[at-l] Our cold weekend

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

Tom - Pennsylvania got some of your cold - plus wet.  We were out
wheeling (measuring) the Chuck Keiper Trail in northern PA this weekend.
Woke up Saturday morning to the rat a tat tat of rain on the roof of the
truck.  A few grumbly words were spoken - and we ended up driving into
Renovo for breakfast.  Warm and well fed, we decided to brave the autumn
chill, and go take Oscar (the wheel) for his walk.  It was a beautiful
day with golden ferns, red blueberry bushes and sassafrass trees, and
yellow and orange oaks and maples everywhere. The blueberries were
surprisingly sweet for so late in the season.  Unfortunately, it also
rained all day.   Yet somehow, it was great hiking.  We hit the
multitudes of blowdowns in Boggs Hollow and the 45 degree climbs, and
kept on smiling. (They don't believe in switchbacks, obviously. Every
climb is straight up!) We finally found a nice flat spot in a hemlock
grove to set up the tent about 6:00. Too wet and cold to cook, so dinner
consisted of cookies and crackers (Sunday's lunch) and we were asleep by
8:00.  A long deep sleep and we woke up to dark skies, but no rain, so
with a hot breakfast we were ready to start again.  Of course it started
to rain soon after we left, but we had our hot meal, I was satisfied. 
The colors were again gorgeous, and the climbs were just enough to keep
us warm without killing us. (Coated nylon just doesn't cut it in an all
day autumn rain - brrrr.)  We were able to enjoy the walk despite the
wet and cold. Not much wildlife - the noise of the wheel seems to scare
off the deer - but we saw a huge owl right overhead. It was a good
weekend - and next week is the Gathering.  

Ginny
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