Leaf Peep '13 part III

On Sunday morning, we usually go crash some restaurant ill-equipped to handle a gaggle of maggots and it takes an inordinate amount of time to serve us, but it extends the social part of the SME for those that have time. Jack and Lori suggested going to a place the next town over, since we have exhausted our options in Tellico.

Melissa and I were definitely going to go. Jack had space for two in his car, so we took him up on the offer to allow us to tag along. We got back to camp around noon and began to break camp. Now her car is loaded, and we have the rest of the day to do ... SOMEthing, as Isaac didn't have to be at work.

We decide that a hike would be good, but again the damned government has the Smokies shutdown. I suggested going up to Hooper Bald on the Skyway and hiking that. On the way, we stopped to get ice cream at Tellico Beach. While we were there, I told her I was going to take off, but would wait for her at an overlook prior to the Hooper Bald trailhead.

I got to an overlook about 6 or 7 miles inside NC and waited. And waited ... and waited. This is ridiculous!

I had already seen the car that was in front of her at the bottom of the mountain go by some 20 minutes ago. I have seen plenty of other vehicles that I did not pass also go by. Something is wrong!

I mount up and head back down to see if she ran out of gas or is having mechanical issues or something. I am down to the bottom of the Skyway before I see her heading the opposite direction. I wave at her and she pulls over. I turned around and asked her WTF?!? was going on?

She said she went to an overlook 5 miles into NC and turned around because she got to thinking that she was no longer on the Cherahola. FIVE! FIVE miles. she was that close to me but turned around.

ARGH! It is now about 5-ish and there is no point to start a hike with it getting dark around 7 nowadays, so we just decide to head on home. We stopped in Dandridge at the Sonic (where Megan works), grabbed dinner, and hung out with Megan for a few minutes.

What a great weekend. It was awesome that Melissa could make it to an SME again. It was great to see my buddy Brian as well, and, of course, it was wonderful to hang out with maggots.