Uploaded by Michael Wender 16th October, 2007

As I haven’t had a new picture to post during the past day and a half, I thought I would post this picture from a hike to Charlie’s Bunion that Beth and I took back in October.

Uploaded by Michael Wender 16th October, 2007

While I was developing the new design for my website, I used this photo as the sample photo in the “Latest Picture” section on the home page. Therefore, I thought it appropriate to share this picture in its original spot for a day.

Uploaded by Michael Wender 15th November, 2007

I’ve found that outdoors shots like this one look great with the new theme for my blog.

Author’s note: I began this entry on Saturday, November 12, 2005; however, I didn’t get the chance to finish it until Wednesday, November 23, 2005.

Yesterday, around 7am, as my wife was leaving for work, David and Bryan were parking their cars on the street. On Monday, Bryan had sent out an email about hiking on Friday. Visions of crunching through fallen leaves and feeling the crisp fall air on my face interposed themselves on the rest of my work week.

In my office, David and Bryan pulled up the weather forecast while I put on a couple more layers. We checked my voice mail: Rusty had called a little before six o’clock. He said his knee was feeling a little tender this morning, so he wouldn’t be able to make it. Ryan’s message from 7:10, said he was on his way to meet us. We called Matt. No answer.

By 7:30, we had our backpacks in Bryan’s trunk, and we were on our way. The roads were filled with parents driving their kids to school and business men and women trying to get to work by eight o’clock. Our conversation ranged from such topics as D-Day and World War II to ethics to decision making and God’s will. We were only dimly aware of the Great Smoky Mountains growing gradually in the front windshield.

It was no time before we were helping Bryan navigate the final set of turns before reaching our destination. Once we were in the park, we passed only one or two cars. At the School House Gap Trailhead, we had our pick of parking spaces. Bryan popped the trunk, and we stepped around some horse droppings while we pulled out our packs.

To get to the trailhead, we had to walk back down the main road for 250 yards. The trailhead sign read Bote Mountain Trail with an arrow indicating the Appalachian Trail was 7.2 miles away. However, this morning, I find that my guide book, Hiking Trails of the Smokies, lists the distance as 6.9 miles with the following disclaimer:

Be forewarned that the mileages used in this book often do not match mileages on park trail signs or on some maps. This book uses mileages recently obtained from a thorough measurement of all park trails. It is much more accurate than any other source for trail distances.

We started out along the trail under the cover of hardword with rhododendron all around. It wasn’t long before I took off my rain jacket. We broke out onto the ridgeline. The morning sun greeted us and revealed the mountains drapped in red, yellow, crimson, and gold. Ryan and I were magnetically drawn to our cameras.

After our short photo session followed by a snack, we continued. Regardless of whether the trail is 7.2 or 6.9 miles, it required a good effort from each of us. The last couple of miles felt like I was trying to go up the “down” escalator. Along the way we passed only one couple coming down, and we wondered what time they had started.

Finally, a little after noon, we reached Spence Field. We had to hunt for a nice spot to collapse as there were day hikers and campers up from other trails. Up over a crest and around a rhododendron we found our resting place. Few words were spoken while we ate our lunches. For the unintiated, I must tell you that the taste of peanut butter and jelly after 6.9 miles in the mountains is a gourmet meal. After lunch, I changed into a dry shirt and fleece I had taken off earlier, and I added my rain coat. Pulling my hood over my head, I laid back and drifted off.

A short while later I awoke to the quiet stillness of the mountains. I stretched my hands above my head and stared into the blue sky. Everyone else was stirring as well. It wasn’t long before we were ambling our way back down the mountain. This time we passed riders on horseback and others making their way up from Cades Cove. By the end of the hike our feet we tired, but our spirits were well rested.