Hiking wit the Secretary of the Interior

                                                                   
     Today is August 30 and I had Renee pick me up at the Nantahala Outdoor Center so I could avoid today's rain and that forecasted for Thurs & Friday. I have had to walk around too many "widow makers" lying on the AT over the last few days to take any weather related chances at this point. So I will now try to catch up on my writing.

     Since my last blog had to do with some of the special gifts God has given me while hiking, I thought it well that I should start off by relating to you how I got the opportunity to hike with Ryan Zinke, the Secretary of the Interior, while climbing up to Clingman's Dome  in the Great Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park (GRSM).

 

     Danny Dorminey of Pigeon Forge allowed me to stay in his garage apartment the night before I climbed the section which includes Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT at 6,667 feet. He told me as he drove me to the Newfound Gap that the Secretary was in the park, but of course I figured that would have nothing to do with me.

 

 

 Well about 3+ miles north of Clingmans, the Secretary, the Marines, and others hiking with him passed me as I talked to someone I met on the trail. The Secretary introduced himself, and I took the opportunity to tell him who I was and explain the goal of my hike. After they carried on, the idea hit me that I would like to hike close to the entourage so I could see whatever photo-op might take place at the tower on top of Clingmans.

 

     When I caught up with them they had stopped for a break so they stepped aside and let me pass through. Ryan joked that maybe I should be given a 30 lb rock to carry to slow me down. I responded by saying I already had that much weight or more on my back. So I carried on but it did not take them long to catch up with me as the path becomes very steep and the Marines were young and Zinke was not only a Navy Seal but a trainer of SEALS.  But before they could pass me I came upon two cubs. They ran off the trail fast and as they did I turned to the Marine in the lead, pointed to my eyes with two fingers and said "2 cubs. I will walk ahead and see if mama is near." So I advanced whacking my trekking poles. As I did that I heard the Marine speaking into his mike and giving someone a status report. 

 

     Well the mama bear did not appear and the secretary and troupe soon passed me. Man was I whipped!  As Ryan passed me he said "don't feel bad, these are 20 something year old Marines."

 

    By the time I arrived at the top, the Secretary was already climbing the tower and surrounded by people. So that was the end of it. But what a story!

 

      Oh yeah, there was no view at either Clingmans or Charlie's Bunion as the Smokies lived up to their name and were cloud covered most of the time I hiked through the GRSM Park.

Uncle