Day 77: By becoming Trail Angels

• Big Meadows Lodge (927.2) A Skyland Lodge (935)
• 1516 feet rise, 1325 feet

People who populate the world of hiking are unusually friendly. I do not know if it is the natural environment that surrounds us that makes it easier to get graceful to each other, or if it is because we are more easy people. It doesn’t matter, I guess. But it looks like a friendlier world.

Trail Angels is a part of the cornerstone of kindness related to the culture of the path. In general, the hiker is the receptor of the thanks of Los Angeles, but sometimes the hiker is the angel.

An easy beginning

We sleep until 7 in the morning, enjoying as much air conditioning. After a breakfast cooked in the restaurant, we struck at 10 am we only had 8 miles for the end today, so we did not feel a time of time.

After the storm last night, the temperatures were refreshingly cold. There was a morning fog that promised to burn. The flowers had a trace of the rain last night. Particularly beautiful was the tea of New Jersey, Ceanothus Americanus.

Personal PATC

While we admired the flowers, we saw a path of paths dressed in colors. It had notes, clipped and a variety of tools hanging.

We stopped to visit and obtain information about the next path. Mosey explained that she was a Potomac Apalachian Trail Club Ridge broker. We were grateful for their help.

We also find two PATC path maintenance volunteers who were cutting the lush vegetation that had exploded in rain and heat.

Ostersay in Hawksbill Mountain

Part of today’s story began yesterday. The Redline’s Apalaches path falsified the Hawksbill mountain. There was a Blaze Blue alternative that stirred on Hawksbill. I remembered for walking NGO’s trips with Raget Tim which is a spectacular view.

We decided to follow the red line since our goal was the path of the Apalaches instead of seeing the hunt. We were running at a comfortable pace when he hit the morning coffee call. I finished quickly, but the historian was fighting with his clothes when a well -dressed a day hiker appeared ahead.

To save us all from an awkward moment, I went to the way and gave a cordial «Good morning!» To our fellow hiker. She smiled widely, so I asked how her walk was going. We chat for a moment. The historian soon appeared on my shoulder and joined the conversation.

Exceed

The lady informed us that she was taking the easy path and that she would meet her family that was taking the hard side of Hawksbill. I realized that I had overcome the intersection by enough.

We asked more questions and draw a map to verify our initial evaluation. She asked «So where is this path going?» pointing to the ground where we stop on the path of the Apalaches.

I laughed and said: «Georgia?»

She staggered a little and said: «Oh.»

“Nana!

We turned her around, quite sure we had guessed where she planned to meet her. He went to the Hawksbill lateral path and continue with the AT.

We were both a little restless. I guess we were wrong? I was about to come back and see her again when we listened to the cheerful cry of a child, «Nana!»

We smile and enjoy the sounds of the bustling family reunion. He left us with a warm feeling as we walked, trusting that our lost hiker was safe.

Aquiando my package

Although smiling was easy yesterday, breathing today was not. Collecting your package to put it on your shoulders requires the activation of your nucleus. Collecting my package today was not an option. Let the historian pick up my backpack and put it on me was not an option. A woman has its limits!

I dragged halfway, mediating my backpack to the closest high point like a rock or a trunk and I prayed that I could look for it. With a grunt medium, half a growl of air expulsion, I could put it on my back.

3/4 breathing

Once my backpack was on, the breathing was easier. The ribs with the shoulders, the hip belt and the sternum belt hurt much less.

Fortunately, the land was quite moderate. There were rocks, but they were disbursed on the path instead of the central surface of the path.

Sliding in Skyland Lodge

As the day full of knowing other hikers, we took to the end, we ascended to the clouds. We pass the stable of Skyland Horse and soon we arrived at Skyland Lodge.

While we waited to verify, we enjoyed two giant water cups with sweets that were available for any free person in the Lodge.

Soon we had recovered our refueling package and headed to our fresh room. Delicious air conditioning.

After a shower, we limp the restaurant for a celebration dinner. Today we had reached 500 miles along the way. The end was in sight.

After sharing a fantastic salad, we had rib fillets followed by blackberries with vanilla and blackberry ice cream.

Be identified as angels

We were walking back to our room and turned to the historian to ask him to take a photo with his good camera. The problem was no historian. I was nowhere to be seen.

In the echo of my mind, I heard someone cry: «My angels!»

Then I knew where I was. We meet the walk of the lost lady and all her family night of thanks at dinner at Big Meadows. They had called us their guardians. It was the same family that saw us tonight and called greetings. The historian had stopped to visit.

I returned to visit too. It was surprising to be wrapped by such gratitude for something as small as pointing out an intersection of paths. The genuine family gratitude spilled over us and helped us deeply understand how a small action on the part of one can change life for another.

I encourage everyone to continue doing those little actions, one to the other. The world will be a better place for it.

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