That evening of the triathlon, Matt and I walked to the coffee-shop downtown to listen to singer-songwriters perform a couple pieces each in the Pre-Swannanoa Gathering. What really stood out to me was how individual each voice and guitar style was. One light-hearted fellow poked fun at the differences between husband and wife. Another crooned Sinatra-like. The last lady sang tenderly, "Oh mi Dios, ayudame...." and made me cry.
The next morning, Matt and I packed and took off for Elliot's property near Max Patch. Elliot and Ashley weren't there, but I was using it as a back way to the AT where I was meeting Frindy and hiking north. Matt would drive the car to Hot Springs, then fastpack south, and if all things worked out well, we'd all camp at Walnut Mountain for the night.
"I'll find you on the trail," I told Frindy over the phone.
"Are you sure?" she asked incredulously.
It's the trail!
What a fun to connect like that! Frindy got to meet the famous U-dog of Matt's comics, too. We feasted on the blackberries the mountain had to offer us that night. Then the next morning, the climb up to Bluff Mountain wasn't bad at all, maybe because we were still distracted by the catching up chatter. After that, it was mostly downhill to town.
As much as I would have liked to hike on, Matt and I needed to get back to ready the house for Mommy, who would spend the next week with us.
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