A long time ago in a galaxy far far away

I used to think that being stoic in the face of pain was this wonderful, admirable trait. At the age of just under 49 it is not a trait, it is a myth like those you read in college English that the Greco Romans created. You remember it but you certainly don't believe it.

The hammertoe surgery has been sheer hell. First it was way more painful than advertised, the first 48 hours after the general anesthesia wore out it felt as though my foot were in a lawn mower with a blow torch on it. Oh yeah man they give you good drugs, bah ha hah, percosets taken as often as possible didn't touch this pain. You might as well eat M&M candies at least you would enjoy those. Then it became infected (probably because it is standard to wrap it and not look at it for a week) , then the two antibiotics I was on didn't match the culture ( Augmentin and Bactrim do not touch pseudomonas a.) So there I was and there I've been. Doc originally told me Dec 29th for the pins to come out, that has moved to Jan 4th . F U C * it all. Killed my trip to NM dead in the water. So I go through THREE FREAKING HOLIDAYS with this AIRCAST on (low profile my @$$, it is over 2 inches tall so even with a super high rocker sneaker on my right foot I have limped like Quasimodo and everything in my back, hip, knee and ankle are out of line) and steel rods in my toes. The difference between my surgery and this photo is that mine was on the left foot, got infected and also had incisions across the base of my toes ( which is what got infected) due to how crooked those joints were. So I have had to do Thanksgiving including Black Friday shopping, Christmas and now New Years with this freakshow of a shoe and pins on my foot. At least now the 4 weeks of Cipro antibiotic (which by the way is like eating a gut grenade in terms of projectile body fluids) have apparently killed the pseudomonas which was attempting to assimilate my foot.

Also during that time I have flown to FL for the region 7 regional (a fine one it was! and I lived through the extra attention from the TSA folk at both airports fine), attended 4 days of lure coursing in Calhoun, GA and am going to 4 more days of it. Archie will be driving down Thursday night so at least I'll have help on Friday and Saturday with Tory, Vger and RT ( who certified at the last trials). God help me the first two days though.

Had a great Christmas though spent time with my son, his wife, her family, Archie and some of his friends. Got some great clothes, earrings and necklaces for Christmas! Finally bought myself an elliptical machine since it will be God knows when before I can put serious miles on this foot that still has a wound on top of it and no skin over it. The Nordic Track monster is now in the den in front of the TV awaiting my pin removal after much work by Archie putting it together.

It is rather funny when I first went to the doctor/surgeons office after surgery I said I bet I am one of your worst patients, oh no they reassured me certainly not, well after it took 3 visits to remove the stitches, with me going OH MY GOD THAT HURTS, gritting my teeth, holding my leg and occasionally whacking the wall with my palm, they no longer reassure me when I say that at my visits. They just look at me and say I hope you took some pain pills before you came in.

On the dog front news: My old dog Neechee who will be 12 in February is still alive and well, puttering about, sniffing girls and telling the youngsters off. I certified two youngsters at the last trial, and may have some others in the spring too. Keelo who turned 9 on Dec 10 sired a litter of 4 pups in August. So far thank goodness all the DM tests from my dogs have been clear, but I still have at least 3 to do here (Genie, Cholla and Tory). I do not understand why these folks who do have carriers turn up don't test the parents. It is not about finger pointing, it is about letting people know so they will test offspring or littermates of the carrier parent which is not going to happen without the tests.

So a lot to be thankful for even with the surgery(I am keeping the foot thank God), Archie and I still enjoy each others company, my old man Neechee is still with us, 3 dogs of mine finished their AKC conformation championships this year, two of them dual champions! making their mother eligible for the BCOA register of merit ( when I get the paperwork together), had another dog finish his ASFA FCH , his brother got both his conformation majors this year, and it was in pretty limited showing or coursing. My father dying in March kind of took the wind out of my sails for a while but life has to go on.

WTF?

I do not understand how these people can sleep at night and vote like this. Let the ones with money keep it? While denying the SS increase to those who really need it? How in the hell did they get voted in? This is a crying shame whoever voted for this should be ashamed.

Never have hammertoe surgery

On Nov 17th I had hammertoe surgery on the 3 middle toes of my left foot. Kwires were put in to stabilize the bones which had been cut and rotated to straighten the severely deformed and fused joints. They sent me home at lunch after the surgery and I was given a walking cast and told it should be fine for what little walking I would be doing on it for the next week. Well, fine if you call stepping on a landmine OK. When I put my foot down that night to go to the bathroom I discovered I could no more put weight on that than I could run a marathon. I had to crawl/drag myself on my butt to the bathroom. This went on for 2 days until I finally called the surgeons office and said maybe you guys think this is OK but I have blisters on my hand and abrasions on my hiney from scooting on the carpet to go to the bathroom or kitchen. What were you thinking sending someone who lives alone and will be alone all day home without any crutches. So they sent me crutches. That was at least some improvement.

Nov 24 I went back to the surgeon and the toes were extremely red and puffy no exudate but he put me on Augmentin. I was motivating around pretty well on crutches occasionally putting the foot down and taking a step or two. So the next day Archie and I went to Myrtle beach SC for Thanksgiving holiday (4 days) and we did pretty much nothing which was great, lots of rest with my leg elevated, we left once a day went out to dinner. I rode over there in the back seat of the truck with the foot elevated.

Dec 2 I went back to the surgeon in theory to have stitches out, and while the redness and a lot of the puffiness was gone, uh oh the bandages were yellowish green or greenish yellow, now I have had animals for a long time and that is not a good color for any mammal to produce. I said look I am no doctor but that is real infection. He changed me to Bactrim 2x a day as I had just about finished the Augmentin and this time did a culture ( what he should have done the first time). He told me the results would be back Monday Dec 6 and hopefully the Bactrim would be fine but if not he would call in another Rx. I asked him if it would be OK for me to go back to work, no he said not until I know what you have here. What about my trip to FL this weekend, I am flying. Fine he says as long as you clean and change the would dressing daily and keep it elevated as much as possible and take your Bactrim. So I did, cleaning with saline solution in squirt bottle (contact solution) sterile gauze dressing etc. Monday I am back in TN and I call and say what's up. Another uh oh, what you have Miss Moore is pseudomonas, I am calling you in a prescription for Cipro and you cannot go to work this week. I will see you Thursday Dec 9.

So here I am freaking out after I read all the literature on pseudomonas. The Cipro is complicated to take, has to be 6 hours after anything like a multivitamin or calcium or dairy product (like yogurt which I live on) so I have to take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Then you can't take those vitamins or calcium or eat any dairy for 2 more hours afterwards or it interferes with absorption of the Cipro. Cleaning the wound is just vile although there doesn't seem to be a lot of pus now and thanks to my friend Mary Childs who is a home health care specialist nurse for her advice as the doctor gave me no real instructions for how to do it. I am armed with saline solution, q tips, Rx silvadene, gauze and wrap for it. Those who are inclined please say a prayer for me. This is scary stuff for someone like myself who has never missed more than 2 weeks of work and that was after gastric bypass surgery.

New Schedule

Boy it has been awhile. I have been busy. The CA/NV/AZ trip was a whirlwind and I still have photos from there to post eventually.

In October and part of November I had a houseguest (Zao-Avalon Zip Line Express JC) come stay for about 4 weeks for shows, he went to 6 shows, picked up 2 majors and one reserve to major including a supported entry BOB win over specials competition. He's back home in OH now.

Nov 5 and 6 Archie and I had a weekend of rockclimbing with his son Alyn making it on Saturday. Probably some photos at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=124210564299924 if you are on facebook. It was great fun got to rappell 70 feet the first day then 170 I think it was the second day.

On November 17 I had hammertoe surgery on 3 toes on my left foot for what my Dr. calls "impressive deformity" all this 25 mile a day hiking hasn't helped my long time problem but I knew the surgery would be really painful and so put it off and off and off until it has become impossible to ignore. I was right, it does hurt, I am praying my healing will continue so far so good but let no one tell you this surgery and recovery is easy or painless. It is neither. I thought I'd be back at work this week but Doc said no. Stitches come out this Thursday .

Dec 3-6 I will be in Florida. My mother is picking me up at the airport this Friday in Clearwater, then judging during day at the Region 7 regional ASFA trial in Brooksville on Sat and Sunday (Dec 4 and 5) flying back early Monday morning and hopefully going straight back to work we'll see what Doc says this Thursday.

Dec 11 and 12 Archie and I are supposed to finish Christmas shopping up in Knoxville.

Dec 15-19 Calhoun GA ASFA trials (BGCC & BCGA). Hopefully some of my youngsters will certify and the real youngsters get to practice although I will still be in the boot so limited mobility

Dec 25 Christmas with my son and his wife and inlaws here in WHite Co. TN! Whoohoo! Archie is coming and then I think we will also do Christmas with Val and Dave (his ex wife and her boyfriend).

Dec 29-pins come out of my left foot and hopefully I can wear soft tennis shoes and then we leave immediately for NM to return Jan 4th LATE night and back at work the 5th

Jan 15-16 judging ASFA trials in Camden SC for CLCS

Mar 1-5 MARDI GRAS!!! Going to MS/LA need I say more?

Mar 19-20 judging AKC trials in Florence TX-flying down for that

Mar 24-27 I believe this is ACoD in Nebraska

April 3-9 BCOA national in Kansas

July 17 judging Borzoi sweeps in Nebraska

Lots of blanks not filled in and of course there is always the possibility that something will happen but right now these are my plans.

Saturday 09/25/10 Sequoia NP to Lone Pine CA hostel

Out of Tulare early to drive to Sequoia NP. A chance to see the BIG trees. Oh boy. Well, we missed the planned turnoff but drove to Sequoia via the backroads in Tulare and wow what an agricultural center. Mile after mile of vineyards, orange groves, lemon groves, pomegranate groves in addition to the not so exotic apples and peaches and cherries. It was amazing to see the scale of irrigation required for such big commercial farms. No wonder they are alway fighting with LA for water rights.

Arrived in Sequoia and took photos of what else but big trees. Photos to follow here once I'm home.

Drove from Sequoia to Lone Pine CA hostel (the Mt. Whitney portal hostel I think is its full name) through Bakersfield CA , about a 3.5 hour drive on the interstate.
I have to put in a plug for the interagency visitor center in Lone Pine. We thought we might be too late to get our permit for the climb and called them and they have a night box they agreed to put it in if we were not there before 6 PM.
Hostel is clean and very convenient on main street in Lone Pine and you can see Mt. Whitney from the balcony. Only got about 4 hours of sleep after going out to eat in a very quaint Western themed cafe , ate light had 5 chicken wings, Archie had salad and Guiness.
One really cool thing about the hostel is that you can see Mt. Whitney from the balcony of the hotel. Very cool. Another very cool thing is that their coffee is good enough for me to drink black which is a rarity indeed.
Only a few hours before we must be up and head for the trailhead.

Sept 24 2010-Beatty NV to Tulare CA via Death Valley NP

got out of Beatty pretty early Friday morning and first checked out Rhyolite ghost town 4 miles West of Beatty and on the way to our ultimate destination of Death Valley . Photos will follow once I am home will add them here. We both love ghost towns and old cemeteries so we have photos of both.

Then on to Death Valley. WOW beautiful drive. We drove out to Badwater Basin the lowest point in North America and the second lowest in the world ( only the Dead Sea is lower). Parked and walked out into it . We also checked out the Devil's Golf Course (more photos) and saw the neatest thing there like a spring coming up through the ground which is covered in salt of all kinds. Did the scenic Artist Drive through a canyon then drove on through into California on way to Tulare. Death Valley was incredibly miserably hot in the bottom of that valley, eyow doen't matter its a dry heat 110 is hot anywhere. Note to self my GOD gas is high in CA and it is SUPER HIGH in this national park over $4.30 a gallon thank God we didn't need to buy any for the Jeep Compass Archie has rented for this trip.

We drove across the Southern part of the Sierra Nevadas on way to Tulare. Talk about a spectacular drive. Lots of switchbacks though, high altitude driving but roads are all clear.

Today miracle of miracles the hotel reservation worked out , tomorrow we will drive over to Sequoia take a few photos then head to Lone Pine.

The Road to Mt. Whitney, Nashville to Vegas

First of all Happy Birthday to my son Mike! He is the big three OH today! Mommy loves you. I can tell you I feel much perkier today than I did 30 years ago today. He was 9 pounds 4 oz eeeyow!

Yesterday I was trying to get ready to get on a plane in Nashville at 6:30 PM to fly to Sin City on our way to Whitney. Everything conspired to slow me down. Then Archie who was going to work until 11 worked until after noon THEN went to his house had a Rx filled etc etc. I did manage to drop my house dog off at a friends and my house keys at the sitter. We did manage to get on the plane although in his hurry to get through he had left one of his knives ( a Swiss Army knife) in his carry on so were were stopped in the Nashville airport, briefly detained like the middle aged terrorists that we are and he had to surrender the knife as he did not wish to check that carry on.
Then after getting to Vegas and driving up to Beatty the hotel I had reservations at I couldn't get anyone to come to the door so at 1 am I am hotel shopping. Believe it or not the Motel 6 there which is the only major chain WAS SOLD OUT so we ended up at the Stagecoarch Hotel and Casino ( I refuse to let this steal my happy.)
I am out of the shower and shortly we will be on our way through Death valley NP. Photos probably after I get back as I don't know how to send then via cell phone and I don't have a universal reader on my laptop.

My Fall Schedule

Starred dates are tentative right now dependent on weather or other things. While there is usually someone ( my house and dog sitter ) at my home number when I'm not available it isn't someone who could answer any questions ( like dog questions) and chances are they won't answer the phone either since they have their own cell phone, so better off to call my cell or email me or text me. If you're a friend you have my email and can easily get my cell number by emailing me. Thought in light of all the sad stuff lately I'd post a happy photo of BIF FC Avalon Dark Voyager of Ryhka LCM from the year he was #1 ASFA. He does love his plastic. Now if only I can finish packing and cleaning house, taking off trash and getting the computer clean that I am donating to my church.

Sept 23-Oct 3 Vacation and Peak Bagging-Whitney,Boundary and Humphrey God willing


Flying to Las Vegas on Sept 23rd.


Return Oct 3rd and back to work on the 4th. I hope to figure out how to upload some photos while I'm gone as we are going to see Death Valley, Sequioa, Mt. Whitney, Mt. Boundary, Caliente NV, Zion NP, Monument Valley, South rim of the GC, Painted Desert, Humphrey Peak, Lake Mead and the dam and the Vegas strip. Sounds like one of those canned vacations but it should be great.


Oct 9-10 had thought about NW Arkansas shows but we have out of town family coming in on Saturday and it would be pretty rude not to be here when they got here! so I will be around the house on 9th , and after church on 10th


Oct 15-16-17 Toastmasters District convention, an excuse to get really dressed up !


Oct 23 and 24 dog shows in Atlanta


Oct 30 and 31 dog shows in Marietta


Nov6-7 through 14th in Wyoming ** weather permitting might be able to do some transport for folks


Thanksgiving weekend -Archie has a place booked in Myrtle Beach SC, wahoo, I've not been there


Dec 2 and 3 (region 7 regional in Brooksville Florida)


Dec 9 and 10 ASFA trial Calhoun GA Borzoi club of Greater Atlanta


Christmas at home then off to New Mexico for New Years Day events

End of the Summer blues

Things can always be worse I know but this week I had major "suckage" early on. 6 weeks ago one of my 10 week old puppies broke a tibia. The vet put a cast/sling on it prognosis looked good. We changed the sling 3x over a period of 6 weeks and it came off last Friday (10th). Sat and Sun she was easing weight onto it, confined of course for the next few weeks to a small area for a few more weeks. On Monday she rebroke it just standing on it, her pressure sores from the last cast were just about dried up, I could not put her through this again and I said goodbye to her at my vet's office. So I spent all week pretty depressed about things, feeling like giving up ( being a middle aged female probably contributes to the tendency to feel this way anyway) and not doing things that needed doing as one does when you're down. At any rate I know I am not the only person who lost a Borzoi recently that really hurts over this but I needed to say goodbye Bailey, Godspeed little cheerful puppy. We miss your waggy tail and happy outlook. Being a dog owner and occasional breeder is really a downer sometimes.

Things that make you go hmmm? or WTF?

Someone I was talking with mentioned some other person who had gotten "their dogs" from puppy mills. I had to bite my tongue not to point out that they had also recently gotten a dog from one of the people the other person had. My mama used to say if you can't say something nice be quiet, at least people will think you are nicer. "nuff" said.

GSMNP-the Chimneys our second visit

January 2009 on what I think was our 3rd date or so we went to Gatlinburg the weekend before my birthday and hiked the Chimneys, it was icy and we didn't attempt the rock scramble at the end, but yesterday (Aug 28) the weather was inviting and so we drove up the 3 hours or so drive to do the hike. While it is only 2 miles to the end where the Chimneys formation is, it is a rough, steep and scenic 2 miles with several bridge crossings of rushing mountain streams. We start with a couple of photos of us at the beginning of the trail on one of the bridges. Archie really enjoys cheesy photos so I oblige and take them. The one where he is kneeling is a little joke we have about "go on save yourself its too late for me" when we are on some really long taxing hike. The next photo here is looking DOWN from halfway up the rock scramble to get to the summit. You can get about halfway up and then there is a point where climbing up exposes you to a fall in either direction of several hundred feet. Now there are foot and handholds but we had to stop there a few minutes, have lunch and watch some younger folks navigate the problem before we felt like attempting it. We also had a spectacular view so took a photo of that too, had to be kind of careful though because the ridge is so narrow and you are so high up that I didn't want to look around too much and get freaked out. Other than banging up my left knee, we ascended to the top from that point with no problems then a nice young man at the top took photos of us sitting on the summit and I took one of Archie's traditional Superman pose ( I declined to pose as Wonderwoman standing up there) and I began to worry about getting down this wicked series of slanted tilted rock steps that are about 60 degrees tilted so I found another way down ( near the old path up on the right side) and climbed down. DON'T is all I can say, while we made it unscathed except some elbow banging the last photo here that looks steep is looking straight up from the bottom of how we climbed down. At one point over halfway down this climb I swear I wanted to have a meltdown but I talked myself out of it because there was nobody gonna rescue me but me at that point. It was a great adventure but I won't do that again. It did give me more confidence that I'll attempt the last section of Angels Landing when we are in Zion National Park on vacation in September.

wahoo! Tarzan's 6th Coursing Championship

"Tarzan" finished his LCM2 on August 8 2010 at the age of 9 years and 3 months. He is now known officially as DC Avalon Jungle Fever MC,CDX,LCX,RAE2, LCM2,V-FCH, TT, CGC . Tarzan was the FIRST RAE titled Borzoi (there have been others since but he will always be the first ). He won the Borzoi Club of America National Triathlon in 2005 and 2009 placed 4th in 2006 and 2007 (did not go to the national in 2008) and placed 2nd in 2010. He has also won the Borzoi Club of America's annual versatility award (AVA) twice, was High in Trial at the BCOA national trial in 2005 from Open B, and is in the Borzoi Club of America lifetime versatility hall of fame. Anything that Paula or I pointed him at he said well if it will make you happy I'll give it a go. It brought tears to both of our eyes this last weekend to see him run with so much enthusiasm. Here are some photos taken by Jennifer Batson at the trial if you'd like to see him, he's the heavily spotted tri colored dog in the pictures. Thanks Jennifer! Thanks to everyone who has said kind words about him too from the bottom of my heart and my friend Paula's too. He is pretty special to us.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31056435&op=1&view=all&subj=100000167844984&id=81901837#!/album.php?aid=2028811&id=81901837

Davis Mountain Pennsylvania our 14th state high point

PA is proud of its high point as was WV (come on MD get some pride in yours! and make it easier to find) . It was later in the day, there was an actual breeze and it was cool amazingly so we didn't have to get the girls out of the van to walk over and take the photos and climb the observation tower for this one. It was only an hour and a half or two from MDs. Lots of exhibits on top of the observation tower too.

13th High point Backbone Mt. MD

So a couple of hours after the WV high point at Spruce Knob we found ourselves at Backbone Mt MD in absolutely nowhere. It was not easy to find or well marked, nor easy to find a parking place for. We had to hike about a mile into a national forest there all uphill to get to the marker. The dogs liked getting out of the van and thank goodness it was a completely shaded walk because it was HOT. So number 13 out of the way ( number 2 for the day) on July 23, 2010.

12th Spruce Knob, WV 4863 feet

On July 23, 2010 Archie and managed what he likes to call a "Trifecta" of high points (WV,MD and PA) on our way to Littlestown for a lure coursing event. The two Borzoi who went with us are Afanasii Belozor Surreptitious SC (the brownish one) and DC Avalon Victoria Cross SC (the black and grey one). It was very hot so when we got out of the van the girls also got out and got to hit the high points. This first one is Spruce Knob WV and we drove to the top, got the girls out and actually got to walk them up the observation tower to the top of it. The first photo is one of the many views from the top of the tower, if you go you must walk to the top of the tower and take photos, it is lovely.

Tory in the foreground and Genie in the back.

Hiking and high pointing partner extraordinaire Archie Doby.

OK so that behind us we headed for the MD high point not very far away but Jeeze Louise was it a beeyatch to find and no fancy pics to be had from there either.

Mild Rant

Did three high points since the last posting here will put photos up this week but this is a dog related rant. You know just when I think that some people may finally be turning into decent humans, I go out of the area and run into others who know them and they tell me Godawful atrocious things that are being said by the people I am trying to give the benefit of a doubt.

This weekend I talked with someone who is new to the breed or relatively so, and who has had another Borzoi person say horrible atrocious things to her and I quote, "That puppy is a freak, probably isn't purebred. Looks like a collie mix you should send it back." "I think that dog is a dwarf, there is something wrong with it." Said dog is in size for the breed and while she is on the smaller side around 26.5 to 27 inches and shorter on leg than my preference she doesn't look very different from some of the other Borzoi person's dogs. I don't know if people realize it but when they talk so mean to others and say such things about other people's breedings ( and let me say none of these dogs have anything of mine in their pedigrees) it only makes them look as though they have an agenda to push their own dogs off on people. Then later on another person there at the event I was at ( who doesn't even own Borzoi) referred to the the aforementioned negative person, as a nasty mean tempered person who only speaks ill of others. I didn't let this spoil my weekend but I had really hoped that there had been some great change in this persons life and that they were nicer now to people. I guess I need to keep praying on that instead of blogging.

Black Mountain, KY -11th high point

On July 10th we drove up to Black Mt KY, elevation 4139 feet around 4 hours from here and oh my in the middle of coal mining territory there. There were these huge coal conveyors crossing the state road in several places. At any rate we had a little impromptu picnic at the top, no real scenic photos from the top because it is covered with trees but I did get pictures of both of Archie and myself at the plaque there, the USGS marker, the old lookout tower there ( you can no longer get up because if you look the last TWO sections of stairs were removed and the FAA radar tower up there. All in all a fun day trip and we got to DRIVE to the top but we will pay for that plenty this fall trying to hike Mt. Whitney. Wahoo our 11th high point.

I dream of Genie

Well it looked like a good title. I have a visitor here for a bit, Afanasii Belozor Surreptitious JC who is from the litter bred 3 years ago by Rebecca and Tim Neal, myself and our friend Suzanne Liggett. Genie always had a lot of lure interest got her JC, got ASFA certed but Suzanne isn't exactly thrilled with lure coursing so she never made it out. I took her this 4 day weekend I was judging to Powell TN, she got her QC on Friday, ran on Saturday got a point, ran Sunday and Monday and got 2 more SC legs. Hope to get her to some ASFA trials before she eventually goes back to Arkansas .pretty girl was pointed in the ring as a puppy showing in BBE. She is a Neechee granddaughter on her dam's side.

10th highpoint! Mt.Rogers Virginia 5700+feet

Saturday June 11th was scheduled to be overcast near Mt. Rogers, with thunderstorms expected at some point, but Archie being the intrepid and optimistic adventurer headed North from Pigeon Forge TN at 5 AM that morning. We arrived at the AT parking lot near Elk Garden, parked the truck and geared up. I found that carrying a heavy pack is ruinous for me so I only carried a 2 liter camelbak and couple of snacks for the 9 mile round trip hike. It was probably around 70 and overcast or just below 70, made me glad I had a long sleeve shirt over my tank top. In the photos above you can see the overcast sky and if you look carefully at the one with the fence post in it you will see the road below and a parking lot where the truck is as we headed up the AT.

The meadows in this area of the National Forest are beautiful, we did not see any of the infamous wild ponies that the Forest Service keeps here to help keep the grassy areas open but we sure saw signs of them!

The AT here is much more gradual and sloping uphill than the Smoky Mt sections of the AT we have been used to hiking. THANK GOD! because when the skies finally opened up we had enough to deal with all the buckets of water pouring down without a steep rocky, scary trail

It was POURING rain and thundering when we summited but I managed to protect my camera and get one picture of Archie on the summit. Me, myself and I did not care for any photos on the summit, I just wanted to get OFF OF THAT MOUNTAIN. Roundtrip of 9 miles completed between 8:30 AM and just before 2 PM. Whew!

Beautiful country I will say that.

My vote for CRAZY OF THE WEEK!

Republican representative Young of Alaska says BP oil spill is NOT an environmental disaster. Well, only if you are one of the millions in the Gulf of Mexico depending on fish, shrimp, oysters or tourism for your livelihood it is a disaster. Only if you are any sort of ocean living or ocean going mammal, bird, reptile, fish, or mollusk is it a disaster. I guess the bastard has never seen anything like this
http://www.bradenton.com/2010/05/23/2306982/hundreds-of-birds-coated-with.html

or he can't read.

I'd love to see him have to be coated with that crude oil and lie on a beach in South Louisiana right about now. This is only ONE oil rig disaster. I believe there are around 4000 in the gulf. Pray there are no more.

9th high point Mt.Mitchell,NC

view from top of Mt Mitchell

Another Mt. Mitchell view

on Deep Gap trail, that is not a level trail in front of me it is a long way down across that rock slab

at the top of the Eastern world

view from Deep Gap trail somewhere

Deep Gap trail start

Archie is about to climb down that rock slab.

On Saturday May 29, Archie and I drove to Mt.Mitchell State Park, and did the summit as a drive up (photos will be added here as soon as I get home). We wanted to get a good hike in though so decided to do the Deep Gap hike across the ridgeline of the black Mountains here. We meant to do the 4.5 mile out and back that ends at Cattail Peak but ended up hiking past that and making it around an 11 mile hike. (And a hard 11 miles that involved climbing some ropes, scrambling across slabs of rock etc). Saw some lovely vistas and it is probably about the highest hike to train on in the Eastern US with the entire length of it being over 6000 feet in altitude so we may come back for it again later this summer. The photos of us on the trail are from the same spot, he just took the one of me after he climbed to the bottom, there was quite a bit of scrambling and turning around backwards and climbing down. The two plaques are elevation plaques for two of the 4 high peaks we crossed on a ridgeline. There is one photo taken from the last peak where you can see two of the first ones we hiked over on the ridgeline.