CG meet Tilt

“When I found out that Tilt was going to be up my way hiking I invited him to come a day early and do a dayhike with me.

I agreed to bring breakfast and he agreed to make espresso and we met Saturday morning
at Davidson River CG where he had stayed Friday night. The sun was shining, the birds singing and the water was brewing when I arrived. As soon as I got out of the car the chatter began. It was like old friends picking up on a conversation of long ago...he is such a nice guy (despite what some of you may think) he had me in stiches all day. Finally after some chit chat he set to work making this espresso he had been telling me about...I had my own personal barista (sp?!!! He was like a scientist measuring the coffee and all the special ingrediants that went into the brew! I have to tell you it was better than anything I have ever had in a coffee shop!!!!

Finally we set out for our day on the trail...our planned destination was Graveyard feilds. When we arrived we found the main trail was closed so we headed down other entrance at the far end of the p/l...our original plan was to head of GY Ridge trail and over to Ivestor Gap, but due to the trial closure we just opted to go up to the upper falls first. When we got there we saw some folks coming down the bank on the opposite side of the river...Hmmmm I said MAYBE we could go up that bank, pick up the GY Ridge trail and come back...??? Tilt wasn't really keen on the idea but as soon as I finally had him convinced it started to rain!!!! Oh well...we then just decided to turn around and head back. It drizzled and was quite chilly all the way back but the sun did peak out long enough for us to break for lunch.

Of course when we got back to the car the sun was shining!!! I drove up towards Black Balsam and Sam's Knob thinking we could explore that area but about 50 others had the same idea so we just decided to head back towards the campground.

After a bit more conversation and goodbyes I left poor Tilt alone at his campsite...!! I'm sure he had stars to gaze at and things to do...he was heading up to Cold Mountain Sunday morning.

Although the weather was exactly as expected (is it ever) and our venture what we had planned it was a perfect day!

I'm anxious for him to return and report on his trek up the mountain.”

“If tilt doesn't show up again, this should be a slam dunk for some prosecutor in NC.”

“This is true!!!”

“Pics??”

“Didn't take a whole lot but I will post some when I get them on a CD.”

“What have you done with Tilt?”

“Last I saw him he was standing in the middle of the campsite...that is my story and I'm sticking to it!”

“Wait a minute...................was he standing at the campsite or lying down at the graveyard??”

“That is a good question....! Was standing at the campsite...! If he doesn't show up by Thursday we might should investigate!!!”

“Might should oughta...perhaps.”

“If this is the same Tilt that did a hike in the Grand Canyon around 8 - 9 years ago, tell him that Hank said HI!

If it's a different Tilt, then please pardon this intrusion..... ;-)”

“Hi Hank...I heard stories about the Grand Canyon on our wanderings Saturday. Are you new to TT?”

“I registered a long time ago, but I seldom log in. I just stumbled on your thread today, and thought I'd chime in....

Mostly I hang out at arizonahikers.com.... I'm 'Hnak' there...”

“Nice to meet you Hank! You should pop in more often.”

“Thanks! I think I will....”

“Only if you get a hankering.”

“Roseymonster, I think he has a Hnak for that.”

“Khan it you guys.”

“Hiking in the backwoods with somebody named crazygurl hyped up on expresso would seem to be a not good idea. Tilt, are you listening??? Can you even hear me???”

“So Tilt backpacks.

Who wudda thunk it.”

“When'd he learn to do that? :P”

“i've seen him hike...never with his ferret though”

“Geo...that is what I was thinking...I had already had a cup of coffee!!!

Opie...are you calling me a ferret?

Let me tell you guys if he doesn't hike he sure does have all the "stuff"...I have never seen so much gear in my life...an outfitters on wheels!!!”

“An outfitter on weasels??”

“

“When'd he learn to do that? :P”
Nigal

TC3.”

“According to Hank it was in the Grand Canyon 9 years ago! Before TC3”

“I believe that TC3 was Tilt's restart after a medical problem. He did good, too. He said he hiked up and did not take the shuttle van. And he did enter the campsite from the downhill trail.

Of course, it may not have been him! He may have sent someone in his place. Someone at TC3 claimed to be Matt, the webmaster, too.”

“Imposters?!”

“Isn't it suprising Sass?”

“Was it Bizarro Tilt?”

“Is Tilt still missing?”

“I got a vm that said his trek was set back a day so he should be heading back down the mountain today.”

“I hope he got his batteries charged up nicely out there..........I'm sick of his insanity!!!

THAT BOY AIN'T RIGHT!!!!!”

“He is right as rain..you are just jealous MarkO! ;-)”

“You got it, kiddo!!

I have to wait until Mem Day Weekend to escape civilization to the soothing discomfort of West Virginia.

Ban Tilt!!”

“I emailed you like weeks ago..did you not get it or are you ignoring me??”

“Huh??

Maybe I deleted it thinking it was one of those "stock quote" or Viagra/Cialis/etc, etc ads.”

“You have mail...it aint one of those ads either!”

“Hey-hey!!”

“Rumors of my demise are a bit premature! (with a nod to Mr. Clemmons.... one should always endeavor to steal from the best)

I don't know what You People have been up to but I've been out in de woods! Came back in one piece, too!

I took the Art Loeb Trail up Cold Mountain from behind the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp in Shining Rock Wilderness (NC).... Sort of a stroll down up memory lane. When I was there (mumble-mumble) years ago you drove past a couple of cabins and then hunted for the trailhead behind the archery range. Now is it's a freakin' resort! They flooded part of the valley and there's a huge lake that wasn't there before. I couldn't believe it was the same place. That trail was the same huge pain in the ass, though!!! ;-)

I think I talked Crazygurl's ears off in an espresso-induced frenzy on that dayhike, LOL.... We got to the Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields and she said, "Let's keep going (on across the cascade) and up there (fifty feet up 40 degree rock face).... See? There are people up there..."

(I'm thinking about that 'sudden stop' at the end, like I usually do)

"You mean past the point where we are now, where the map indicates the trail ends?" (and where those people to our left were busting their asses inadvertently sliding Two Feet down the rock, [WINK])

Then, like a sign from above, the rain came and we were spared, [chuckles]. Here comes another homily: He who hikes and runs away lives to hike another day! And you're right, Paul --- I found out the hard way that you can mess yourself up in an instant and put yourself out of action for a good long while, if not permanently.... so I think about it four or five times before I challenge gravity nowadays.


Hey Hnak! I thought you had more taste than to show up in a place like this! [VBG] I think I saw Margaret cracking wise here the other day ---- there goes the neighborhood!”

“I found out the hard way that you can mess yourself up in an instant and put yourself out of action for a good long while
....mmm,now I am curious. What is it that you have been doing to youself? Came tumbling down a hillside a bit too fast?

Good to see you're back home.”

“Yaz... that was a bit of an ankle sprain about five years ago that knocked me out for well over a year. It didn't come back completely for more like like two, and I was seriously beginning to wonder!

It wasn't a slippery rock or a root that got me; it was a pot-hole in a dark parking lot!

Damn Technology! ;-)”

“See...told you I didn't don't him in!!! Well..I tried but he didn't go for it!”

“Oooooh, ouch......

Tilt takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.”

“Damn tics!”

“Stop winkin' at me, ya perv!!”

“Wood tics, you dork.”

“tic:
A habitual spasmodic muscular movement or contraction, usually of the face or extremities. Also called habit spasm.

You must mean TICK, ya hick.

German: nervöses Muskelzucken
ha ha ha!!!
last edited: 5/03/07 8:39:20 AM”

“No, I meant tic, ya dic.”

“Ah.... Home Sweet Home.”