Days of the Dinosaurs

      Back in the old days, the days of the dinosaurs, 
      Back in the days of the long, long ago.

When I was a young girl, we first went out skiing, 
The very same slopes that you ski on too.
Our bindings were beartraps, the hotshots used long thongs, 
Our skis they were wood, and our poles were bamboo.

When I was a young man, we first went out climbing, 
The very same mountains we still climb today,
Our rope it was Goldline, our pitons were iron.
We hammered them in and yelled, "Climb, on belay!"

When I was a young girl, we first went out boating, 
The very same rivers we still boat today,
The life vests were kapok, canoe of aluminum
It grabbed every rock, and it sank straightaway.

When I was a young man, we first went out hiking, 
The very same trails we still hike today,
My rucksack was Army, our tent it was canvas, 
Our guidebook was Bonney's, we got lost anyway.

When I was a young girl, we-' first went out caving,
The Ice Cave in Darby that some do today.
Our headlamps were carbide, we got wet and muddy, 
But never called rescue, 'cause we knew our way.

When I was a young man, we went winter climbing, 
Back in New Hampshire, in mountains so white,
Our packs they were Kelty, our snowshoes were bearpaws,
Our boots they were Mickey's, so we got no frost bite.

We do not envy your modern advances, 
We do not wish we were twenty today,
We did it all then, it was sixteen times harder, 
And we're still alive, so we guess we're OK.

© 2022 Adrienne B. Ward. All Rights Reserved