Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved
ROF= Ring of Fire Odyssey
MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus
AT = Appalachian Trail journey
Tracks of the StoneBear Ring of Fire
Blood Mountain Georgia Appalachian Trail Thanksgiving 2004
Back to the Appalachian Trail. Kujo Kenn -- li'l brother (not really,... not blood,... but checks in on me like a brother) asked me to go hike a leg of the trail with his buddies. ... like 60- 70 miles. From Unicoi st park at Helen, Ga to somewhere up by Franklin, NC. Said I needed to get in shape and see If I could; would not want to be old grandad slowing them down. So for a month, put 40lbs of rocks in a back pack (4 liters of water is 8+ lbs) and did my normal 3 mile afternoon walk to see how I'd do. Made sure to go up the hills around here. Local yokals looked at me like i'd lost my mind; screw 'em. Basically did some conditioning to make the hump; it's been 30 years since doing forced marches in the Marines. In a couple weeks... I knew I could do this; let's go !
So I hiked some 60+ miles on the southern end of the Appalachian trail.... hiked with guys 10,... 20... and 25 years younger than me. And they did NOT have to slow down or make exceptions or adjustments for me to keep up. I kept up the whole way through. And at times for a few days was the lead dog on point. It was a learning experience to hike with these young kids and see their new modern equipment... the lightweight tents, clothes, sleeping bags,...Micro filter water purification (a lot better than halizone tablets in a canteen.)... camp stoves that would fit in your hand. they've got it together and are on their way. Even in my old dinosaur Marine equipment I kept up and made everybody over 54 proud. Their equipment was maybe 5 to 6 lbs lighter than mine. David had given me a surveyed Marine Corps Mollie pack which was really good backpack and frame equipment.
Hiking part of the Appalachian Trail was one of the highlights of the Tracks of the StoneBear journey ! Water was scarce on the AT, very interesting.... That;s why you had to carry 3 to 4 liters a day. Some of the springs were barely flowing, the size of your kitchen table, and was interesting to see the micro filter water pumps the size of a coke can work. Same thing with the butane stoves... the size of a coffee mug... cooked / heated dehydrated food for a week.
I've hiked many places and trails less traveled, hiked the 4 corners of the continent, ... have seen a lot of things... hiking and camping in the sleet and snow on Blood mountain, Georgia.... named for the Indian wars between the Creek and Cherokee tribes claiming hunting grounds... doesn't get much better ! Looking out through the mountain fog and clouds rushing by at some 4, 500' elev in November.... eating a Thanksgiving cold weather MRE supper in sleet and snow tasted good... the kind that have an extra 1,000 calories in the meal -- we're burning some 6,000 calories a day. Hang packs and food up 15' high to discourage bears. There are bears here. ...maybe some kinfolk / cousins.
A couple nights were in a 3 sided Adirondack... it was like a hotel after being out in the wilderness. And I mean wilderness. Tent on a mountain night in a blowing sleet then snow is not too bad.... just sleep / rest for the next days hump as you'll need the energy. I wondered if a hiker got injured,... broke and ankle... they'ed have to arrange an airlift as it was that primitive and often 10 to 15 miles between route points / exits. Hiking with a team was good; hadn't make a hike / hump like this since the Marine Corps 35 years earlier. This is home for a bear that opted out of the rat race long ago. I feel more at home here... would rather be here out on the edge than to be at the core of a festering rotten society.
Sent a postcard back to friend Rob with instructions to say hello to all the other corporate sharecroppers in their cubicle. If there is something that will bring the end of mankind and civilization via collapsed brain function,... it is ... The Cubicle. After 5 years of academic struggle you're rewarded with a piece of paper and a cubicle. ... a box, really a half box made of carpet. Carpet on the walls... instead of the fire extinguisher in the break glass box should have a straight jacket in the box. ... after a couple years in a cubicle your either tamed or you'll reach a point where your individual spirit gets raptured up.
It's the Journey that counts. Hiking with buddies Kenn, Brett, Zack, and booboo, makes it great. Surviving is easy, living while you do it is the hard part. You never drink twice from the same stream.
--Also see the Hawk Mountain post (coming soon) hiking at the AT in Pennsylvania with Marine buddy Keith and MJ & T-bird. --
You never drink twice from the same stream.
Just because you wander doesn't mean you're lost.
Uncle Hargus: Last of the Independents
Have Bear,
Will Travel
StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MCMLXIII ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved
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