We are still here. In the final hour, at some point after we had laid out our various meals, pulled the sleeping bags and tent out of storage, but before actually getting out of the house, we decided not to go.
Why? For my part, there is this crazy weather system that has meant intimidating thundershowers every afternoon for the last week, and means cold and fearsome weather up high. There is the fact that we left our cook stove at Stan's house, and would be doing all our meals in a tiny pot with the tiny butane stove that was our winter emergency kit. Plus, my husband decided that he'd rather work. People who know Tom will understand that this level of reluctance is rare. How could I ignore that?
I still have some hope that I will be able to tag along with my friend Doug when he and his partner show up in a few days. It will make for a hurried trip before Ethan and Jane arrive on the 6th, but I think I will be glad that I did it.