Return to the Big Z

“LOL, good one Roam!”

“Nice one Stovie!

I wish I could go with you guys. All you suck!”

“OK, so the more I think about this, I may be able to get away with it. Have to check with the boss first.

Probably be coming in after midnight Friday.”

“You better call the rangers and ask about the night hiking rules first!”

“Hey, if I do make it, and there's a good chance, I could hook up with you somewhere on my way North and we could share driving.

I think I'd be comeing up through Columbia and Greenville though, not Charlotte.”

“You poor guys seem to be having a hard time getting this thing organized.
Just to help y'all out, I've asked lizs to come in and straighten y'all out.
MOOOOOOOHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! ;-)”

“nooooooooooooooo, not lizs!










lol”

“Actually coming thru Charlotte Roam will not be out of your way. I mapped it today and you have to come close...
just let me know. I would really like to attend.”

“I was thinking that Roam, but I bet I can sneak in. If not I would sleep in my Jeep that night and come in first thing in the morning and pee all over everyone in their tents screaming, "OH MY GOD, IT'S RAINING PEE!"

MOOOOOOOOOO HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa !!!!”

“I might fly though - depends on how quickly I can confirm that the kids are covered and feel confident that those plans won't change on me. Which is why I generally drive. But they may be leaving for their summer trip to Mom's right at the end of May. Should firm that up pretty soon.

If I do drive, it'd be nice to have company for at least part of the trip.”

“I'm pretty sure there are roads that you can drive on that lead up to the campsites. You could just show up in you car at the campsite Friday night without hiking. I'll give you a ride back to your car on Sunday.”

“OK, I will think about that Dub. I have to dig up my map of the park.

Still have to get clearance, Clarance, Huh?

Roger Roger...Huh?

What's your vector, Victor?...Huh”

“OK, so I got clearance from Clarance.

Now I just need to make sure I don't have to work that weekend.”

“work shmurk”

“[cough cough] boss, i'm sick.”

“Im going to be at the 1st camp friday night. I will bring some cicadas with me”

“Hey I'd be interested in a ride. I'll split gas with you. I'm in Oxford Ohio. Let me know... the email is smitty@insonne.com”

“1st camp! Come on Ohiotraildog! Dont' split up the group, take the short route the second one :-D”

“OK I will go same route”

“Cool! You should have a good time in camp with the rest of us.”

“Hey all, I'm going to sign up for this trip as a maybe and cross the big ol' rock that most people refer to as Pennsylvania. Really, whether I can go or not depends on whether I can clear off of work on Friday 4 June. I should know within the next day or so.

If anyone coming from points east wants to share a ride, I've got room for one more, or if you're willing to drive, I can compenstate for gas et al. In this case, feel free to email me at the adress in my profile.

I'm 95% sure this will work out and look forward to meeting all yas.”

“Just got a letter from my high school class saying we are having our 5-year reunion on June 6...not sure what time. I haven't decided if I want to go or not. I'm definately staying on board for Big Z but I might hike out early on Sunday and drive home for the reunion. Can't decide.”

“5 year? Who the heck has/goes to a 5-year?

It's not until the 10-year that it starts to get fun.”

“yeah, that's what I was thinking too. But I wouldn't mind seeing some people I haven't seen for awhile.

It starts at 10am I think? Maybe noon. That's too early so I'll probably just stick around BigZ. I'd much rather go backpacking.”

“Alright, I'm in for this; it's going to be one heck of a road trip -- 500+ miles from NJ...”

“Damn dude! Thats a long drive for a weekend trip! I think my record for a weekend is about 7 hours, 400 miles. See you there!”

“Eh, that's almost the same -- so I'm not the only fool who does this type of travelling...”

“#&%!$, look at Roam...12 hours for one weekend, 18 for another. He gets the Harcore award.”

“:)”

“Hey Dub, you oughtta go, I did my 5 yr and it was a big party, most of us had gone to college at the same place and the ones that didn't had come home in the summers for the most part, so it was really more like a good excuse than anything else, lol.”

“Roam, are you encouraging Dub to ditch out on his own trip? That's messed up, man...”

“Nah, if it started at like 2pm I'd probably go, but 10am on two weeks notice...I'll pass and ask for pictures. 10 years will be more interesting.”

“wtf? what kinda lame ass reunion starts at 10 AM, in the morning?

thats just stupid.

Yeah, don't go man.”

“Yeah, they asked for donations and are having "free hot dogs and pop." LOL. I don't believe it was planned well at all. You can't give people two weeks notice and say you're serving hot dogs and pop at the local park.”

“nope that's just kinda chitty.”

“Sadly, our senior year the class officers elected were elected on popularity. The other three years we had smart, intelligent, hard working class officers. I knew when this group was elected that all reunions would suck IF they planned any.”

“I don't think we had a 15 at all, and I might have even gone. The 10 was sorta fun, not great, but fun.

Our class president might be in jail, or in a gutter somewhere though. As far as I know no one knows where he is any more.

LOL, theres probably only two people from my class that could find me in any sort of hurry at all.”

“I had the choice to go to another high school which was closer (but I was on the out of area border) or the high school that most people from my middle school went to. I went to the one further away to be with my friends so when I graduted I'd see them at the reunions. Funny now that it's time for the first one...I'm not going.”

“lol, I'll probably never go back to my old hometown again. Really can't imagine why I would, except maybe to see one or two of my good friends, but they don't live there anymore either.”

“I was friends with almost all of the 176 peole I graduted with. I love running into them and seeing them so I'll definately plan to go to 10 years+.”

“Hey PhantomSoul,
I'm pretty sure I'm going on this trip as well. We can talk then about the Isle Royale trip. Maybe between the two of us we can plan that one.”

“Ruby, we sure can. Perhaps we can sell the trip to some other Midwesterners (or even Northeasterners or beyond if anyone is up for a colossal road trip like the one I'd be looking at).”

“Ooooo, tell me. I love road trips!! What are you planning?”

“ha, yeah... oops Road Trips Rock”

“I'm chomping at the bit and ready to go.

Just bought a new pack (hopefully it gets here in time). The pepsi can stove works. i know what food i'm taking. I'M READY

So what am I forgetting? this is my first trip!”

“Post your gear list and we'll let you know.”

“2 man tent
Ground Pad
Sleeping bag
Stove / Fuel
Mess kit
Food
camel back & 2 canteens
binocuals
compass
map
first aid kit
jacket
spare socks
Swiss army knife
latern
lighter
camera / Film”

“Toilet paper and a trowel

Is Zaleski a bear area? You may want some way to hang your food even if not, so other critters can't get it.”

“Garbage bag too, for any trash you generate. Pack it in, pack it out.”