Blackburn A.T. Center
Dad drove us out to Snickers Gap early in the a.m. The Rain Came Down. Dad pulled over to the side of the road at the gap and popped the trunk lid. We scrambled out, fetched our weather gear for us and the packcovers. Dad got out with his umbrella and asked 'Where's the Trail?'
Toon pointed to a blazed tree on the other side of the drainage culvert and the two-foot gap in the drenched folage.
"That's it?', Dad asked.
'Yep'
'I was expecting something different, like a bike path.'
'Yep. Thanks for the ride -- love ya, dad.'
'Love you, too. I'm getting wet - I'm going.'
We hopped the culvert and headed N. Later in a phone call, Dad said he looked toward the tree, but we had already disappeared into the forest on the thin path.
HEAVY DOWNPOURS, as the weather service says. All day long! We made the junction side trail to the Blackburn Center about 5 miles later. Walking on to that wonderful covered screen porch, Ruth and Hal (Flash and Hot Flash) are the caretakers. Nice people. The Goatherders were just gearing up to head out, Phishstick and the boys. Only three left now, as Ox and Pigpen were off trail.
We waited out the storm, and as we did, Indiana Jean, her son Brad and his girlfriend Lisa showed up with two dayhikers. A bit later, Howdy and Bohemian walked in with two older ladies. It'd be a packed house.
Howdy was retired FBI. Indy (as we nicknamed Jean) was a early-50s divorcee from Carmel, Indianapolis. The hike was a self-realization for her. Just like the rest of us.
There was a woodstove in the hiker hostel to dry off gear. Much as Toon and I thought we could make Harpers, the wet gear and the rain couldn't trump a woodstove. We stayed. Hiker chinese laundry (photo: Howdy and Indy relax). A serious game of Hearts that night. Toon, Lisa, Brad and me. Brad turned out to be a Hearts ringer.