[at-l] doin' this again....

[Felix J]

But, not for much longer...

 
New Year's Eve 1998, the people who let me stay at their house
 dropped me off at Winding Stair Gap, and dropped
Tank off on Springer. It was a beautiful, cold day and was well past 
dark when
I got to Carter Gap Shelter. There was a Marine on leave there. He had a 
great fire going. I
stopped for a snack and warmed myself by the fire. He was amazed when I
put my snack bag away and strapped my pack on. "Where you going?" I told
him I had to get to the next shelter. "That's 7 miles." "Yeah, I know.
Happy New Year to ya." I said as I walked away.

I had a blast hiking up Standing Indian Mountain. It was a beautiful
night and I was listening to a great college football game. (The folks
who put me up the night before were at this game in Atlanta. I think
it was Clemson and someone else playing. I've been to a website with
a recap of this game...but, can't remember what game it was.) It was
about 10 when I got in bed for the last time. I woke up at 11:30 to a
group of flashlights shining in the shelter at me. When they saw me,
they turned and left. I never saw them again. I'm guessing it was a
group going up to the summit for the New Year's countdown.
This was the first New Year's that I was asleep at midnight since the 
early 70's.
 I didn't mind. By the way, it was cold and there was snow on the ground.

New Year's Day 1999 was damp and chilly. Not raining. Not cold. Just 
damp and
chilly. I met two guys at Plumorchard Gap. We were talking about
football for some reason.  I said "Hey, did Boomer (Esiaison) say 'No
shit' on the Monday night game?" One of the guys said "See, I told you"
to the other. Pittsburgh and I had watched the Monday night game
together and I was sure that he had said it. I got to Dick's Creek Gap
in mid-afternoon. I was trying to hitch to Hiawassee when a guy in a
truck pulled over. I was just about to the truck when he drove away. That
was an irritating thing. I got a ride with a couple of guys out for a drive
and checked in at the jacuzzi-roomed Holiday Inn Express. A hot soak
and steak dinner later, my buddy Pittsburgh was there for more football 
watching.

-- 
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
ALT '03 KT '03
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/