"Bears? Thunderstorms? Forest Fires? Reservations? Really?"
"Where are we?"
After hiking past all the campers we finally got to a nicely graded trailhead. We were a sight as we walked by the picinickers by their mini vans. Two gritty young men hucking packs on a warm august day.
"It's just horse trails"
"Watch out for the bears though. Don't let them smell you."
The trail got steeper and steeper, but we were huckin it. We only had a few hours of daylight left. The conversation sooned turned to bullshittin' about family and friends. I had no idea. The trail seemed pretty gradual. It's not that bad. We finally found the designated campsite, and as we were setting up the clouds rolled in. Water. Cooking. Pitchin the tent. Warmer clothes. Check out that toad. Rain drops. Thunder. Pounding. Get that stake in. Lighting. Pull that rope tight. Feel it in my chest. Pound. Hang that food. Don't get your clothes wet. Jump in the tent. Pitter patter. Boom!
Well at least the bears didnt come around. Nothing like a good bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Lets get on going. Thoreau was onto something. Muir knew what he was talking about. The trails got harder. Loose rocks and bear droppings. You can tell by the berries. We arrived at the Appalacian trail. We had a lot more to hike that day. We were going up and over several peaks and then down to a valley to another campsite. The fire kept us away from the North Carolina and our original plans, but this loop was proving to be a challenge.
"I didnt know this place was so wet."
"Damn its cloudy, we can't see anything from up here."
"O well we have to ge to the campsite."
"I'm getting tired."
We came upon an AT shelter, and it looked too good to be true. Newly renovated, uninhabitated, no signs of animals. This is awesome.
"Break out that whiskey, Danske!"
"Your problem, John, is that youre all about nature and riding bikes and not giving a fuck. They want someone who gives a fuck. You're going to have to give some shit up."
We both had a little too much to drink, but one of us got sick all night. and the next morning. and most of the next day for that matter. Thoreau had some words to say to me while we were on top of that mountain. We decided, though, that we werent going to make it all around the loop. So much for the reservations. I sat in the shelter all day looking around at the wildflowers in the clearing, hoping a bear woulnd't find us, and looking around for some wild edibles I had no skills to identifiy.
"How's it going?"
As he looked around in his pack for his cigs, he started talking about startin the trail so late. Figured he wouldn't finish, but was getting back on his feet from a painkiller addiction. Old lady broke it off with him, his last girl was just into him for the drugs. But he's workin as he goes up the trail so he hasnt gotten that far.
"Afternoon."
He came bounding down the trail looking way too lean both physically and the gear he was carrying. An old ll bean backpack, with a bunch of trash in it at least compared to all the gear i was carrying for only two days. He was gonna be done with the trail soon. Thank god though its been a long hike. I better be gettin on.
"Feelin any better?"
We finally got a move on at five o clock. Thank god though because the veiw was the most amazing thing. I thought this is why we came out here. Sure im all wet with perspiration, and my back hurts, and im hungry, and I have this huge blister, but you can't see this view of endless mountains anywhere else. The clouds were coming up below us and the sun setting in front of us. Breathtaking.
The one that was sick got sick again, we passed out in another shelter, and the next day we got back to our car. Had an ice cream cone. Did I mention that the trailhead was Walt Disney's Smokey Mountains? Then headed for home with a stop at Tango Bravo on the way.
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