Cool Breeze

What a wonderful week. Finally a friend came out to hike with me starting at the kick off of Shenandoah. This area is reportedly the best part of the trail for scenery and terrain. Shenandoah btw is also the setting for the movie Deliverance.

Meet Denise M: (I can just hear mom now: "Karen?.....Karen!?.... KAREN?!?!?! Oh there you are, who's Denise and how does she know Jimmy?") 

Do you hear banjos?

Actually Denise is a good Christian, never seen the movie. Honestly, the last (probably the second) time I watched it about 5 years ago I wondered why I had, like Deerhunter of that genre it's a depressing, violent flik unfortunately attached to this beautiful area.

The trail runs parallel to Skyline Drive. I understand the trail as it continues north will provide, for hikers, more picturesque views that are so far found almost entirely on the Drive vs the trail.

So cool to have company. Denise was one of many planning to join me yet unnecessarily concerned for my speed and distance. She did awesome. And why not, she came with some great gear and prep. She borrowed much from her nephew.

I never knew Power Puff Girls had a brand of tents! "Microlight Hip Hop"

She also borrowed his sleeping bag and pack. Nor did I know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have their own sleeping bags and Power Ranger's Back Packs!

All for kids around 9 years old the stuff is incredibly light:

She asked Alicia to borrow her Pikachu pillow 

but Leeshy wasn't havin it.

So light was Denise's pack I was considering the trail name "Levitating". But after a few days Denise found her pack and the trail were not light enough to avoid blistering (and you thought my pruney piggies were nasty?)

Speaking of trail names, the clever Denise is actually the one who thought up "Sparky" for me. I've been known as Sparky since the first week although Denise 

and her fellow quilting queen and dynamic duo friend Debbie M

knew I was highly resistant for the preceding months. While the name comes from a combination 10yr stint on the Monson Fire Dept, the last yr or so of which I got to drive the big red truckies including parting the traffic like the Red Sea with lights and sirens arrrr arrrr arrrrr, and her witnessing a big incident on Jan 1st this year, it was something that occurred to me within that first week that clinched the monicker. Someday maybe, I might just meet Ms. Right; Godly, contented, reasonably independent woman with a great sense of humor. I will know the latter after she asks why I'm called Sparky and I say "well lil darlin, that's cuz I know...how to light a fire" hahaha. 

Been seeing bear sign everywhere expecting to run into one by now but not this way:

Yes there are times when I am in a car but never yet to "yellow blaze". This sign reminded me of the Smokeys as in ooookaaayyy so which way:

I met a thru hiker named Box Turtle who hasn't seen one yet. I've seen two right on the trail and complimented them on their tents.

The hiker taught me about sassafras which was cool.

Speaking of trail names and cool. Up until about 3 days before her arrival the trail was a rather miserable swelter. If it wasn't raining it was all but with intense humidity and high temps to go along with it. I understand many in the Northeast are currently experiencing some of same. Then you can appreciate a "Cool Breeze". Since joining me the air has dried and temps dropped while I know they are soon to change. Denise is one of several highly supportive and incredibly generous friends and entirely deserving her henceforth known as trail name: Cool Breeze. Indeed I made her sweat it out not telling her despite her continual pleading and whining for me to divulge it. That I think is the second best name I've heard on the trail. The best is Duster who got his name last year while hiking first in his crew and continually exhibiting another byproduct of lactic acid beside soar muscles. Get it?

You did awesome Denise and thank you very much for joining me on this experience.

"You see huge mountains looming", do you have mountains in your life too?

Things seemingly too big to move, go around, under or through?

Can you muster this much faith?