those with Parkinson’s to show they are no different than who they were before, they just have the disease.

“It is not a death sentence. that it opens people up to new experiences and meeting new people and that each and every person with Parkinson’s can help make a difference by participating in research and fundraising,” he added. “We are capable of doing more than what many people think; the stereotype of a shuffling, stooped over old man is not a very accurate picture.”

He recounts the story of a former student whose father-in-law was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s and was having trouble adjusting to the news. She’d heard he might be willing to talk to him and was wondering if that was the case.

Of course, Woolnough said. He was happy to talk to the man.

He wants others who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s that while they have to make some changes in their lives, they can live full and active lives — just as they did before — despite the disease’s chronic, progressive nature.

“I get bored easily,” he said of his reason for reaching out, to embark on a mission of awareness, education, advocacy, and research. “It gives me something to do.”

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.

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