I'll rise when the rooster crows

Last week, my father and I returned to the Cohutta Wilderness in North Georgia for our traditional father/son(s) camping trip.

Wilderness always offers an escape for both of us.

The highlight for me was whenever we were just sitting around the fire.  Smoke rising into the air with golden sunlight piercing through the trees, we both reclined on our rock seats and meditated.  Meditation through conversation... reading... journaling... staring.  Staring into the fire.  Through the trees.  At the great sky above us.

Day 150

07/28/12 - Zealand Falls Hut - 1,831.1 miles

Doing/did our first (and probably only) work for stay tonight.  Not quite what we were expecting.  A little disappointing.  And definitely felt like second class citizens.  As Dos put it, "Back of the bus, thru-hikers."  Skunkape and Magpie also stayed with us.  An interesting experience.  Rained on us the last 5 or so miles leading up to the hut.  Slow going.  Cold.  And very wet.  Took my worst fall today just before reaching the shelter.  Slipped into the rocky creek and landed on my elbow.  Took me a second to manage and get up while my feet were completely underwater.  What a day.

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Day 36

04/05/12 - before Clyde Smith Shelter - ≈367 miles

Cold.  Wet.  Lightning.  Orange salamanders.  Clammy fingers.  Jungle Book.  Game of Thrones.  More lightning.  More wet.  More cold.  That was pretty much today.  Wet, I am.

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