[pct-l] Fwd: On the trail to long...Memories addition

[Reinhold Metzger]

I forgot to include Switchback's 7/14/2014 reply
See below.
JMT Reinhold
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Switchback,`
Don't get me going on "MEMORIES" I got plenty of them...Good & Bad.

Talking about "time checks"....1965-1966 (middle of the night) Republic
of Vietnam, 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon, Echo Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines is
set up on a ambush mission, not far from the DMZ, deep in enemy territory.
It is a pitch dark moonless night, so quiet you can hear yourself breathing
and your heart beat.
Everybody is tense because we know it is just a matter of time before the
enemy arrives..."SUDDENLY"...a hush gravely voice...metzger...time check.
Metzger (JMT Reinhold) responds in a hush voice...02:30.

Night patrols & ambushes where the way of life for Echo 2/7 and time
coordination was important.
I became the official time keeper because I was the only one in our unit
with a watch that would not fog up from all the crawling around in the
rice paddies and the humidity.
The standard water proof watches are water proof but not air tight,
allowing the humid air to get under the crystal and condense into fog,
which in turn made it difficult to tell time.
I, on the other hand, had purchased the leased expensive Rolex watch at
the PX which was not only water proof, but also air tight and therefore
did not fog up.

So you see Switchback, you were not the only "Time Keeper".

When it was time for me to rotate back to the States, everybody wanted
that watch.
It was all scratched from all that crawling and I decided to give it to
one of my buddies.
I wish I would have kept it, it would have been a great souvenir.

So If you guys will be hiking in real humid conditions and want to
make sure your watch will not fog up,...get a ROLEX.

That Rolex watch is visible on my wrist in my May 26, 2014 "Who is that
Guy" post.

JMT Reinhold
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Switchback replied:
That reminds me of my younger days traveling all over the world.
Someone in the cockpit would ask me where we were and my standard
answer was, "I do not know where we are, but we are on time."
Making our block time was important.
....................................

JMT Reinhold wrote:
Yes Switchback,
I had a reputation among the Neanderthal gals...but not for muttering.
However, I do have a tendency to mutter to myself on the trail.
Sometimes, while hiking the JMT, I find myself muttering:
What am I doing here?
Where am I?...am I on the JMT or on the PCT?...or am I on the CDT or the AT?
Let's see now, am I supposed to be going north or south?
Am I lost?...NEVER...I am never lost.
Not me,...not JMT Reinhold.

I know where I am...I am somewhere on the North American Continent.
I just don't know exactly where.

But I'm NEVER lost...not me...not JMT Reinhold

JMT Reinhold
Your "NEVER" lost trail companion
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Switchback wrote:
You also got to be a "In Your Dreams Hiker" out there too.......
You had a reputation back then of being delusional and known among the
Neanderthal gals as "He Who Mutters To Himself".
This all makes sense to me now.
....................................


JMT Reinhold wrote:
Say Switchback,
I am not at all worried or concerned about getting stuck in an elevator
with
a gorgeous woman.

As a matter of fact I would love it and the longer we would be stuck in
that
elevator, the better.

What I am, however, concerned and worried about is getting stuck in a
campground, on the PCT, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of "ON THE
TRAIL TO LONG" hiker babes."

"ON THE TRAIL TO LONG" hiker babes have always been chasing me....that is
how I got to be a speed hiker.

So far I have managed to out run them, but I am afraid that as I slow down,
as I get older, sooner or later them "ON THE TRAIL TO LONG" hiker babes
will catch me and have their way with me....that is making me nervous.

JMT Reinhold
Your nervous trail companion
.............................

Switchback wrote:

One day Trail Dust and her husband, Grizzly, were in the big city
shopping all day.
It was getting dinnertime and they saw a Hooter's in the shopping center.
They had not been to one before, but thought it would be a good place to
eat.
They parked out front and went inside.
A very attractive woman escorted them to their table.
They sat down and ordered their meal and drinks from another very lovely
woman.
After sitting there a while and looking around at all the striking women,
Trail Dust asks Grizzly which server he would like to be stuck in an
elevator with.
Grizzly's husband danger light went on --- he was born at night, but not
last night.
"Well darling, you know I am old, tired, and have to go the bathroom a lot.
So I would pick the one who could fix the elevator."

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