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[at-l] Six...as in years...



I forget where I left off...so, I'll start from Dec 15th...1998:

Six years ago Dec 15th, had me hiking the 24 miles from Iron Mtn. S. to 
Kincorra. The day started out foggy and rainy. That seemed to be a 
trend. A lunch break at Vandeventer S. proved to be the last time I 
would see Lucky Luke and Calamity Jane. Funny how things seem 
insignificant at the time.Walking away from that shelter with them 
sitting there seemed like every other time I walked away from a shelter 
with them sitting there. They always showed up later. Not this time.  (I 
got a Christmas card from them and they all look great, by the way)

As I crossed the dam, I wanted to throw the tape I was listening to as 
far out, into the water, as I could. Wallflowers did not satisfy my 
musical tastes. Little did I know then that a couple of years later I 
would be standing ON STAGE with the Wallflowers. Again...those 
insignificant things. (I didnt' tell them that I had wanted to throw 
their tape into Watauga Lake, by the way.)
I wrote something in the register at Watauga Shelter (I don't remember 
what.) That night, The Kid said something about it. I had affected him.

As I crossed Hwy 321 (?) I couldn't find the Trail. Re-lo, I think. As I 
climbed up Pond Mtn., I 'kicked up' some turkeys. Because of the 
switchbacks, I kept 'kicking' them up. Probably 6 times. They were 
probably getting pist. Me and The Kid stopped at Laurel Forks S. and he 
looked at the Playboy there. I ate. It was dark when we got
to the road. (Dennis Cove). We walked up to Kincorra, not sure where it 
was. Later
that evening, Bob took us to Elizabethtown for groceries and 'za. Back 
at the hostel, I ate until I was sick. (A fine pie is to be had at Mad 
Greeks) As I stood at the sink, complaining about how I had eaten to the 
point of being sick, I made pistachio pudding with half and half. In 
five minutes, I was laying on the couch, eating pistachio pudding, 
complaining about how I had eaten to the point of being sick. I called 
Amy Friends and asked her to marry me. (This having nothing to do with
eating too much.)

It was clearing outside and the temperature was plummeting. Bob told us 
it was 12?. Nice, cool hiking to be had the next day...

Seems that there were at least three leasons learned that day...

Don't take good things for granted, for they may soon come to pass. When 
you least expect it, you can have some impact on someone. Try to make it 
a good one.
Don't eat too much, unless it's 'za and pudding.

So...six years ago Dec 16th...as I left Kincorra, it was in the 
mid-teens temperature-wise.
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. 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. 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 (12/17?)  we hiked over Roan Mountain. There was snow. It 
was 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 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 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!!!), 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"?)

The next day (18th?) I left the hostel at about noon and
headed up to No Business Knob. It would be the last time I'd see Groovin'
Moose on the hike. He ended up staying in Erwin another night. Next time 
I saw him
was at the Providence Airport in June of '99. I was pretty much alone 
from this
point on. That was alright, as it meant I didn't have to spend so much
time explaining what I said.

It snowed pretty hard the last 4 or 5 miles. Very windy and cold. I
stayed at the shelter about 17 miles south of Erwin. (NC Hilton? Condo?
Something. Bald Mtn.) That is where I met Hooper and Toto. I had a blast
with those guys that night. Even though I never saw either of them (they
were in tents 'upstairs'.) I was once again suprised to be crossing paths
with northbounders. It got very cold and snowy that night. I think the
snow seemed worse than it was, though.

So..six years ago December 19th... The weather was miserable.
It warmed up enough to rain, and the snow of the previous day had turned 
to slush.
It may have rained, or snowed, or drizzled every step of this day. I 
remember
when I got to Sam's Gap, it was pouring pouring. There was lots of 
traffic (I think it
was a Saturday.). As the traffic whizzed by, the long tails of water
that followed them would, of course, hit me. It didn't matter, I was
already soaked and cold. I finally made it across the road, and up to
Hogback Ridge Shelter. It was good to get out of the wind and rain for a
snack. That is where the announcement "Vote to Impeach" came through my
headset. I had been listening to the NPR broadcast of the stuffy
impeachment procedings all morning. It definitely helped to take my mind
off the ankle-deep slush I was trudging through.

I had a nice evening at Flint Mt. Shelter. I saw one of my 3 mice of the
entire trip here. 2160 miles and I saw three mice. I wrote a lot that 
night, for some reason.
I wrote an article for the local paper "Photosynthesis: How to use it 
for good".
(That may have been something else) Actually, I did write an "Update
from the Trail" for the local rag. Flint Mt. is a nice shelter, I'd say.
So...if I'm not mistaken...that brings us to five years ago today. Am I 
mistaken?
After I left Flint Mt. Shelter, I did the climb up to Big Butt.
Somewhere in there was something nearly as strange as the 'Z' in the
sky: An older model Chevy Blazer sitting in the middle of the Trail.
This was not on one of the many 'roads' (railroad grade or old logging
roads) that are prevalent in the area. This was on standard,
single-width AT. It was easily 1/2 a mile (Hmmm, 5 tenths), and probably
much more, from the nearest 'road' (the dirt road near the Shelton
Monuments). The engine was still hot, and was popping and cracking as it
cooled. It caused a very uneasy feeling in me, as I didn't want to be
around if someone returned 'to the scene'. I did a quick look inside to
make sure that no one was inside and hurt. The window was open where
someone climbed out. Creepy.

I went out to the view at Blackstack Cliffs. They had been socked in
when I hiked this section the first time. Later, I saw a bear hunter
with an antenna about the same size as the one on my house. He was a
nice guy, I guess. I gave him M&Ms and Cheetos. This was at Laurel (?)
Shelter  (Little Laurel?). Somewhere between Old Hayesville Road and
Allen Gap, I found two bottles of Coke(the beverage). I drank one with a
snack at Allen Gap. I saw a guy litter. I hate litterers. I really do. I
made it up on top the mountain that Spring Mountain Shelter is on. I
can't think of the name of it. There was a nice Sunset that evening.
(Why did I capitalize 'Sunset'? I'll never know) Spring Mountain Shelter
had the loudest mouse I encountered on the hike. I never saw him. He was
between two layers of tin (I guess) roofing. Every move, every chew,
everything he did resonated through the whole metal-roof-amplifier. I'd
crack the roof with my fist and he'd quiet down for about 40 seconds. He
drove me insane, I tell you. Insane. I was glad that I had the viles of
Coke. I slept on the right side of the shelter looking in. Seems like
something funny happened that night, but I can't remember what.
Something to do with alien spacecraft...I don't remember....


I'm going to dinner with my boy Scooter. I'll try to send more when I 
get home...

-- 
Felix Enero
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
ALT '03 KT '03
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/