[at-l] The Most Fun you've had on the trail (Kinda Long)

[gadog430 at charter.net (Gadog430)]

I would just like to say that Shell-no e-y's story is a totally true story.
Gizmo's face is forever imprinted on my brain. As are my Ramen noodles that
were SITTING IN THE DIRT. Leave No Trace...don't even go there buddy. Not
even close.

But now for my story...
My most fun on the trail happened the night before. Shell-no e-y and I
parked The Cruiser at Cooper Gap, and we motored down to Three Forks in The
Wiggle Mobile. Well, we were sitting there just a talking (I know that there
are some shocked people that Shell-no e-y and I have a lot to talk about. We
are normally very quiet). This talk started about 8:30 p.m. and went until
11:30 p.m....at which time we saw headlights coming down the road.

I was like WTH?? It's eleven thirty in the middle of nowhere. Well, we turn
off the lights and sit there in The Wiggle Mobile and watch this guy pull up
and park in some SUV. He gets out. He goes around to the back. Messes with
some gear. I see a pack come out of the back. Sets the pack down. Messes
around some more. Out comes a dawg. He kisses the dawg. More gear messing
around. Kisses the dawg again. And in a moment...off they go toward Hawk
Mountain Shelter.

Now, the funny part of this whole thing is that the whole time that this guy
is doing this, Shell-no e-y and I are sitting in The Wiggle Mobile and I am
turned around backward watching this guy do all this and giving a Howard
Cossell play-by-play. We were roaring with laughter. It was the funniest
thing.

Well, after the guy leaves, we figure that is it for the night. It's about
quarter to midnight and we are still in the middle of nowhere. Or so I
think. It turns out that this is actually Grand Central Station of North
Freaking Georgia. Shell-no e-y and I are finishing up Tuckerizing, and WTH?
more headlights. It's a freaking caravan. No kidding four cars of boy scouts
show up. A bazillion young ones, and two very nice looking 20-year old ones
(wink), and some scout masters. I just looked at Shell-no e-y astounded.

Ummm, I thought we were in the middle of nowhere...not so. Well, if I know
where it is, there are bound to be others. But that night was so funny,
people just kept showing up. Well, and the next morning too when the two
vans of senior citizens showed up too. Dang.

Dawg




----- Original Message -----
From: "Shelly Hale" <shellydhale@earthlink.net>
To: "'Raphael Bustin'" <rafeb@speakeasy.net>; <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 11:38 AM
Subject: RE: [at-l] The Most Fun you've had on the trail (Kinda Long)


> The most fun I've ever had on the trail?  Hmmm....the possibilities are
simply endless here.  Hard to pinpoint just one, but here is
> one of my top ones.  It was Dawg's meltdown and triumph headin' out of
Hawk Mtn this past April.
>
> We'd camped at Three Forks the night before and then had been besieged by
Boy Scouts, military exercises, and other hikers.  The
> trail was crowded to say the least.
>
> We'd been on a couple of short hikes together before, but this was our
first one with just the two of us.  It was definitely a
> weekend of getting used to hiking together.  Before, we'd had other
friends or our daughters with us and had easy excuses for
> multiple breaks and a slower pace.  But, this time I felt like we could
actually stretch our legs a wee bit even though it was to be
> in the heart of those Georgia mountains.  Alas, Dawg was carrying a pack
that she fondly refers to as the "Garbage Can." And,
> indeedy it was.  Even though we'd had a tuckerization the night before,
she still wouldn't lose that gawd awful 10 lb toothbrush and
> never-ending supply of napkins.  Though, I did finally talk her out of
quite a few of those.  LOL
>
> I had been behind Dawg most of the way for the first part of the day, but
my legs started cramping up on me from all of the stopping
> and starting.  I was getting frustrated.  I finally told Dawg that I had
to move on a bit.  I know that she was a little dispirited
> by this from the look on her face, but I had to go on.  My legs were
simply killing me.  I'm the type of hiker that once I get
> warmed up the best thing to do is keep moving.  I seldom take pack off
breaks except to go potty but will slow my pace to grab a sip
> of water or munch on some gorp or something along the way.  I needed room
to roll and headed out.
>
> I came up a ridge and followed the white blazes along the side of the
mountain and fell into the perfect stride.  You know what I'm
> talking about.  When your muscles are all warmed up and your steps come at
a steady rhythm, and you feel your breathing and heart
> are keeping perfect time.  It was just awesome.  The wind was blowing
slightly helping the sweat to dry almost as quickly as it
> formed giving a natural air conditioning to my body.  And, then the song
came into my head.  My Kryptonite.  As I strolled along
> watching the butterflies playing on the breeze, the words and drums in my
head moved my feet along.
>
> "I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
> I left my body laying somewhere in the sands of time..."
>
> The trail came out by a meadow, and I decided to take the little side
trail to have a look see.  Just as I stepped up on a little
> knoll I spotted a deer down at the other end of the field.  He seemed to
notice me at the same time and with a mighty leap over some
> downed trees was gone in a trice.  Wow!  Such strength, grace and beauty
never cease to enthrall me.
>
> I stepped back onto the trail and followed it around to an old road.
There was shade a plenty and decided to await my friend there.
> After Dawg showed up, we stayed a moment longer chatting a bit about the
deer.  She was upset because she'd missed him.  Then we
> headed back out after picking up some garbage left at the edge of the
woods.
>
> Dawg led out this time, and I decided to follow.  I could tell that she
was getting frustrated.  Probably at me, too.  So, I figured
> I'd hang with her a bit.  But, my legs began to ache from being held back,
so with an apology I moved back to the lead and up the
> mountain I went.  I'd stretch my legs for a bit and then wait on her, but
I could tell that her frustration was growing with each
> step.  I realized that she prolly wanted to chat more often-- she's
talented enough to be able to walk and talk at the same time.
> Me, I prefer the sound of my own feet.  I'm not much of a talker when
hiking.  I'm more of an observer.....that is until I get into
> camp and with chores done I can pert near talk your head off.  LOL
>
> My thoughts turned to the differences in hiking with a partner and solo.
I realized that I was probably a disappointment as a
> hiking partner.  We were exact opposites when it comes to hiking styles.
I figured she'd never come hiking with me again.  I
> pondered these thoughts as I came to a stream and stopped for a refill.
After going up the hill a bit and filling up my water
> bottle, I moved back down to the trail to wait on Dawg.  When she came
along, I could tell she was getting to that point.  You know
> THAT point when you've had just about all you can take?  Well, I could
feel it brewing in the air.
>
> She wanted to go ahead and eat lunch there by the stream, but I told her
that we couldn't be that far from Hawk Mtn Shelter and that
> we could take a nice long pack off break there.  I remembered that she'd
said something about cooking lunch, and I figured the
> shelter would be the best place to do that with the wind blowing as it
was.  As she refilled her water bottle, we discussed what we
> were gonna do.  I took the opportunity to take my shirt off and soak it in
the nice cold stream water, wrung it out, and put it back
> on.  From the look on Dawg's face, I kinda felt like I'd committed yet
another faux pas, but I figured she'd have to get used to it
> cause I was hot.  Besides, there wasn't anyone around at that moment.  In
the end, we pulled our packs back on and moved out.
>
> Not that much farther on we came to the Hawk Mtn Shelter sign.  As I stood
there waiting for Dawg, this big burly fellar was headin'
> back up the trail from there.  We swapped Howdies and started talkin'.
Turns out it was Mountain Dew from White Blaze!  When Dawg
> walked up he was just telling me that Baltimore Jack was just around the
corner.  Well, we wondered on down there to swap Howdies
> with him, and then Dawg decided to walk with them on down to the gap.
We'd stashed some water along the road the night before just
> in case we needed it, and I walked up there to get it.  When I got back
down to the gap, Dawg had crashed.
>
> I have to admit that it felt really good to stretch out on the ground.
The sun felt wonderful.  The guys decided to go on up the
> trail, and we settled in for our lunch break.  I was reclining back on my
pack munching on gorp, slurping water, and watching Dawg
> dig down in her pack for her lunch fixin's.  She finally got everything
assembled and attempted to light her stove.  But, the wind
> was wreaking havoc with it.  Her matches kept going out just as she'd get
it to the stove.  I tried real hard not to laugh.  I even
> had to bite the inside of my jaw to keep from it.  She kept fiddling with
her windscreen and finally got the darned thing lit.  It
> started to cook a bit when I heard a car coming and saw that it was the
Ridgerunner (Gizmo?) coming around the curve in his truck.
> I turned to tell Dawg and about that time her pot tipped over.  Just as he
pulled in to park, her pot rolled down in front of his
> truck strewing her lunch along its path.
>
> When he got out of the truck with his friend, he laughingly mentioned
Leave No Trace.  That was it.  I howled.  I couldn't help
> myself.  The look on her face as her pot rolled away and then his reminder
about LNT was something to behold.  As he and his friend
> started up the trail to the shelter, I slowly pulled my pack around in
front of me.
>
> The brewing in the air had reached its pinnacle.  THAT point was finally
here.  There was an ominous feeling in the air.  The wind
> had even ceased its playful banter.  The sun had taken refuge behind a
cloud.  And, Dawg looked ready to explode.  Her eyes were
> bulging, and even from 20' away I could see the veins sticking out on her
head and neck.  Her face was completely crimson and
> steadily growing in color.
>
> Peeking out from behind my pack, I kept watch as she just sat there.  I
knew there was a time bomb ticking right there, but she just
> held it in.  So, with a giggle I encouraged her to yell, kick, scream, but
begged her not to throw anything in my direction or
> towards his truck.  She looked at me like I'd grown two heads or sumpin'.
But, it was like I told her--it's better to get it out
> and be done with it than to hold it in.  Finally, she jumped up and paced
back and forth.  She ranted and raved for a few minutes
> and then when it was over she sank back down on the ground exhausted.
>
> At least the tension was finally broken, or so I thought.  We sat there
for a while longer, but then the flies started biting.  I
> couldn't take it, but when I asked her if she was ready to move on, I
thought she was gonna go back to the ranting and raving again.
> I even told her that we should bail if things didn't feel right, but she
kept insisting that we would continue on.  She just needed
> a little more time.  A little bit later she told me to go on.
>
> I didn't want to leave her.  I could tell that she really needed a friend
just then, but she kept telling me to go.  Guiltily, I
> pulled on my pack and started up the mountain.  I felt so torn.  There was
the added fact that I knew her foot had been bothering
> her.  What if she really needed to stop for the day?  What if there was
something else wrong?  Was the heat getting to her?  Was the
> pack too heavy?  Had she been drinking enough water?  This hiking with a
partner really takes some getting used to.
>
> As I trudged up the mountainside, I kept listening, but I never did hear
her moving around down there.  About 3/4's of the way up, I
> crept over behind a tree where I could see around it and back down into
the gap.  I didn't want her to think that I was checking up
> on her or anything.  :-)
>
> I could see the Garbage Can still sitting where she'd left it, but I
couldn't see her.  A few minutes later she came into view
> again.  She stood there with her hands on her hips just looking at her
pack.  All of her frustration and irritation were personified
> in her stance.  I could tell that she really did not want to put that pack
back on.  We still had several miles left to go in the
> day, but I really wondered if she wanted to do it with the way things had
been going.
>
> As I stood there watching her struggle with herself, a car came down the
hill toward her.  She took a long look at that car and then
> back to her pack.  I wondered what she would do, but I needed to know
either way so that I'd know whether to continue to wait, head
> back down, or continue on. As the car moved on past her, she seemed to
come to a decision.  With renewed energy she stepped up the
> Garbage Can and hefted it on board.  As she adjusted her straps and such,
I sent her a mental "Atta Girl!!!"  She picked up her
> walking stick and started up the trail.  I stood just out of sight and
with each step she took I chanted to myself "Go Dawg, Go!  Go
> Dawg, Go!"
>
> When she reached the spot where I sat in the shade, I asked her, "Alright
then?"  With a grin she told me, "Alright."  The rest of
> the day went in a blur.  I felt humbled to have witnessed such a personal
struggle and triumph.  To see, Dawg put that pack on and
> conquer that next mountain was really something.  She had reached THAT
point and had stomped it in the dust.  She'd defeated that
> inner devil telling her she couldn't do it.  She'd thumbed her nose at him
and did it anyway.
>
> That night as we settled down in camp, I remember feeling so proud of her.
It's definitely a special thing to have our own personal
> triumphs, but it's even more special when you witness someone else's.
>
> In the end, I think we've found perfect hiking partners in each other.
She pushes me and I pull her.  We're totally different, and
> yet the very same.  Somehow it all worked out in the end, and I look
forward to our future hikes together where I hope we can
> witness many more of each other's personal triumphs over hiking's
challenges.
>
> Go Dawg, go.
>
> Tenacious Tanasi
>    (Shelly Hale)
>
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hiking_backpacking_events/
>
>
>
>
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