[at-l] 5 years, come and gone...

[AThiker at smithville.net (Felix)]

Since ain't no one body else postin' any much stuff, I
reckon 'spose I will...(go figger)

five years ago...yesterday.

Moose Boy and I hiked over Hump Mt. (I love those long views
and being able to see a long distance of trail.) It was way
windy on top. (Is Stan Murray S. the one that used to be
called something with the word Roan in it?) There was snow
on the ground as we hiked up to Roan High Knob shelter. It
was cold inside the 'green tunnel' of Rhodis. Memory says
that there had been a lot of washing/eroding of the trail
going up Roan.

As I hiked from Hughes Gap I was listening to NPR. This is
the night that we started bombing whoever it was we started
bombing just before Clinton was 'impeached'. Was it Iraq
again? (irony?) I remember 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 (five years ago today) 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 miles 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 I thought 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...I WAS HIKING, RED!!!), 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"?)

Spent that night on Red's livingroom floor... 5 years ago 
tonight...(hmmmm, so...that makes Shannon about...what...18 now? )

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