[at-l] "Here I go again, on my own...

[AThiker@smithville.net (Felix)]

4 years ago yesterday... My sheltermates were sleeping in
their tents
inside Mt. Collins Shelter when I left between 8 and 9 in
the a.m. It  was a crisp
18=BA. The sky was clear and the trees roared with high winds
dancing with
the branches. I made good time (too cold to stop) to
Clingman's Dome.
Climbing the tower was a very satisfying thing. The highest
point on the
Trail, one of my favorite places on Earth, another landmark
'accomplished' and what I thought an ominous song in my head
(John
Mellencamp's "Your Life is Now". It was the first time I'd
ever heard
the song, and thought it odd that John was telling me that,
perhaps,
this moment was what it had all been about. Wasn't it?) The
wind chill
on that cement top had to be below zero. I didn't spend much
time
hanging around. I headed back to the Trail with a nice
little adrenaline
rush. I kissed the sign. I always kiss that sign.

Once I got  to lower elevations, the winds died down and the
day was
beautiful. Mid to upper 20's with plenty of sunshine. My
favorite hiking
conditions. I stopped at Derrick Knob for a snack and found
a note from
my  friend Albatross . I had missed him by minutes somewhere
along the way. I hiked
on. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. I was cruising along
and having
the best time of my life.

The sun was starting to set as I climbed Thunderhead. I
picked up the
pace a bit to see if I could get to the summit in time to
see any of it.
See it I did. As I hiked through the Rhododendron maze that
makes up the
summit of Thunderhead, I noticed the powder-blue sky was
clear and
beautiful. I had no idea what else there was. I got to the
pile of rocks
at summit-proper. I put my right foot on top of the pile and
balanced
myself with my ski poles. As I lift myself up, raising my
head above the
Rhododendrons... I was. That, I believe, was the defining
moment of my
life. That was, I believe, the most, and possibly the only,
religious
moment of my life. It was, without doubt, the most
incredible single
moment of my life. I said "Yes!" I said it again.

I enjoyed things from the pile of rocks for but a few
minutes. When I
stepped off that pile of rocks, I was invincible. I hiked
away from that
pile of rocks feeling like my feet were inches off the
ground. What an
emotional high. I got to Spence Field S. with the plan of
stopping if
someone else was there. It was still light enough to see the
new
bear-bag cables as approached the shelter. No people, no
firewood, no
Felix. As I got back to the AT, as I was making my first
steps south,
toward Russell Field, "Got You Where I Want You" (the song
of the hike)
began. "Yes", I said again. I got to Russell Field feeling
good. I took
my pack off and ate some M&M's while getting things ready
for the night.
"Yo! Felix!" I said to my ownself. "What are you doing? You
don't want
to stop. Hike on. " And, I did. Hiking after dark in the
Smokys, running
on adrenaline and emotion, is an incredible thing.
Incredible, indeed.
When I laid down at Mollies Ridge, at 9:30, I was still
wound up. I'd
love to read my register entry for that day. The best day of
my life. A
day I saw no other human.

I hiked to the Fontana Dam the next day. I hitched a ride to
the motel
with a guy who was stoned. The ride would have been scary
enough without
the added element of drugs in the veins. I made it. It was
Sunday and I
wanted to watch NFL football and take a shower. The black
and white
Philco wouldn't pick up anything, so I took showers. Lots of
showers.
Showers became my hobby.

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