[at-l] Four more years!!!

[AThiker@smithville.net (Felix)]

Well, four years ago yesteday had Calamity Jane walking back
to the shelter, after a trip to the privy, saying "That's a
nice privy. And, there's toilet paper, too." That is one of
my favorite quotes of all-time. Sundown left the shelter
before the rest of us as he needed to get to the Catawba
P.O. LL, CJ and I spent some time on MacAfee Knob doing what
you do on MacAfee Knob. On our way down the hill to 311, a
good friend of mine, Southpaw, met us with snacks. He took
me to the General Store for lunch. On our way down the hill,
we passed Sundown in a pick up truck going back to the
Trail. He had made the P.O. After spending an hour or two
eating and talking to Southpaw, we went back up the hill to
the parking lot where the AT crosses 311. As I'm getting out
of the car, I noticed Sundown running down the Trail, from
the south, to the parking lot, with no pack. "What's wrong,
Sundown?" I asked. "Every f*ing thing." Seems his package
had not arrived at the P.O. (This was because his
conversation with his mother a week or so before REALLY had
been disconnected...just like the kid thought. So, she
didn't know where to send the package, or how to contact
Sundown.) He had stashed his pack and RAN down the Trail
looking for LL and CJ. He was going to get the address of
Stoat's sister in DC (where we were going to spend
Thanksgiving) and have his mom mail the package there,
instead. Once we figured out an alternative, he calmed down
and things were fine. Somewhere south of Dragon's Tooth, it
got dark. There was a dog (I'm guessing) on the Trail in
front of me that I would 'scare-up' about every 10 minutes.
I never saw it, just heard the leaves rustling. We camped
just across the road where the big creek is (Trout Creek?).
It got COLD in the valley that night. The next day, Stoat
was picking us up
for food, rest, food and showers.

So, four years ago today we got up on an icy morning and
hiked over that big hill just south of what I think is Trout
Creek and then to a road just north of Niday S. about a mile
and a half. That's where we met Southpaw, complete with
'Southpaw' Brand beer. (I didn't drink one, though. Too
creepy.) And, waited for Stoat. Stoat got there about
noonish (I think) and we began a VERY long ride in a van. It
was me, Lucky Luke and Calamity Jane and Sundown. Life was
pretty frickin' good.

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