[at-l] Cold weather hiking questions

[Bluetrail@xxxxxxx (Bluetrail@xxxxxxx)]

That "can you tie your shoes" test is great.  Once hiked north from Skyland=
s in early May with Jon.  We had the desk clerk at Skylands take our packs =
to Thornton Gap and we took only fanny packs.  Thirty minutes into the hike=
, despite the "clear skies" forecast, it began to rain.  Then the wind pick=
ed up.  Then the temperature began to drop.  Winds reached at least 20 mph,=
 blowing rain and dense fog agains us.  I was cold, but okay.  When I stopp=
ed to moleskin a hotspot, I noticed he was starting to shake.  I urged him =
to go on and meet me at the Panorama Restaurant as he could hike faster tha=
n I and thus get warmer at a faster pace.  He refused to leave me.  I walke=
d as fast as I could.  At Mary's Rock I said something about taking a break=
 (we'd done 7 miles wihtout stopping) and heard from behind me, "No!"  When=
 I looked at him, he was really shaking, so down the trail we went.  When w=
e got to Panorama Restaurant, it was closed, but our packs were there. Jon =
immediately stripped entirely out of his wet clothes and began putting on t=
he dry long pants and shirt in his pack.  I had to fasten his pants as his =
fingers wouldn't work.

We ended up hitching into Luray and finding a warm, curry-scented motel.

Taught me a lot of lessons!

Joan
bluetrail@aol.com