Labor Day Jaunt

“I too cannot do that mileage.”

“What kind of mileage??.. Y'all can't read.

Make Groundhog Shelter day one, Roaring Fork Shelter day 2, and Deer Park Shelter on day 3. About 8-9 mi/day with a short 4 miler the fourth day.
last edited: 8/04/06 11:14:19 PM”

“What's the 15.2 & 20.2 mileage thingee?

For your reference, starting from the South:
Davenport Gap (TN 32-NC 284) To Max Patch Road (NC 1182) -- 15.2 miles.

Max Patch Road (NC 1182) To Hot Springs (US 25/70) -- 20.2 miles.”

“He is breaking up the two legs into four parts.”

“Oh. #&%!$. Towndawg & chili???????? I have to discuss this with my wife. She won't be able to make it. I'm pretty sure. Going on a trip without her might be tough to swing. Damn it. This marriage thing is a little complicated, no?

She fought for vacation time in August. We are gonna do Mt. Marcy in the 'Dacks 8/25-8/27. You wanna come?”

“Make Groundhog Shelter day one, Roaring Fork Shelter day 2, and Deer Park Shelter on day 3. About 8-9 mi/day with a short 4 miler the fourth day.
last edited: 8/04/06 11:14:19 PM”
TownDawg
11:12:33 PM
8/04/06


I-40 to Groundhog Shelter=8.9 miles
Groundhog Shelter to Roaring Fork Shelter=7.1 miles
Roaring Fork Shelter to Deer Park Shelter= 15.6 miles
Deer Park to Hot Springs=3.2 miles

now there is another shelter (Walnut Mtn) before Deer Park but it is only 5.7 miles from Roaring Fork that will make a 13.1 mile hike to Hot Springs. Not what you want and your hike out with a long drive home”

“yeah.. I may have meant Walnut Btm... I'll check the trail maps again. I don't remember the long day in there.”

“I will be ready to go in any event.”

“Ewker -- yeah.. you are right. Long day third day. We might push on to Walnut Mt shelter -- to shorten up the third day a little..”

“15.6 miles = no go for me. No way will I attempt a 15-mile day in hot temps. I would simply melt away ("I'm melting!" - Wicked Witch of the West).

I'm going to have to look at other options for the three-day weekend. Sorry, guys. I admit it, I'm a W-I-M-P.”

“Remember Woodzie, 15.6 miles back there is 2 miles out here. :-)”

“Fridge!! You signed up man??.. Awesome. Been a long time since we hiked together.”

“Adventurist - it's the heat and humidity that does me in, not the mileage ;-)”

“I called Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs NC. They said that parking at the trailhead is as safe as parking at most trailheads, and should not be a problem.

Directions: Hwy 25/70 from Newport toward Hot Springs, watch for city limits sign, and 35mph. Watch for white sign that says House Of Prayer (Jesuits) and a monument. Turn right and look for the trailhead on the right.

Thought we'd meet about 8am or so on Friday morning? Just let me know, and we will plan from there.”

“Well the weather is getting nice. It's cooling off a bit, and Labor Day weekend should be a nice time to be in the woods. (Of course ANY time is a nice time to be in the woods, but hey.)

Chili, me and Fridge are definites.. Woodzie is a maybe -- Anyone else need a break from the every day struggle of work? LOLz. Join us if you want.”

“do you have a contour map of this hike?”

“yeah.. I got a pdf I can send you. Email me.

(chris dot fox at dana dot com)

I'm at the library. No thought police here. I'm headed back to the office though.

Will send you the file in a few mins.
last edited: 8/22/06 1:05:00 PM”

““Well the weather is getting nice".....



WTF? It is like a damn sauna up here.”

“LOLz. Well it's cooler here today in west Tennessee -- so maybe it is headed your way Chili.

Brian -- I sent you that elevation PDF. Hope you can join us! Somebody needs to help me smack chili around. ;)”

“If I can stop laughing. I swear I almost pissed myself on the hiker feed.

Anyone opposed to a goofy dog taggin along?”

“"Anyone opposed to a goofy dog taggin along?"

Oh, you bringing your wife?

(LOLz.. just kidding!!!! but I had to slip that in.)

Naw, dogs are fine with me!
last edited: 8/22/06 3:27:04 PM”

“It's a good thing she's on call that weekend or you'd be in BIG trouble!!!”

“It's a good thing she's on call that weekend or you'd be in BIG trouble!!!

I'm still debating wether on not to bring my pooch. It may still be way too hot”

“Brian -- You know we all love Angie, but you left yourself wide open, and I had to sneak that punch line in.

Anyway -- I see where you got the elevation profile from me. Chili says he will be in Paddlers Pub Thursday. Don't know what Fridge's plans are, but he said he's got some vacation to burn, and count him in. I'm coming over Thursday evening, but I'll just meet y'all at the (Hot Springs side) trailhead Friday morning.”

“I knew I was a sitting duck the second I hit "submit message"
Paddlers Pub is a friend of mine. Very homey.”

“Well there you go. Add yourself, and we will see you in a week.”

“would love to but, Im doing the blueberry thing maybe next time”

“OK TD. You're in big trouble now. Kamper is in. She had her on call schedule backwards in her head. We'll get there Friday night after work and meet y'all Saturday AM.”

“Awesome!!... so you are going to use the shuttle?.. Make sure Curtis knows it is still on.. but he has a trip in his logbook for me.. for late arrivals..”

“i wish i could go to this but im dead broke. thats a nice section. undoubtedly the highlight is max patch. i hope you have great views. last year smokygirl, ewker, currahee, kabinkamper, azimuthcoordinator, and i did a hiker feed on top of max and had a blast!”

“Paddlers Pub is a friend of mine. Very homey

did anyone first read that as "Very horney"?
dont lie!”

“Perv”

“We'll try to catch y'all at Browns Gap saturday am. Lets try to coordinate a time.”

“Folks, if the tropical storm goes Cat 3, hits the AL/MS state line and tracks NE, we might want to think about this.”

“I think Curtis has the shuttle penciled in for 8 or 9.. you need to call to be sure.. and he said it would be about an hour drive..

You might beat us to Max Patch depending on how quickly we hit the trail.. but if we get to Browns Gap before you do, we will wait a little bit..

if you beat us to Browns gap.. then please leave a "sign" so we will know u are ahead of us..”

“I am a def. maybe for this one, so don't tell me I bailed if I can't go. I am swamped with work and not sure if I can get anywhere anytime soon.

hey TD, did you call my old cell phone number? My friend said someone talked about hiking for almost an hour...[she don't understand english very good, so she didn't know who it was]

i gots a new number dude!”

“Gem -- musta been your old number.. I did talk for a minute for sure..

Chili -- yes.. a definite possibility.. we need to watch the weather..”

“I am moving toward a maybe on this. I HAVE to get some things moved out of this house. It is becoming depressing to come home. Today, I don't feel like I have the energy to hike it. Maybe by end of week, I will feel better. I just don't know.”

“Chili, I'm real good at packing and moving. Holler if you need some help.”

“To all -- I'm a definite yes. Fridge called me the other night, and he is a definite yes. We are going to meet at the Hot Springs trailhead at 8am Friday morning. James, sorry to hear you have dropped to a maybe, but if you have things going on that you need to take care off, I fully understand. (I still hope to see you on the trip though!) Woodzie, the last weather report I saw seems to indicate that the temps should drop and the nights should be cool, with not much rain in sight. This could all change of course, but it won't change my plans. I always come prepared for whatever mother nature drops in my lap. Brian and Angie, greetings! How long has it been since we have done anything together? Wesser Gap? And yes, any trash talk from the two of you will be fun and will not put up much of a fight. Gem, hope you will come along. I haven't seen you since River River Gorge I think? So there, a really good group! Look forward to the weekend, and hope we can all make it out. Who's afraid of Ernesto? (famous last words right??)..

Y'all take care, and see you soon.”

“I'm going to stay around and do a day hike or two. That 15-mile day is too much, even if it is 50 degrees outside :-)

I might go back out to Andrews Bald and see if there are any blueberries left.”

“Friday, Sep 1: Mostly cloudy with a couple of showers possible.

Friday Night, Sep 1: Mainly cloudy.

Saturday, Sep 2: Times of sun and clouds.

Saturday Night, Sep 2: Mostly cloudy.

Sunday, Sep 3: Clouds and sunshine with a shower or thunderstorm around.

Sunday Night, Sep 3: Partly cloudy.

Monday, Sep 4: Times of clouds and sun with a shower or thunderstorm possible.”

“I will be there!!!!!!!!!! Airborne death from above......”

“mama no likey rain. waiting...”

“I am a no go. I just can't.”

“We're out. On his way home from work this morning, Currahee's truck lights (head and tail) went out. Something with the switch. So we gotta get that fixed and get the truck registered. So, we're a no go for this weekend. Sorry, TD. We'll catch up with you sometime this fall. Ya'll have a great time.

KabinKamper”