![\"IMG_20170703_125236069\"](\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/IMG_20170703_125236069.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWe were indecisive about our July 4th weekend plan. \u00a0The weather was sub optimal so\u00a0we determined\u00a0that waiting until Sunday would obviate some of the crowds and rain. \u00a0We settled on a plan to car camp at Deep Creek so Laurel could get her miles over there. ( I have abandoned any semblance of finishing my second map even though I probably have less than 20 miles remaining. ) \u00a0We fought a monster bear jam on the Newfound Gap road and arrived in Deep Creek car campground after noon on Sunday. \u00a0As expected, it was a zoo full of idiots. \u00a0 Dogs competed with children to see who could outbark each other.\u00a0Tubers floated lazily, cigarettes in hand along with their lap dogs and children. Laurel and I strolled about to find a tent pad. \u00a0There are many reasons to despise car camping. \u00a0It is akin to shelter stays\u00a0in my book. \u00a0It attracts those who need creature comforts. \u00a0Personally I find it more of a headache than not.<\/p>\n
It did afford me the opportunity to fulfill one of the Southernhighlander covenants. \u00a0And that is the special skill of appearing in the flames of campfires unexpected. As we walked around in search of suitable digs for the evening, I spied what can best be characterized as the main reason I modified\u00a0my backcountry associations some years ago. \u00a0Alone, likely stoned and sorrounded by dogs and a daytime smoker, the drug dealing geriatric pretended not to see us as he made a beeline for his car knocking his noontime beer over in the process of escape. \u00a0Laurel noted that perhaps he was going for a gun. \u00a0I said he was more likely going for another zanax and depends undergarment. We ended up planting ourselves not far from that area, there was little from which to choose on this extended holiday weekend.<\/p>\n
I now knew that there would likely be other familiar faces from the old group about. \u00a0As we erected the tent, I prepared for a trail run. \u00a0Deep Creek is a great place to click a few miles so I headed up toward the Indian Creek Motor Loop. \u00a0Before long, I had passed the infinite line of inner tubers and cyclists and was enjoying some moderate climbing up past the split for Stone Pile Gap. \u00a0After an hour or so, I turned around to descend back to the “mayhem”. \u00a0There were fishermen, hikers, backpackers and photogs. \u00a0It was a jam packed Deep Creek experience.<\/p>\n
Rounding the corner where Deep Creek trail passes over the water is a bridge. \u00a0On it were two more familiar faces that I had not seen in about two years. It was clear they had not expected to encounter\u00a0me emerging shirtless and covered in sweat from the backcountry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was the Trail Bailer and Jenny. \u00a0I returned to camp and they came over to visit and catch up. \u00a0There was a lot of catching up to do.<\/p>\n
Laurel and I decided to go into town and chase some pizza in Bryson City so we bid farewell to the Howe’s and missed the pizza place by 3 minutes. We were on the verge of missing food altogether until the owner of the sports bar agreed to feed us. \u00a0I was ravenous after a 6 mile trail run. \u00a0We retired early in hopes of Laurel embarking upon her quest in the morning. The night-time arrivals next door saw fit that sleep would not occur as they banged on tent poles and yammered in Spanish from midnight until two am.<\/p>\n
Morning saw neither of us moving far from camp as I pressed coffee and lounged about. \u00a0Jenny and Will returned, having suffered the same fate in their site with two German Shepherd dogs competing with the children in that area. Laurel packed up for a 10 mile trek\u00a0around the notoriously unremarkable motor loop. \u00a0I love hiking and she later remarked, ” I should have known when you declined to join me on this one, it would suck.” \u00a0And the motor loop really does suck. \u00a0I did little that entire day but lounge around camp, visit with Will and Jenny and drive up to Stone Pile terminus. \u00a0It rained while I was there but I decided to amble up to the cemetery and lay in wait for Laurel who was scheduled for a 5 pm appearance. \u00a0On schedule and fighting sprinkles, she was subsequently sprinkled with a bigfoot laying in wait.<\/p>\n
It was collectively decided that another night in that maelstrom of humanity was more than either of us could bear. \u00a0Laurel had already done Leconte and Brushy mountain trails day-hiking last week. \u00a0It was solid mileage for the mileage queen. Given that we both had trips upcoming it was agreed that we would head back over the mountain.<\/p>\n
If you didn’t get a chance to see the monster bear video click on last weeks blog post. \u00a0Laurel has also posted another bear video from Brushy Mtn. \u00a0She saw three more on that trip. \u00a0They are active.<\/p>\n
I will be in Colorado next week, so expect some pics of Western Slope mountain fun soon.<\/p>\n
![\"black](\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/black-snake.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
One can’t help but absorb the potential symbolism. For me, the king of snake enounterers it was time to quit ignoring the messages. The universe speaks to us in many ways. \u00a0I have a gift\/curse for snake encounters so well documented through the Southernhighlander pages that a certain notoriety has developed as a result. \u00a0This guy crossed my path on Tuesday as I rode the mountain bike through Baker creek preserve. \u00a0My three riding partners had just called it a day.\u00a0 We had been launching off the table tops of Cruze Valley and Barn Burner downhill runs. Before the July 4 rains enveloped, I was alone on the acreage when I rolled up to\u00a0this fellow. You only see his tail, and this is a frequent position for black snakes in my world. \u00a0The tail was the tip of a longer serpent, beautifully marked with white marbling rolling across his scales.<\/p>\n
A snake crossing your path could, at first blush, have many negative connotations. However, ancient wisdom holds quite the opposite. Across the board, it is generally considered a sign of metamorphisis and shedding of old skin. Contrary to popular belief,\u00a0snakes aren’t necessarily bad. Numbers 21:8 \u00a0The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” <\/em><\/strong>This was of course in response to a plague of snakes\u00a0<\/b>and snake bites. I’ve heard preachers struggle more with that particular symbolism than just about any in the Bible. \u00a0Snakes have long been regarded in Eden terms.<\/p>\n But for me, the consistent crossing of my path by snakes means much more and particularly in context of that weekend. Snakes symbolize healing, a connection with the earth, awareness of surroundings and shrewdness. \u00a0When Jesus dispatched his disciples, he conveyed the following dispensation, \u00a016\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cI am sending you out like sheep among wolves.\u00a0Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.<\/span><\/span>\u00a017\u00a0<\/sup>Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils\u00a0and be flogged in the synagogues. \u00a0Matt 10.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Snakes have long held a high place in native American lore and rattlesnakes, especially, are considered good luck charms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Earlier in the day I was rounding another corner and startled a hawk that had a freshly killed rabbit. He picked up that animal with a talon but was unable to fly with this meal that probably approximated his own weight. Because I was on the mountain bike, he had little time to escape with his bounty. Whether he was feeding or just killed the animal is undetermined. \u00a0But to the treetops he retreated as my biking buddies rounded the corner and I related the tale. \u00a0They spied the fresh kill and reveled in the grandeur of nature that is often cruel and powerful but equally awe inspiring as the hawk patiently awaited our departure.<\/p>\n In nature is strong symbolism\u00a0embraced by all religions of man. \u00a0Losing our connection with nature is the genesis of many psychiatric disorders. \u00a0ADD\/ADHD did not exist a few decades ago. \u00a0I struggle to compete with video games when we take alternative school kids to the Smokies. The ones who make any sort of connection with the natural world are, to me, fixable. \u00a0Not that the others are not. But like the black snake, we need to feel the rhythm of nature, move shrewdly and with little impact upon our environment and share our healing powers with fellow man.<\/p>\n These are gifts sorely needed today when our faith is placed in leaders and political figures who have never experienced any connection whatsoever with the natural world. Of course someone proposes cutting the Environmental Protection Agency who has never been into the natural environment. \u00a0Of course political leaders support re activating coal mines and dropping out of the Paris accords when they have never left an ivory tower and are bowing to corporate interests to the detriment of all other humanity.<\/p>\n It is not a revolution until there is blood running in the streets. \u00a0When 20 million people lose their health care so a bunch of millionaires can receive a tax cut, that time may be nigh. \u00a0And if it happens, then we will be shedding skin collectively. \u00a0As someone who has experienced the shedding of skin, I can attest it is painful and at some points blinding when that last bit covers your eyes for a spell.<\/p>\n But what is left is a new skin and fresh eyes. \u00a0It is our job to see what we are supposed to see instead of what we are told to see by false prophets and corporate charlatans with agendas to match their egos. \u00a0For someone with children to support the aforementioned policies is blindness of an unfixable sort. \u00a0But the sins of the Fathers will be visited upon their brood. \u00a0Be wise and shrewd and good stewards of our environment. \u00a0We are judged according to our treatment of this sacred trust.<\/p>\n John<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We were indecisive about our July 4th weekend plan. \u00a0The weather was sub optimal so\u00a0we determined\u00a0that waiting until Sunday would obviate some of the crowds and rain. \u00a0We settled on a plan to car camp at Deep Creek so Laurel … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":627,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618\/revisions\/627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}