04/17
Turns out that grassy field was a tricky beast. I spent most of the night wrestling my sleeping pad, which kept sliding out from under me. The spot didn’t look sloped when we set up, but by morning, my back knew it. Given my history of back issues, I was hesitant to move. But as the sunrise lit up my tent, i couldn’t help but unzip the fly, brew my instant latte, and watch the light spill over the mountaintops.
We took our time hiking up to Siler Bald. Famous for it’s panoramic views, we were eager to reach the top. Just before the final push, we were greeted, once again, by our arch nemesis, the mountain flasher. Same guy. Same kilt. Same salacious stance. It’s as if he’d been lying in wait. We scurried past, avoiding eye contact, and confident he couldn’t catch us in a skirt.
The extra 1/2 mile climb to the top of the bald was worth every step. A 360 degree view stretched out before us. Rolling mountains as far as the eye could see. Distant voices echoed up from the valley below. Kids? Figured there must be a playground nearby.
We sat in the warm morning light for a good half hour before those voices grew closer. Looking down the hill, we saw them… an army of third graders from “Cartoogechaye Elementary”, racing up the hill. They’d apparently been studying the Appalachian Trail and came to the Bald on an annual field trip they’d likely never forget.
Spotting us instantly, they gawked in amazement.
“Hikers!” one shouted.
“You guys are doing the trail?!”
“Have a good hike!”
“You’re doing great!”
“Why do you have shoes hanging on your back?”
“My Grandpa did the trail!”
One sour brat from the back of the group muttered “It’s not that big of a deal”… Thanks kid.
Still, we charged on with inflated egos only a classroom full of children can bestow. Ultimately ending up at “Wine Spring Creek”, we pitched our tents, and spent a few hours sunbathing before other hikers trickled in and disturbed the peace.
Then it was the gunshots.
For several hours, they came every ten minutes like clockwork. BANG - BANG At first we thought it was someone target shooting, but after the sixth volley we began to wonder what they were targeting. Hard to say, but they didn’t seem to be getting any closer, so… time to eat?