Speak From the Heart!

Post date: Mar 24, 2016 7:3:30 PM

Staying put for the day nursing my sore ankle and the rest feels mighty fine! Hopefully will feel better tomorrow. We hung out at the Nantahala Outdoor Center then headed to our abode for the night, the Cabin in the Woods.

Yesterday I got a ride to Wayah Bald from a 90 year old southern gentleman named David. He is a retired aerospace engineer who worked on the Mercury, Apollo, and even in the initial planning of the New Horizons probe that recently completed its 9 year journey to Pluto. He retired 15 years ago and for the last 4 years he and an acquaintance named Beverly, a youngster in her 70's, have been giving rides to hikers to and from the AT from Franklin, NC. When I called him to inquire about a ride, and asked for David, whose name was given to me by the hotel, he said, "This is David, now you speak from the heart". Asking what he charged he said, "nothing, only what you want to contribute to the cause." He showed up in a new black jeep equipped with big antennas and lots of electronic gear. And he had lots of stories to tell. One was growing up and visiting his grandpa who owned some 500 acres. Sitting one day he asked his grandpa if he owned all the hills surrounding them. Grandpa said he did. David asked, well then what is that curl of smoke coming from yonder on that hill there, and again from over there to which his Grandpa replied, "You just pretend you don't see those boy." Later a friend told him that some US marshals had asked him if he knew of any information about moonshiners and if he told them, they'd pay him 50 cents. The friend said yeah, he knew where they were, told them, then asked for the 50 cents before they left because if they went in there, they wouldn't be coming back out! He also said Franklin was a growing town and has a lot of "halfbacks" who had come to live there. He explained that a halfback was someone from the north who moved to Florida, and for various reasons didn't care for it because of heat, hurricanes, crowded conditions, and so moved halfway back home ending up in Franklin. Suffice it to say, the ride to the trail was very enjoyable and entertaining!

Today a rest day staying at mile 137.