[at-l] dec 17th, 1999

[AThiker@smithville.net (Felix)]

I think I would have kept a journal if I could have done it
sitting at
my desk with a cappuccino sending little whisps of steam
into the air,
Creed CD blasting away, Millie and Willie running after
styrofoam
peanuts. So, I shall do it as a 'retro-journal'. This
reminds me: In the
picture of me on Katahdin, my shirt (the one that made the
entire trip,
btw) the word "INTRO" is embroidered on the left breast. Is
that weird,
or what?

So, where did we leve off? I think it was at Kincorra. The
morning I
left, it was in the mid-teens temperaturewise. I love
listening to the
ground crunching underfoot. It was clear and sunny. I took a
quick snack
break at the tower on White Rocks. It was windy and cold
there. At some
point in the afternoon, I was trying to tune my radio in and
I happened
across Dick Estelle (sp). It was the first time I'd ever
heard of him.
Whatever he was saying reminded me of the AT. So, I
listened. Yup, he
was reading Bryson's book. I listened to the next 15 minutes
or so. The
Kid caught me and hiked through the DMZ with me. He said he
didn't want
me to hike through alone :-). Kids. Oddly enough, I actually
had two
conversations with locals in their yards. Imagine that:
Felix talking to
someone. Anyway, a little while later, I took one of my 3
falls on the
trip. Thought I broke my wrist. I didn't. There is a long
valley/pasture
hike just north of US 19. Between the highway and that
graveyard the
Trail passes. The sun was setting as I crossed the stile on
top of the
hill. The orange of the sun was shining off the windows of
the ski
lodges on the distant mountains. It was reaaally cool. And,
beautiful.
It was way dark when I got to the road. This is where
Pilgrim had his
problems this year. Dangerous place. Anyway, Apple House was
home that
night. It seems like something happened, but I can't
remember what. So,
did it really happen?

The next day we hiked over Roan Mountain. There was snow. It
ws cold. As
I hiked from Hughes Gap (is that where the sign sez
"Hickers", or
something?) I was listening to NPR. This is the night that
we started
bombing whoever it was we started bombing after  Clinton was

'impeached'. Was it Iraq again? I remeber being at Little
Rock Knob and
seeing all the lights below, and listening to a woman
correspondent
talking about bombs going off. We (The Kid and I) stayed at
Clyde Smith.
'twas a chilly one. That would turn out to be our last night
together.

Next morning we hiked over snow-covered Unaka and Beauty
Spot. I took
his picture in a whiteout. Very cold and windy. Later that
evening,
somewhere between Curly Maple and the Nolichucky, I saw my
only racoon
of the hike. 2160 and I saw one racoon. I barely saw him. He
nearly
attacked me, without knowing I was there. It was really
scary for about
10 seconds...the 10 seconds he was a bear. I got to town
(Erwin) what I
think was a couple of hours after dark. Went in to Johnnies
to see
Groovin' Moose and someone else's pack. It was Outta
Chocolate. He was
doing some slacking/flip-flopping thing. A phone call to
Red, (and
twenty minutes of her bitching about me not calling sooner),
later and
we were eating Calzones somewhere. Had dinner with Red, The
Kid and
Outta Chocolate. I was able to spend some valuable time with
Shannon,
too. I was able to give her some guidance and direction.
That is always
nice. (What was the advice, Red? "Books, not bookings"?)

So, anyway...that is how it was a year ago today. (BTW, a
year ago today
I spent over 8 bucks trying to get Alice Kauzlalaazlarich's
phone
number.)  Did I forget anything?

--
Felix Navidad
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/