Wouldn't Take Nothin' For My Journey Now

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Smokies SB6K Backpack Trip – Day 3 – 6/10/12 – AT/Snake DenRidge Trail – 13.1 Miles
Through the night I dozed and listened, quiet except for a raucouschorus of frogs in the wee hours.  Rainwas predicted the day before but it avoided us. According to Jeff, rain was again predicted for today beginning at 7:00a.m.  But rain or shine, this was ourlast day and I could handle whatever came. By 7:00 a.m. we were packing up and still dry. 
Raindrops began to whisper on the shelter roof at 7:30a.m.  Ah well…
Suited up for a wet day – two SB6K summits to go. 
Despite the clouds, we still had a view and some rhodosblooming on the AT
An old granddaddy rhodo- dendron bush covered in glowing lichen


From time to time I am asked which trail in the Great SmokyMountains is my favorite, and my standard answer is that I have some favoritedays hiking there due to a combination of the trail, the weather, my fellow hikers(or solo), and the events on that hike.  But…it’shard to downplay the uniqueness of the Appalachian Trail following theridgeline of the Smokies.  Every step ofit is infused with magic if you open yourself up.   NorthCarolina drops down over one shoulder and Tennessee drops down over the other.  Impressions of tens (hundreds?) of thousandsof footsteps are underneath your feet, of humans on a soul-searching walk oranimals looking for lunch.  The2-by-6-inch white rectangles painted on the trees are the same as the ones inMaryland and in Maine.  So whether thesun is shining or the rain is dripping, the AT through the Smokies is a specialplace to be. 
Rain gear doesn’t really keep you dry when it’s above 50degrees, because you sweat inside with the exertion of hiking.  But it makes you think you’re stayingdry.  And today it served anotherpurpose:  protecting us from morescratches and scrapes during our bushwhacking. The rain tapered off but the woods were saturated as we began ournext-to-last and most difficult SB6K summit, Mt. Guyot on the AT.  Jeff’s memory of Mt. Guyot was accurate:  a terrible, awful, no-good, very badbushwhack.  The half-mile slog uphill tookus a solid hour.  Even with Jeff’s GPStrack, we tried and abandoned a couple of routes near the summit because of additionaldeadfall since his last visit.  Theblackberry briars grew way overhead and we spent a lot of time stomping a paththrough (which helped a lot on the return, only a half hour). 
Slimy snails were every- where, a bumper crop, and they seemedto bother me much more than the thought of gigantic rattle- snakes.  Grabbing onto tree trunks and branches, a fewtimes I squished a little fellow and shrieked, doing a little dance of disgustas I wiped my hand on my rain pants. YUCK.
The summit of Mt. Guyot at last.  Yes, this is worth it.

The final summit of Old Black was also difficult but muchshorter, a .4-mile roundtrip.  A bitanti- climactic after Mt. Guyot, but a triumph nevertheless.  Now all we had to do was walk to my car –about two miles on the AT and then 5 miles down Snake Den Ridge Trail.  Downhill sounded great, but I knew that by trail’send my thighs would be shaking and my knees would be aching.  But hey, I just finished bagging sevenoff-trail peaks in the Smokies!  I feltgreat. 
Continuing northbound on the AT past Old Black, we kept oureyes peeled for the remains of an F-4 Phantom fighter plane that crashed intothe ridge near Inadu Knob in 1984. Fragments from the wreck are scattered around the area close to the ATintersection with Snake Den Ridge Trail. I had not seen this the last time I was here.  I don’t know how I missed it then, but it isvery obvious just off the trail to the right. Jeff guessed that some of the pieces had been collected together at thisspot.
We turned left onto Snake Den Ridge Trail and began our longdescent.  At the next intersection wesplit up.  Jeff turned onto Maddron BaldTrail so he could get in some new miles and also check out the Albright Grove Loop,a .7-mile side trail through rare old growth hardwood forest.  I continued on down Snake Den Ridge.
The smoky view from Snake Den Ridge Trail
Galax blooms lining the trail
Something big was digging around here not long ago
Can never have too many photos of rhodo- dendron up close
Crossing Inadu Creek on Snake Den Ridge Trail, I met afellow here who had backpacked in overnight carrying a huge camera and tripod
Alternate-leaved dogwood
Fun fungi

A half-mile from the end of Snake Den Ridge Trail is theWilliamson Cemetery.  Most of the graves datefrom the early 1900’s, but noteworthy is a marker dated 1982 for Ella V.Costner, a World War II POW and Poet Laureate of the Smokies. 
The day was not over when I arrived at the trailhead.  I walked through the Cosby Campground to thehiker parking area and saw my precious Honda Pilot waiting where Daniel andMike had left it, along with a note of their whereabouts today.  Turns out they were walking the same trail asJeff (Maddron Bald) but we missed them by a couple of hours.  I changed clothes, cleaned up a little, andwent in search of the Maddron Bald trailhead, going completely on memoryseveral years old.  Luckily I recognizedroad names and landmarks.  After a shortwait, Jeff stumbled up with tired, sore feet and was ready to go home.  Me too.
I knew that this weekend would be hard, hard work…and itwas.  Yet for all that physical effortand discomfort, the feeling of being on a trail was as uplifting and transformativeas always.  I don’t know if I will evergo bushwhacking again without a specific challenge goal, but I hope I can keephiking the trails forever.
Thanks, Jeff.
Wouldn’t take nothin' for myjourney now.  ~Jimmie Davis

Welcome To Uncle Bud's Hut

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Colorado Hut-to-Hut Adventure – Day 6 – 9/13/12 – Hiking toUncle Bud’s Hut – 11 Miles
Another Tylenol PM night with a different result – noheadache this morning!  And a good thingbecause today was going to be our longest hike, going from 10^thMountain Hut to Uncle Bud’s Hut via a hybrid route of cross-country ski trailsand the CDT (which still runs concurrently with the Colorado Trail).  What will this be like?  A great deal of variety in topography andlandscape and challenges – a terrific day.
Yesterday’s precipitation left a light frosteverywhere.  This bench bears a plaque namingit “Catherine’s Bench”, in memory of a 29-year-old woman who loved hiking andskiing in the Colorado Mountains.  Shewas killed by a lightning strike while hiking up one of the 14er’s.  Her family installed a “Catherine’s Bench” ateach of the 10^th Mountain huts. 
Say goodbye to 10^th Mountain Hut
Buebird skies and 28 degrees.  Ready for whatever comes next (Jeff’s photo)
The first couple of miles consisted of backtracking, withCathy and me in front as route finders searching for those blue diamond trailmarkers (Cathy says “Blue diamonds are a girl’s best friend”). 
A giant landmark that we remembered
Clouds in the valley where the town of Leadville sits
A day of “reflection”



We crossed the intersection with West Tennessee Lakes Trailand continued on the cross-country ski route, increasingly confident of ournavigational skills until we came to a very large meadow.  I’m sure in winter it’s pretty simple to lookacross a white expanse the length of a football field and spot a 10-inch bluediamond nailed 25 feet up on an evergreen tree…but not today.  We needed to cross the meadow and then scoutalong the tree line to find a trail marker. Looks simple enough, right?
But those low bushes and grasses are actually waist high andvery dense, with marshy spots you might not see before splashing into them withboth feet.  We began following apromising trail that ultimately meandered all around until we concluded that itwas an animal trail, not a people trail. There was no straight route across the meadow.  We pretended to be Moses and the chosen peoplewandering in the wilderness.  In spite ofthe slow process, I really enjoyed this interlude.  The terrain was flat, the colors werespectacular and I had that feeling of a very small being in God’s great bigworld. 

Next we passed another small pond and walked through anarrow meadow still partially in shadow with lovely frost patterns. 
Frosty morning
Jeff’s photo
Couldn’t resist this tiny Christmas tree with a sunbeamspotlight
When we reached the CDT we turned right for a couple ofmiles of pure delight, a rockin’ and rollin’ level trail through Longs Gulch,and then entered Holy Cross Wilderness.
Long Gulch (Jeff’s photo)
Another pretty pond



Our biggest climb of the day tested my lung capacity yetagain, 35 minutes of steepness, and I persevered (very) slowly and steadily butwithout stopping.  I was still not lovingthe climbs but I was conquering them. 
At the top of the climb we reached the pass between GalenaMountain and an unnamed peak that Jeff wanted to bag.  There were two beautiful small unnamed lakesto explore.  But first…time forrefueling.  What a spectacular settingfor lunch!
Horses passing through to pick up a crew of fishermen who werecamping out at the lake.
Cathy and I explored a little bit over the next ridge – a viewof everything coming up, snowy peaks and yellow aspens.
The peak Jeff bagged today (Point 11,820).



During our rest stop Mike gave Cathy and me a tutorial onreading topo lines on a map, helping us understand what was ahead (some up,some down, surprise!).  When Jeffreturned, we got back on the CDT. 
Across this open pass we had our best view of the day.  At this point Jeff and Cathy were ahead andMike wasn’t sure if he had told them the next stopping point.  Mike wanted to depart from the trail againand try a different route for the final approach to Uncle Bud’s Hut.  He decided that they would figure it out forthemselves (Jeff had the GPS track) and so he stepped off the CDT in search ofthis alternate route, an old road.   Ifollowed Mike – I wasn’t about to get left behind anywhere. 
We found the old road that Mike remember- ed and it took usabout a mile down to Uncle Bud’s.  Jeffand Cathy were already there.  And ourWashington, D.C. hut buddies evidently had made it there the day before becausethey left us a note and some marshmallows!
Welcome to Uncle Bud’s Hut
Once again we are the only residents
We sat on the deck soaking up sunshine for a couple of hoursand admiring the front row view of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive
Cathy is trying to relax (and succeeding)
Mike
Cathy toasting some bread for dinner
Another gourmet feast: spinach and cheese tortellini, the last pound of Jeff’s frozen peas,chopped up pepperoni and sausage.  Believe it or not, we actually had leftoverstonight that will reappear tomorrow night.
Sitting at the front windows, we watched until the lightfaded to almost full dark before turning on lights inside.  We sat and talked and read aloud a couple oftales from a book of local stories. Before bedtime we went back out on the deck to gaze at the sky full oftwinkling stars and the Milky Way arcing over our heads.  Sigh… I wish everyone could have these kindsof experiences. 
“He climbed cathedral mountainsHe saw silver clouds belowHe saw everything as far as he could see…Rocky Mountain High”~John Denver

Obama Haters

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Wow. I had no idea about this! Apparently the bleached blonde president of the College Republicans at the University of Texas said via Twitter “Y’all as tempting as it may be, don’t shoot Obama. We need him to go down in history as the WORST president we’ve EVER had!” #2012″.

So it's "tempting" to shoot the President? Really? What are we coming to.

From Democraticunderground.com

Not to point out the obvious, but Texas has never really given me a lot to like - George W. Bush, Rick Perry, secession,.....I hear Austin's nice.
I guess since I have yet to, and never will join Twitter, I miss the ridiculous things that people can say on there. As I have mentioned before, the shiny happy people sheen of Facebook annoys me to no end but at least it cuts down on the verbal diarrhea that seems to happen on Twitter. I imagine maybe people are more inclined to blurt on Twitter than Facebook.

I think this girl is in line for Anne's Coulter's job once she's gotten too old and wrinkly to go on Fox News. Ever notice how all of the women on there are usually blonde? I know it's a generalization but it just seems like that is all the producers allow, blonde shallow thinkers.

Alright that is all...look up this story on Huff Po, it's a doozy.

It's on like Donkey Kong

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The full time crunch of the election season is upon us. Aren't you all so excited? I am not, but I know who I'm voting for. I can only hope much the same can be said for all the other eligible voters out there. While there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm in the liberal camp, I can only hope there is much less enthusiasm on the other side. Either way, get thee to the polls!

I am no longer in a super political environment, so that is a great weight off my shoulders. I won't be subjected to the nasty calls I had to field in 2010 - see here.

I was surprised to see that someone taped Romney saying all the things I thought he said behind closed doors. I shouldn't be surprised though, cameras are everywhere now. If a celebrity or politico thinks they are "safe" that may not be the case at all.  If a video is taken, it finds its way to the internet!

I am part of that 47% that pays no taxes. Well I do pay taxes - state, federal, SS, medicare, to the point that my paycheck is much less than I'd like each month. Thanks to those popular deductions like mortgage interest, and this child o' mine, we happen to get a return. But does that mean I am shiftless, lazy and looking for a handout? Hardly.

But regardless of the tax blathering stuff, it all goes back to the makers and takers philosophy we've been hearing so much about in the media lately. Are you a maker or a taker?

I read "Atlas Shrugged" years ago. The premise sounds all well and good. If we are all only motivated by our own self-interest, we should aspire to the highest ideals as we would all be working on the same belief system. Unfortunately, that whole self-interest first motivation most of the time leads to self deception, greed, and a first at all costs mentality. Not exactly an all encompassing lifting of all boats.

I would consider myself a maker. But by all measures, I do not "make" what is valued by society. That would usually be some sort of tangible object, item or something you can sell on TV. I like to think that I contribute in my own ways, I am creative, I write (if only I were paid to do it...) but anyhow, I like to think I add to the cultural dialogue. If our society is only based on material objects, where is the fun in that? Where is the value of ideas and dialogue. I would prefer to live on in immortality for an idea, concept, book or heavens to Betsy - a blog, then something made of plastic I came up with and had manufactured in China.

But that's just me. Does this sort of makers and takers question truly need to be the focus of the current national discourse?

Pinterest Schminterest & Merry 1st Birthday

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J Bear's 1st Birthday and Christmas were a great success. Pinterest has got nothing on my Penguin birthday theme:

He would not keep the crown on, so cute

He was very patient with his cake, at least at first

J was very happy with his first present

All in all, Christmas and the big birthday were wonderful. Very busy and stressful but we had an amazing time with friends and family.