To: Ma & Paps Bear

Ember and I made a leisure jaunt up the fall line at Davenport Gap to meet Groovasaurus on the trail Saturday afternoon. Groovasaurus, looking more Adonis-like than ever, greeted me with a big hug after emerging from the rhododendrun green tunnel. G, E, and I then had a lovely downhill hike back to the crossing at the 4-way intersection with Big Creek and the Davenport Gap gravel and pothole-laden "road". G talked and told stories from the time we meet up until we hit the bed for shut-eye. Put G in an environment with more solitude than ever and give him a dose of time for self-introspection, and upon reentry to the "non-trail" world he's willing to pull back some layers. He is a beautiful person who holds his family and friends very close to him. I am happy to be part of this journey with him.

Groovasaurus easily transitioned back to the "car" world and we immediately began hitting restaurants and shopping centers for retail therapy. We drove around Knoxville all day Sunday in effort to track down and buy essential outdoor gear (i.e., waterproof gloves and an MSR ultra-lite tent). We went to three outfitters and eventually this became an "un"therapy session. Finally, we had some decent coffee, ate yummy bagel sangwiches with lox, and hijacked WiFi. We had plans to have a romantic evening out on Douglas Lake watching an unobstructed view of the Smokies and the sunset from inside the new tent. Well, we had an evening on Douglas Lake. However, we did not succeed at the good stuff because we couldn't set up the tent. We even had a very flat surface and minimal wind. The tent is in fact just one-piece tarp and one-piece insect net, supposedly held erect with trekking poles and some guy-out lines. It appeared that every component must be in a precise position to come together to form only a somewhat sturdy tent. We fashioned something reminiscent of the forts I built with bedsheets hanging from trees in the backyard. Needless to say, Groovasaurus was not feeling groovalicious as he had just dropped almost 200 dollars on a tent that looked like saggy bedsheets. Furthermore, for an ultra-lite tent, it was so big Washington's army could sleep in it too. Sadly, Groovasaurus missed the sunset acting like Grumpasaurus. Some people suggest that in order to determine compatibility with your partner, you should paddle in tandem in a canoe with them. You could also try to set up a tent.

All we wanted to do was set up the new tent and point it east to watch the sunglow cast purple brilliance on English Mountain, Mt. Le Conte, Mt. Sterling, and several other Smoky Mountains. Another time. We salvaged the evening by playing a relaxing game of Scrabble, eatting Brussel sprouts, and sipping pomegranate tea. We hit the sack early so G could get back on the trail early on Monday morning. Before falling asleep we shared our "high" moments of the day and G decided that he wanted to get a refund on the MSR tent and that he'd reluctantly stay in AT shelters until he acquired his old Kelty tent.

Monday was as lovely as a March day in the mountains can be. The sky was as blue as it gets east of Utah. The temperature was near 60. We hiked to the most beautimous (or beautious) bald in Appalachia. We hiked 16 miles over the TWRA Bear Sanctuary, Snowbird Mountain, and Cherry Ridge, and summitted Max Patch at 4700 feet by 3 pm. On the summit, three 20-year old thru-hikers from North Carolina, caught up to Groovasaurus. Groove and I said goodbye and he set off north again, this time teamed up with the three 20 year olds.

Groove still doesn't have a tent because he won't sleep in a Washington's army size bedsheet


Groovasaurus wanted to come to Dandridge to resupply and sleep in a warm bed, but was happiest because he got to mug the toms like old times... they loved it too!!


Our legend has it that when you can't find me, G, or Ember, we're on Max Patch and lovin life!!