Footballpalooza '05 Trip Report

“Well, I am a little tired and have some gear to clean up so just the highlights until the others get a chance to post.

After Arclite and I had breakfast at the Back Porch on TH morning, we went over to meet dayhiker, longlosthiker and Cocoa Williams at Elkmont. After leaving vehicles there we shuttled up to Tremont (5 of us, with gear, in one car).

Trip up to CS 28 was a nice walk in the woods with a moderate climb and perfect weather.

Next day was more perfect weather and the long climb up to Silars Bald. Arclite wasn't dragging up Silars, he was just taking his time. A section hiker in the shelter got some trail magic when longlosthiker made a Smordita (I'll let the inventor elaborate on this).

Saturday was a walk in the clouds over to Goshen Prong and down to 23. While not overly cold, it was pretty cool. We waited and waited and waited for Opie, MrsOpie and Cottonsox to arrive and when the UT/UA game started, we were thinking about hiking out to get a radio. Then, just as the first quarter ended, in walked the radio.....oh, the hikers were there too.

So, we sat around the fire, enjoyed a few beverages and listened to the game. Despite our two days of assuring dayhiker that UT would win, he was gracious in victory and didn't hammer us too hard.

Today was a nice walk out. At about the 2.5 mile marker of a 7 mile walk out, Cottonsox began to cramp up. So,,,I could drag around getting down to the car......or.....I could carry her pack AND mine.

I humped them both down 4.5 miles of trail in less than two hours. Needless to say, I was happy to see the van.

After hike meal was at the back porch with arclite, myself, cottonsox, longlost hiker, Mrs Opie and Treeclimber (a newbie.....I will let Opie describe the exact manner in which he got his trail name).

Details to follow, but it was an outstanding four days on the trail!”

“Glad you had a good time, Chili. Tell CS I jope she's feeling better. Laurel's still asking where "Cheewee" is and if you're still at work.”

“LOL, tell her cheewee was on the aaay tee.”

“Did Laurel learn any new words from CS? ;-)
Wish I could have been there!”

“I'll eleborate more later, but sorry we missed you at the Back Porch. It was getting late enought that we felt like we should hit the road.

It was a great trip. More to follow.”

“S'moredita (trademark pending)

1 flour tortilla
3 2" blocks of dark chocolate (Hershey's Special Dark or other dark chocolate)
8 or 9 Teddy Grahams (Honey or Cinnamon)
1 handful mini marshmallows

Place chocolate, Teddy Grahams, and marshmallows on flour tortilla and fold in half. Hold close to campfire to melt chocolate and marshmallows. You'll know it's done when your hand begins to sustain 2nd degree burns. You could also place the S'moredita (trademark pending) on a rock or bring some aluminum foil but you'll need to pay close attention so that it doesn't burn.

Enjoy!

A lot of folks make a big deal about the Teddy Grahams, but it's the dark chocolate that gives the S'moredita (trademark pending) some zing. Dark chocolate is essential to a good S'moredita (trademark pending).
last edited: 10/24/05 10:49:02 AM”

“longlost's other culinary delight was his snack that consisted of a Flaming Hot Pickled Sausage, aka, the Screamin' Demon. We're still waiting to hear if that's a statement if that how it is going in or coming out.”

“I thought the Smoredita was going to be a cocktail. Boy am I disappointed.”

“

The Screamin' Demon will speak to you going in and coming out and will occasionally torment you at all points in between, but it is quite tasty. Rumor has it that each Screamin' Demon is haunted by the tortured souls of mechanically separated chickens.”

“Store 'N Pour Contain Alls

You might be able to find it at Walmart since it's Coghlan's.”

“Is Chili making chili again???
Now, that's some good and hot stuff.”

“Thanks longlost, I bet Dicks Sporting Goods will have them.

GGGGS, all my meals on this last trip were from Sarbar's website. There are some really good meals on there.

The seafood chowder is the best meal I ever had on the trail, my own chili nothwithstanding.”

“Pics are up: http://community.webshots.com/album/485254921zsMtMN

This was a truly great trip. We got to Elkmont on time and metup with chili, arclite, Cocoa, and longlost. We considered the shuttle and then fit all 5 of us in longlost's Maxima. We had 3 packs in laps for the journey. Getting to know you,.... We finally arrived at the TH and off we went. The hike in was nice. It was a pretty day that felt summerish and made you glad to be alive. We had a tight campsite and a small fire. We ate, chatted, and then arc disappeared at about 2 minutes after dark to go to sleep. We promptly made fun of all that is Florida football and if you keep up with current events, there's lots of material to work with. Longlost had his first Smore's creation of the night.

Friday we got up and each hit the trail at different times. I was one of the last to hit the trail. I walked by a father and 3 boys breaking camp. The father was scraping his egg encrusted pan directly next to his tent. I'm glad I wasn't sleeping there last night. With father genius on the brain I couldn't help but think of bears. I rounded the corner onto Lynn Camp Prong Trail and saw the bushes rustle and heard noise. I cought a glimpse of black and backed up. Do I get the camera? Do I yell bear? Arclite promptly hopped on the trail with the satisfied look that could only mean "morning constitutional." He was promptly renamed "$hitting Bear." The group met back up at the intersection of Miry Ridge and then promptly spread out again. I crested out at a place on Miry Ridge and heard a faint rattle. I stopped dead in my tracks and it really got loud then. About 10' away sat about a 6' rattler. I took pictures and waited on arc so that he could steer clear. Cocoa, arc, and I met backup and had lunch with the folks we'd met from MIchigan. Lunch was at the intersection of the AT. The hike to Silers was non eventful, but a bit strenuous.

We get to Silers Bald Shelter and goof off. About sundown the fire is lit and the Shelter turns into an opium den. The flue didn't draw and we all chocked to death on smoke. longlost makes another Smore creation that we dub a Smoredita. Also, earlier in the day he consumes a Screamin Demon. We warn the section hiker who slept on the on the bunk below longlost but he's too busy pandering for a bit of the Smordita. Fear the power of the Smordita.

Sat dawns with clouds, but no worries. As chili said, it's all downhill from here. About 1000' of elevation gain later longlost and I speed down the Goshen Prong trail and make the 4.4 miles in 90 minutes. We're at camp at 12 and no OPIE. No OPIE means no radio for the UT/Bama game which was sorta the point of the trip. 1 and no OPIE. 2 and no OPIE. 3 and no OPIE. Kickoff and no OPIE. End of the first quarter and we hear, "War Damn Eagle!!!!" OPIE, it's about friggin time.

MOre to come”

“Beautiful pictures John. Makes me want to get to the Smokies next weekend.

I shared the rattlesnake pictures with my wife and kids. Nice find. I would not have had any "morning constitution" that's for sure. I would have been changing out clothes.”

“arc said the look on my face was priceless when he walked out of the bushes. I guess my reaction was that he's big and hairy, but no bear.”

“longlost - how are the negotiations with Taco Bell progressing?”

“Man great to see ya back Dayhiker. I was thinking just the other day that I missed having ya here more. Did ya talk Dunadan into coming back to TT? LOL!”

“Ahh, thanks Nigal. The beach and mtns were a nice break from reality. Dunadan says he isn't coming back until his side of the bet is fulfilled. I need to check on him.”

“Or until a democrat moves into the White House? LOL!

That bassturd!”

“Condi was at the Bama game Sat. Everytime I see her I think of the Chappelle skit where the white contingency drafts Colin Powell, but have to take Condi as well. I bring that up because the local news was really asking her if she's running in 08. Condi v. Hillary would be interesting.
last edited: 10/24/05 4:46:44 PM”

“Is Colin's blackness still under review? LOL!

I was thinking of you the other day because the big Chevy dealership in my town got bought out and is now Rick James Chevrolet. Every time the wife and I drive by we say at the same time, "I'm Rick James bltch!".”

“I know of two engineers named James Brown. To differentiate the two (they live in the same town) one is downtown James Brown and the other is uptown James Brown.”

“But which one of them is the hardest working man in AEC?”

“I've referred to the one I know that way too.”

“Me and my friend from work (Jeff) got a late start from work, picked up Mrs Opie, and didn't make it to Elkmont till around midnight on Friday. We forgot to set our watches to EST, so when we got up at 7am...we were already late. Cottonsocks met us and we loaded up to head to Clingmans dome. The traffic up to Newfound Gap suuuuuucked. Once we got to the Clingmans cutoff the traffic ended...and the clouds moved in to reduce visibility to 10 feet. The temp dropped to the low 40's.
The parking lot was empty cause only idiots were up there. We headed off down the trail from the parking lot at around 11-1130 to get out of the wind and blowing ice.
The uphill was pretty rough on CS, so we took it slow to get her into the swing of things. The newb and ever dilligent asst scoutmaster stayed with her close on our heels. Mrs opie was trying to set new land speed records..but didn't want to get too far ahead, and i was trying to hike rubberband between the back and front.
This trail has to be one of the most beautiful and forgiving in the park.
(more later)”

“That's a nice area. Lots of variation.
Wish I could have come.

Stovie, Cottonsocks was a perfect lady and Laurel's ears remain untarnished.
lol.”

“The execs at Taco Bell love the idea but that little Chihuahua is being a real ba$tard! Apparently he's still holding a grudge about being abruptly let go in '00 so he's being pretty hardnosed in negotiations. He wants a stunt double to eat the S'moredita (trademark pending) for him...something about chocolate being toxic(he's just being a little prima donna if you ask me).

On the bright side, my team of chefs is working on the S'morepita to be released in the various Gyro shops of Mall Food Gardens across the nation.”

“That S'morepita sounds good but I'm not a dark chocolate fan. Would you make one with milk chocolate, preferably Belgian milk chocolate, for me? *batting my eyelashes*


PS If you say no, I can make that little prima donna chihuaha look like a saint. :D”

“Sounds like you guys had a nice time, and the pics are great. Wish I could have attended, but family responsibilities always come first.

I'll be up there this weekend, hiking solo the first two days and joining up with my bro-in-law and two other guys for Saturday and Sunday.

Nice snake pic, too. You're lucky to see one this time of year. It must have been out catching some last minute rays before heading below.”

“The surprising thing to me about that snake is that I was at about 5000' elev. We saw a garter snake, or something similar, down at the TH at Treemont.”

“You can experiment with the S'morepita / S'moredita all you want, but I get $.10 for each one made and Dayhiker gets $.01 for naming it. :-D”

“I didn't take too many pics...none the first day, but here they are and in reverse order to boot!

Footballapalooza”

“Those pics turned out good.”

“Nice pics, thanks.”

“Nice pics day and long. That's a neat little slide show, longlost.

Drove all the way home on Monday just so's I could get a twelve-hour nap in my own bed.


It was great to have beautiful blue skies for my drive down the Blueridge Parkway.

It was great how we climbed all that way up the mountains in beautiful, clear weather.

And how 'bout that complete cloud-enveloped white-out when we got to the top where the views were?

And wasn't it nice that we had beautiful clear blue skies for our hike out?

Opie, Jeff, and I had great views from Clingman's dome when we got back to their car. The weather was perfectly clear that day.



The best part of the trip was the people. I really enjoyed everyone's company.”

“Just for everyone's general information, arclite isn't nearly as much of an #&%!$ on the trail as he is on most threads.”

“Shut the hell up you freakin' big banana.

Yer gonna ruin my street credibility.



"Man, that arclite ain't such a bad guy afterall"... gag...puke.”

“The very first time I met arclite was on Porn Island on one of HPM's Ocala trips. He said he was going to take a nap about 2PM when we got to the Island. No one saw him again till the next morning.
Dude slept allmost 18-19 hours.
LOL”

“Refresh my memory about what type of ground pad you have. I want to replace that bulky monster I carry.”

“Insulmat Thermx, or something like that. The insulated version is around $50 and the uninsulated is around $30 I got mine at backcountry.com.”

“That's a rep I can live with. Snxxxxzzz



"Hey, where'd arclite go? Ah... who cares."”

“THATS WHY I DIDN"T REMEMBER YOU FROM THE OCALA TRIP..you were a friggin sleep the whole time!!!!!”

“He slept during half of the Footballpalooza trip also.”

“http://community.webshots.com/photo/63315084/63322938JVCPfR

arclite far right
OPIE in tree behind everyone

LOL, y'all were together for a few minutes!”

“I just realized that I haven't said anything since the trip! I had a great time!!!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!”

““Insulmat Thermx, or something like that. The insulated version is around $50 and the uninsulated is around $30 I got mine at backcountry.com.”
dayhiker
3:44:18 PM
10/26/05

Thanks”