Black Mountain Crest Trail Trip July 4th weekend

“In 48 hours it will be show time.”

“the forecast has somewhat improved. Saturday is now forecasted to have scattered tstorms instead of steady showers.

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USNC0088?from=search_current”

“Oh hell, here we go!!”

“I'm hoping that we will be above the storms. We will probably encounter some heavy wind up top.”

“Burnsville looks like the best bet for lodging, definitely as close as you can get to the trailhead. Folks around that area are all nice and good people, so to speak.

If your coming in I 40 just start looking for something that appears "clean" once your off the interstate.

Safe travels!

Everybody think real hard about clear skies!”

“Hey Roam - remember that destination we discussed?”

“Hooters?”

“Not hooters, although that is a good destination. Someplace out west.”

“Bison, maybe its the booze, i'm drawing a complete blank man.”

“Mountainous place out west, I told you I always wanted to go there, and you said the same. Anyway I'll bring along a top secret trip proposal to Black Mountian.”

“ahhhhhh yesss! now I remember - bring the proposed trip with you.”

“top secret?”

“Yes, definitely hush, hush.”

“EarthNSky, you need to pick up one of these so we have weather forecasts on our trek.
http://raysweather.com/barometer.php”

“you could hang it off your pack! cool”

“I went by Kinko's and they can make copies for 4 bucks. It comes out looking good. Anyone want a copy?”

“yes please couchtater!!!”

“I'll take one couch.”

“killer, so is everyone good on maps?

Any last minute questions?”

“Yeah, where should I head for Friday? I don't wanna drive to the trailhead, sleep, then wake up and have to drive all the way out and around to where we're meeting.”

“Meet at Black Mtn Campground - the parking lot across the river from the campground office. If you get there late friday/early Saturday the gate to the campground will be closed. Gemini hopefully will have scored us a campsite. Walk into the campground and look for her car. If she was unsuccessful in getting the site then we can sleep in the cars at the trail parking lot.”

“If we have only 14 people we can probably get away with only leaving a couple of cars at Bolens Creek. I can get 3 or 4 people besides my wife and I in the van that is going to drop us off. I remeber reading someone else driving a van as well, there is a parking lot for hikers at BMCG.”

“I gots yall's Toe River maps guys.”

“hey roam, I just got your message. Y2 and I should be on the road by 430-440. I am going to take 301 to Richmond and hope that i can bypass the traffic on 95.”

“Cool man, good luck with that.

lol - we don't really have traffic issues here, thank goodness.”

“The O Boys might bail on y'all.

We have an issue here.

If we leave, we may arrive at some wee hour.

My deepest apologies, from the heart of my bottom.

You may now shovel $h!t upon my sorry ass.”

“I think we are all arriving at wee hours. I'm going to get there around 1am”

“if you don't do this trail this weekend, you should try and get down there some time to do it. I think you would really like it. It will be a bummer to not have guys along with us.”

“Ahh, don't wuss out on us, I won't get there till at least 11 pm.

I haven't seen JO post lately if you speak to him let him know that I didn't end up getting the quads, I took a good long look at them and they are essentially useless, the Mt. Mitchell Quad was last updated in 1946, and the route runs along the edge of the two quads so even if the trail was on there you'd have to keep switching back between them.”

“Dammit MarkO!!!!

git yourn arses down here!











j/k, arrival at a wee hour is ok.”

“I'm startin to think of bugging outta work a little early and heading on over this afternoon.

I'll give your cell a call before I leave outta GSO.”

“No wussing out now. small hours is fine”

“If you don't show up we'll tell Gemini that you were talkin' smack about her and how you guys didn't want to hike with her anymore.”

“lmao!!!!!”

“I got a call from Gemini and she said that the camp ground is full. So we're in our cars it looks. Gemini was givin a camping spot behind the ranger station or something like that, it was hard to understand her. But she was the only one allowed to camp there. She needs us to wake her up tomorrow morning.”

“My 16 year old daughter is sick and in the hospital. Endometriosis (sp?) or something like it. It's been a chronic problem for 2 years.

Anyway, we can't make it down for this fine trip. We'd love to and are chompin at the bit, but with her in the hospital I just can't leave her side.

If somehow she feels better and is discharged this afternoon, then we just might throw the gear in the truck and drive south.

Y'all have a great time and take some super pix to share.

Roam...thanks for the maps. I still want them.

Bison....thanks for looking into the quads and using your good judgment. How about 3 weekends in a row for a bear encounter?”

“My gear is sittin' in the corner of the dining room.........

The knees are still sore from The Sods........

Me and Bison WERE flyin' up that Big Stone Coal Run Trail.......

I sure do like the game....”

“JO - Best wishes for your daughter's quick recovery. We'll catch up with ya on an upcoming hike.”

“OK


We're out”

“Dang JO, hope she gets to feeling better! Hospitals suck!”

“"I got a call from Gemini and she said that the camp ground is full. So we're in our cars it looks. Gemini was givin a camping spot behind the ranger station or something like that, it was hard to understand her. But she was the only one allowed to camp there. She needs us to wake her up tomorrow morning."
EarthNsky
11:59:08 AM

wonder if we could "stealth camp" over by the trail head?”

“"it was hard to understand her."

Cell phone breakup or accent?”

“heavy. Best wishes to your daughter JO.”

“that is a possibility. There is a trail that climbs up to the blue ridge right by the parking lot that we could maybe try and camp on. I have an alarm clock with me to wake us up in time.”

“accent”

“Sat - Scattered T-Storms 76
Sun - Scattered T-Storms 80”

“as long as the scattering is to the east or west of the ridgeline it's fine with me!”

“yall or one of youins email me your mail address and I'll send your maps to you. Then you can drool over them till you get a chance to come down here.”