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[at-l] at-l What a weekend!

It was a gorgeous weekend...maybe a little cool, but not too cold.  Dan,
Ron and I headed for the Shining Rock Wilderness (NC).  Another man, his
teenage son with two friends also went with us.   If you count my dog,
Christy, then there were eight of us!   Dan, Ron and I are working on
NC's forty sixers (that's forty peaks over 6000 ft.).  There are more
than forty, but we're working on the top forty.   And to get the
certificate, none can be drive ups.  They have to be hiked by certain
routes.  And some of these are bushwhacks which is always interesting.

Saturday we hiked in from the Graveyard Fields parking area and left our
packs where we would camp for the night and then began an 8 mile loop
which took in Tennant Mtn, Black Balsam, Silvermine Bald, Chestnut Bald
(the bushwhack...my legs now looks like hamburger), and Big Sam (Phew! 
What a climb, but a wonderful view).  The other guys with us were newbies
at hiking and refused to do Big Sam.   We got back to our camping spot
just at dark.  Not long after that Dan saw the comet and we all took
turns with his field glasses checking it out.   That was great.  I could
even see the tail!  

Sunday we did Grassy Cove Top and Shining Rock.  Ron got the boys
interested in finding some caves he knew about there and while they were
poking around Dan and I summited.   Ron and the gang met us going down
and Ron insisted that we needed to do the caves.   They were really more
fissures than caves and very narrow.  I asked him if I would fit and said
that he'd seen one quite heavy man go through, so I agreed.  Well, I
climbed over this rock at the beginning and Dan told me as I climbed over
to turn sideways otherwise I wouldn't fit.  Well, even sideways I didn't
fit very well.  I got stuck!  Dan was pulling on me and I told him to
quit that I needed to try and wiggle free myelf.  I got free and Ron
informed us that the worst climb was next.  It was up about 10 feet and
through a tiny opening.  I tried and ended up bonking my poor
nose...ouch!   Since I was already in, Dan and Ron both helped me through
that hole --- Dan underneath pushing me up and Ron pulling me from above.
 It was hysterical.  There was one more difficult climb, but with a
little help I made that, too.  I usually don't like to accept help, but
this was one time I was more than willing to admit I needed it.   But
being stuck made me think of Winnie the Pooh the time he ate too much and
couldn't get out the door.  I wondered how long I would have to fast to
get thin enough to fit through.  Fortunately, I didn't have to find out. 
: )

The caves at Shining Rock were in a wreath of huge milky quartz boulders.
 They are very beautiful, but rather treacherous to climb on (I'm glad it
wasn't raining).   It is a very popular spot and we saw many weekenders
like us.  

Dan and I left the group when we reached the parking area and headed for
Devil's Courthouse.  There was a group rappelling there and would have
let me do it, but we trying to make it back in time for our evening
church service (which we did make...barely).  

It was a great weekend despite, burned faces, scratched appendages,  sore
muscles and, of course, my bonked nose.  
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