X-treme Camping

And so it goes….the first day of spring found the writer in a tolerable level of muscle and joint soreness after a CHALLENGING two-day hiking and camping adventure in the Pisgah forest.  Needless to say, for a man in the “late summer” of his life, this was quite an encounter.  The week-end excursion was advertised as an “ X-treme Mens Adventure”.  So, as men often do, we put ourselves “out there” to see if we still have what it takes.  Upon arriving at Table Rock base camp I surveyed the group and immediately calculated that I was probably the oldest “rat in the barn”!  Brad Powell did bring his faithful companion, Storm, along, so there was an outside chance he could claim the dubious title; but we quickly learned Storm was a 7 year old German Shepherd (49 in the Homo Sapiens table), so, YES, I was the oldest. 

Upon unloading our gear we quickly discovered that the Table Rock access was “officially” closed; therefore, our first challenge involved a 45 minute hike of approximately 1.5 miles with an incline of at least 40 degrees in order to access our trail to the campsite.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!  I made it and thought it would all be “down hill” from there.  And to a certain degree, it was.  The trail from the Table Rock Picnic Area to our eventual campsite was a beautiful, breath-taking, journey with superior views of the Gorge and surrounding regions.  Seeing God’s creation from that perspective placed the writer in his proper role; totally humbled and amazed at the splendor of His Creation.  From this location only praises and gratitude come from the soul.  And a certain amount of fear, as Brad Browning informed the group that the “Chimneys” area were home to Peregrine Falcons, who could reach speeds up to 300 M.P.H. as they dive-bomb their prey! 

Arriving at our campsite was a great feeling as we unloaded our burdens, foraged for firewood, and set up tents.  Joey Tallent packed in some “fire-starter” and we quickly had a roaring campfire.  And as you can imagine the next thing on our minds was…you guessed it…FOOD!  I can imagine that a group of ladies would probably meet in advance, organize, plan, and deliver a scrumptious evening meal; but, that was definitely not the case for us boys.  From sauerkraut to pop tarts, the variety and quantity of food that came to the table was simply stunning.  My vote for most efficient and delicious cuisine had to go to Brad Browning, who somehow managed to produce hot chicken burritos.  A close second would be Brian Skeggs “roast-on-a-stick” chicken breast!  Unfortunately, the stick burned prior to the breast being cooked; and I am not sure exactly how he managed to complete the task…as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

After dinner, we enjoyed good fellowship and watched a beautiful moon rising on the horizon.  The moon actually was on its eternal journey and at that moment was the closest in would be to the Earth in 18 years.  I praised God again and again for the intricate and miraculous design of His creation.  Speaking of His creation, we also learned that we were sleeping in a Bear Sanctuary.  As I climbed in my sleeping bag  “under the stars” (as I shared with the group I had recently sold my tent in a FPU yard sale!) I wondered if being in a Bear Sanctuary meant the bears would be spoiled, thus tame, or if that meant they could do whatever the heck they wanted without impunity.  It really didn’t matter as I was totally awake for the entire night due to a gale force wind that blew for hours, and being on my best behavior to meet Smokey and his relatives!  I know Storm probably thought I was a “wimp”!

Upon arising at 0430, I discovered that other brave souls did not sleep so we rekindled the fire and enjoyed a small fellowship with hot Hazelnut Crème coffee and delicious baked sweet potato roasted in the fire.  As the other campers gradually awoke we mustered around the fire for breakfast.  Once again, the variety of entrees from instant oatmeal to tuna steak were enjoyed as we watched a slowly rising, orangish Sun climb in the east.  Tyler Jones kept us posted on all the NCAA basketball game scores as we watched in amazement at how quickly one could heat up canned  “A-B-C-‘s & 1, 2, 3’s” on the fire.

Breaking camp with lighter packs filled our spirits with anticipation of our journey back to civilization.  The best time of the whole adventure for me was walking along with friends, sharing, and observing the beautiful handiwork of our Father.  And then came “THE HILL”!  Having repressed the more painful aspects of “THE HILL”, the writer will try to capture the more salient features of this experience…IT WAS SHEER TORMENT!  A long, slow, winding, trail that went on FOREVER up, and up, and up…we would struggle by our comrades lying on the ground, moaning and begging for relief…dousing our hot sweaty heads and necks with our precious water…hanging on our walking sticks for support…and taking Tylenol and Goody’s powders to quash the pain.  Oh my friends, it was agony!!!  Even Storm gave me a look of compassionate empathy and understanding. 

After reaching our destination we ingested great quantities of raisins, tangerines, Cliff bars, and liquids, and, of course, acted like it was nothing.  We parted with our Bethlehem Baptist church brothers in Christ, and even planned another X-treme adventure for the fall.  Thanks to Brian Skeggs and Adam Speight  for inviting us to a point closer to death than I needed to see, but for the “oldest rat in the barn”, it was a thrill!   

Out Of The Retirement Cave

With spring rapidly approaching it is time to slowly stick my head out of the retirement cave and sniff the air for new adventures.  So, what is on the horizon, you say?  First, I am really, really enjoying a life of extreme leisure and contemplation.  My days are full of good books, close companionship, long walks, exercise, and just hanging out with Karen and the pets.  Karen and I have jumped in on a new slow carb  eating plan suggested by the author of the 4-Hour Body which includes a focus on three main food groups:  proteins (lots of chicken and steak on the George), lots of eggs, legumes, and vegetables/salads.  Absolutely no sugars, bread, potatoes, rice, etc.  With working out at the gym, daily walks, and no stress I have found my weight and body fat % declining steadily; time to head to the outlets for “skinny clothes”!

Karen and I have also “trimmed down” in other areas.  We both like simplicity, no-clutter, and being good stewards, so, recently we sold our 99 Volvo and the truck.  Believe it or not, both vehicles sold over one weekend by simply giving them a good “bath” and then parking them at Wal-Mart.  We were certainly blessed as our insurance bill is cut in half, and the new owners were friends from work.  The 95 Ford XLT truck was certainly a wonderful vehicle with only 38 K miles (and a 4x4 to boot)!  I do believe that transactions such as this epitomize our goal to always try and be a blessing in someone’s life if possible; it was truly a “win-win” encounter.

Mornings are really special times.  Our cat, Emma, wakes me around 4 a.m. to be fed and let outside.  She then hangs out with me while I enjoy coffee, facebook, reading, Bible Study, or just browsing on the Internet.  Today was a keen interest in the New River and a camping/fishing trip is on my calendar for April.  I found a cool web-site featuring a company in Minnesota who makes “custom” canoes specifically for fishing!  This is just down my alley as it combines low-tech, low-expense, and ease of operation.  No big bass boats for me!  Just one more thing to take care of and fix!  Yesterday I suggested to Karen that she and the Chihuahua’s would love to accompany me on camping trips.  This idea may need time to marinate.  BTW, awakening at 4 a.m. simply means long afternoon naps!

Retirement also has its demands, just in case you were thinking I am enjoying myself way too much.  Although always ready to help with the chores around the house, (I specialize in kitchen duty after meals), I have included new duties such as:  daily scooping the cat box, making the bed, vacuuming, light laundry, and spoon feeding the Chihuahua’s frequent meals.  A recent discovery is that Sadie loves any variety of fish, such as sardines and salmon cakes.  Sadie sleeps all day snuggled in front of the gas logs and only gets an appetite around evening;  in contrast to Brinks,  who could make a visit to Ryan’s buffet bar just about any time. 

Currently reading Tom Clancy’s new book Dead or Alive, Decision Points by President Bush, The Jesus I Never Knew by Phillip Yancy, as well as Bible reading with the Gideon reading plan.  In addition, Karen and I are doing the Beth Moore Study, David, Seeking a Heart Like Him.  Karen will be leading this study at church next week.  She is such a treasure and blessing in my life and an excellent teacher/facilitator!  We recently finished a Chip Ingram study with a neighborhood couple which proved to be a real joy getting to know them, sharing prayer requests, as well as the fellowship.  Danny and Brenda, our new friends, are Auburn fans and still own a home there.  It was neat to kindle our friendship during Auburn’s run to the championship. 

In the up and coming section of my life, yesterday I travelled to the post office and completed my very first passport application.  Karen and I are planning an extended trip to Belgium, France, and England over the summer.  She and Kala made the journey last summer and this year I get to enjoy Belgian waffles, French crepes, fish and chips, scones and tea, and much more.  I am really excited thinking about all the pomp and pageantry that awaits us.  We will have lots of fun…but that is the nature of our relationship.  We enjoy each other’s company a lot.  Having watched the children travel all over the world multiple times I guess it’s my turn. 

Also, I am excited about the upcoming Passion Play our church is presenting at COMMA this Easter; check it out!  My role is the Centurion.  I told Warren Daniel that he was a hard act to follow (you know he was a West Point grad)!  I pray many hearts are stirred, our Father is glorified, and our church blessed as a result.