Boomerang Style

On Wednessday Margaret and I drove to Sewanee, TN and spent the evening with Margaret's sister, Susie, and her friends. In the morning the three of us set out for Gatlinburg with ominous clouds on the horizon behind us. Since we left central time and entered eastern, and also because we spent 2 hours driving around looking for the trailhead, I didn't get to the trail until 4 PM. I had 9 uphill miles to go - an estimated 5 hours of hiking. No matter, hiking in the dark along a trail I'd already walked would be no big deal. I said a very painful goodbye to Margaret, and even as she drove away I thought of running after them. I had been having second thoughts all day. I resisted the urge, and saddled up. I spent the first ten minutes of walking fighting my emotional demons. I could run down to the ranger station 2 miles away and call them and they could come get me. Eventually, I conquered my demons, or at least put them away temporarily, and started to get into the swing of hiking again. And just then, when I finally actually wanted to continue, my leg started to hurt worse than ever. I stopped, but I didn't want to turn around. I kept walking, but it hurt, so I turned around. I walked back and forth over the same 100 yards about 5 times in my indecision. Finally, I turned around one last time and headed downhill, but even as I reached the parking lot I regretted my decision somewhat. My leg reminded me that I had no choice.

I began to trot down to the ranger station. Margaret and Susie would be hours away by now. A couple stopped and picked me up. At the ranger station there was no phone, so we went into Gatlinburg. By the time I called Margaret, they were in Chatanooga, 3 hours away. I felt terrible even asking them to turn around. Naturally, they decided it was too far and just kept going. I checked in to the Grand Prix motel for the night to get out of the rain.