MM #16: Wayah Bald and Winding Stair

Yesterday, we took a short hike on the Rufus Morgan Trail to see Rufus Morgan Falls. Alas, we forgot the camera in the car and took no pictures.

After that hike, we headed up to Wayah Bald, since it was a gorgeous day and the views promised to be spectacular.

And they were. (We remembered the camera this time!)

View from Wayah Bald Observation Tower

Anne and I walked the path to the tower. In front of us is a northbound AT thru-hiker; there were lots of them in town this weekend. The two guys in front of him are Chili and Pepper, friends of ours who are hiking from Springer to Damascus (about 500 miles) right now.

Anne was more interested in exploring the rocks and grass than she was in walking up the hill. No, I'm not picking my nose in this picture. I think I'm biting my fingernails. Attractive, huh?

Dan and Anne taking in the view.

Is her Eagle Scout daddy teaching her to use a compass already?

Waterfall (me), Scout (Anne), and Chili on Wayah Bald

This morning, it was time for the hikers to go back "home" to the Appalachian Trail. I dropped Chili, Pepper, and Hopeful (a thru-hiker and an old friend who stayed with us all weekend) at Winding Stair Gap before taking Anne to her sitter's for the day.



Anne and Chili (her new best friend) at a chilly, windy
Winding Stair Gap. (Happy 12th birthday, Chili!)

Chili, Anne, and Pepper

Hopeful prepares to hit the Trail again.

Anne helps Chili ready his pack (She's trying to
give him a tube of hand sanitizer!)

Anne and her second-favorite "Grandpa," Hopeful

Me, Hopeful, and Anne. Time to say good-bye.

It was a great weekend, and I have a lot to be thankful for.

251. cold breezes on warm days

252. thru-hikers (my tribe)

253. clear days where you can see forever

254. short trails to waterfalls

255. the first wildflowers of spring--the redbuds are starting to bloom, and we spotted a few yellow violets and a trout lily on the Rufus Morgan Trail)

256. trail maintainers

257. Chili and Pepper - good friends, and a father/son duo who thru-hiked the AT last year, when Cameron ("Chili") was 11 years old.

258. Hopeful - a hiking friend from 'way back, who thru-hiked in 2003 and is thru-hiking again this year

259. having time to bake up a batch of oatmeal cookies

260. having time to share conversation with Hopeful over a cup of coffee

261. other friends we got to see this weekend - Jennifer Pharr Davis, Tenacious Tanasi, Ox, Miss Janet, Circuit Rider, Sherlock, Smokestack, Mother Nature, and others

262. trail names--I just love that I have all these treasured friends, and I don't even know most of their real names

262. a "For Sale" sign in front of the house (though I'll be much more grateful for a "Sold" sign!)

263. Anne's delight at seeing a tall waterfall up close

264. having a few minutes to play the piano (while someone else does the dishes!)

265. the way Anne dances when I play ragtime on the piano

266. the quick friendship that struck up between Chili and Anne

267. how Anne immediately ran to Hopeful, arms outstretched, when she first saw him. ("She knows a grandpa when she sees one," Hopeful said knowingly.) (She'd only met him a couple of times before, and very briefly then.)

268. this book, which a friend of mine recommended. It might have to join Learned Optimism, Your Money or Your Life, and Organizing from the Inside Out as one of the few self-help books that have actually helped this inflexible old self.

269. the ability to explore and appreciate the wonder of God's creation

270. being able to share that wonder with friends--and with Anne