[at-l] my trail magic story

[DEE C BOUCHER <monadnockdee@juno.com>]

I had a chance to do a little unexpected trail magic for a hiker this
week and thought I might share the story with y'all.

I went birding on Wednesday at Stecoah Gap with 11 other folks. If any of
you have seen people out birding, you know that at 38 I was the baby of
the group!! We came out of the woods for lunch and found both picnic
tables occupied with thru-hikers. Everywhere you looked there were
backpacks, food, rain gear, water bottles...you know the scene :-) One
hiker who was taking up a table all by himself offered to make room for
our group. He was in luck because this group of birders eat like royalty
AND we share!!

The birding group pelted him with all the usual questions  through lunch
and were amazed and astounded that anyone would want to walk from Georgia
to Maine!! We shared fruit and cookies with him and he packed up and
headed off up the trail.  About 5 or 10 minutes went by when one of the
ladies noticed one of those "cool ties" that have the gel stuff in them
hanging over the fence. The biddies all started fretting about how to get
it back to him. One lady even hollered "HEY" (like she expected him to
hear her!) Our group leader, knowing I am a hiker and runner, said "give
it to Dee, she can run it up to him". 

I put my bins down on the table and took off UP the trail (wearing jeans
and OLD running shoes with no laces or tread left on the bottom). Of
course he was a pretty speedy hiker so it took me a while to catch up
with him. Did I mention the trail went UP here?? I eventually caught him
(huffing, puffing, sweating and having trouble keeping my shoes ON!!) and
was able to return his tie. He was very grateful and I was happy to have
been able to help. 

So if any of you folks up the trail from Stecoah meet August Shue (sp?)
tell him I said "Hi".

   
Dee (o!o)                          
   ((___))                 
     " "   

  

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