The Name, Part 1

I got the name of this blog form my trail name 'The Old Man of Blood Mountain'. Story to follow.

In the spring of my 5th grade year our class took a three day hiking trip to the Appalachian Trail. We drove for a solid day (Mississippi Gulf Coast to northeast Georgia) while I listened to CD's, slept, and bored my friend Gabe to death. Once we finally got to our cabins, close to the start of the trail at Springer Mt. the class of 20 boys and girls ran amuck over the campgrounds and surrounding woods. Climbing stones, trees and anything that was slow enough to hang on to.

After our first night full of ghost stories and smores, we set off on our first hike from Woody Gap to Jarrad Gap. All outfitted with cheep hiking boots, leaky rain shells, and an abundance of energy. We got into the vans and pressed our faces against the glass trying to get a glimpse of the bears the class before us told us horror stories about.

As we reached the trail head the teachers and parents tried desperately to keep us corralled long enough to count heads and split us into groups. I set off down the trail just behind my dad, already setting myself a blazing pace that only an 11 year old would dream to follow.

Story to be continued in Part 2