Like cows headed to the barn, the boys practically ran up Big Bald Mountain today, knowing that by lunchtime we’d be at Sams Gap, where Tim’s car is parked. Here are the two happy campers on the summit of Big Bald, which unfortunately didn’t afford us quite the 360-degree view that we’d hoped for, because there was an impressively low ceiling of clouds gathering.
We traversed eight mountainous miles in a brisk four hours, finishing up just after 11 a.m. On the last peak before our final descent, the boys stopped to appreciate the sight of clouds and fog swirling in Street Gap, from which we’d just ascended.
The last hour or so of our hike, it rained on and off, but we didn’t care in the least. We were mere miles away from a fresh change of clothes and a vehicle that would take us to food and showers.
Good thing, too, because I was seriously jonesing for a Diet Coke.
Once we piled all our gear and our bad smelly selves into Tim’s car, we drove a few miles to a little roadside gas station, where we changed and cleaned up a bit. And of course I slammed a nice cool 20 ounces of caffeinated, carbonated bliss.
Then it was on to Erwin, where we stopped for lunch. I’ve never in my life seen Tim eat with such gusto. Not only did he put away a hefty portion of spaghetti and garlic bread, he even topped off his meal with chocolate cake.
Good thing, too, because I was seriously jonesing for a Diet Coke.
Once we piled all our gear and our bad smelly selves into Tim’s car, we drove a few miles to a little roadside gas station, where we changed and cleaned up a bit. And of course I slammed a nice cool 20 ounces of caffeinated, carbonated bliss.
Then it was on to Erwin, where we stopped for lunch. I’ve never in my life seen Tim eat with such gusto. Not only did he put away a hefty portion of spaghetti and garlic bread, he even topped off his meal with chocolate cake.
No, that is not a typo. I really did say cake. Since this was possibly the first time in like twenty-five years that he’s eaten anything that indulgent, I had to take a picture for proof. This is the guy who usually eschews all forms of sweets for earthy-tasting concoctions made out of stuff like millet and wheat berries and flax and whatnot. But for that brief moment, Dr. Dog was all about the chocolate.
He would’ve tossed back a beer, too, but when he asked the waitress what she had on tap, she looked like she might whip out a ruler and rap his knuckles. With a serious, unsmiling expression, she explained that “Perhaps you didn’t know, but this is a dry county, sir.” Ah, the south.
It’s been an amazing week. I feel so blessed. How many people on the planet have two crazy brothers who are willing to hike alongside a Cupcake for 73 miles, up and down mountains, through rain and hail, braving mice, risking coffeepots, and sharing toothbrushes? And not only are we all still on speaking terms, we actually still kinda like each other. Seriously, these guys are a treasure to me. I am lucky to have them.
He would’ve tossed back a beer, too, but when he asked the waitress what she had on tap, she looked like she might whip out a ruler and rap his knuckles. With a serious, unsmiling expression, she explained that “Perhaps you didn’t know, but this is a dry county, sir.” Ah, the south.
It’s been an amazing week. I feel so blessed. How many people on the planet have two crazy brothers who are willing to hike alongside a Cupcake for 73 miles, up and down mountains, through rain and hail, braving mice, risking coffeepots, and sharing toothbrushes? And not only are we all still on speaking terms, we actually still kinda like each other. Seriously, these guys are a treasure to me. I am lucky to have them.
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