It seemed to me like the Appalachian Trail, from the Nantahala Gorge north toward Fontana Dam, was all uphill. It’s a climb.
The Appalachian Trail Guide says: “This section…is especially tough for northbound hikers, who must gain 3,339 feet over eight miles from the Nantahala River to the summit of Cheoah Bald (elevation, 5,062 feet), one of the toughest hauls on the Appalachian Trail south of New England.”
Anyway, I was section hiking with three of my grandsons, Christian, Cole and Curtis, huffing and puffing up that trail. But they weren’t. In fact, every once in a while they started singing, practicing a song they had written.
Several times that day we had passed a woman hiking alone and she had passed us right back when we took a break. We were climbing again when I saw her, 30, 40 yards ahead of us. We were reeling her in and, this time, I decided to mess with her head.
I tried to control my breathing, so she wouldn’t know when we passed her just how bad I was hurting. And I asked the boys to sing their song again. Go here, close your eyes, and hear what she heard as she labored up one of the toughest climbs south of New England.
Curtis, Cole and Christian Stith
Coming Monday: They Say Guns Don’t Kill People
I heard the boys’ song years ago online and tried to find it to share with my preschool class. A search online brought me to your blog. Thanks for including it. Your stories make for wonderful reading.
Thanks so much for your note, your encouragement. I would loved to have jumped inside that hiker lady’s mind as she and I struggled up that mountain, and the boys’ began to sing.
Hi Pat…..Your brother, David, shared your blog with me.
I’m enjoying reading about excerpts of your life! First of all, I remember Dixie Dew Syrup! I enjoyed it over pancakes — way back……
Second, I remember the name Donna Hyland…..Since I did not go to Garinger; I may have attended school with her at Eastway Jr. High. I think she was a beauty queen or cheerleader.
Third, I have never been to Snowbird, but there was a set of dishes from my family’s Tennessee lake place that made it….
We gave them to Dave & Kathy…..dark green with a black band on the plates.
Good luck with your blog! You are off to a great start!
Really enjoyed the boys singing “Nursery Rhymez”, too.
Warner,
Donna did go to Eastway where she was a beauty but not a queen.
I’m glad you liked “Nursery Rhymez.” I wished I could have jumped inside that woman’s head when she heard my grandsons singing. What in the world! she must have thought.
The next best thing to hearing Pat Stith tell a story is to read a story Pat Stith wrote the way he’d tell it. As they say at a prominent hamburger dispensary, I’m lovin’ it. Please keep ’em comin’, Br’er Pooh!
What a great start to your blog! I’ll bet that woman is still telling her friends about the song she heard hiking up that mountain!
Uncle Pat,
I am thrilled we will get to have your stories in print! You can be sure Ben and I will pass them along to our children someday as well as revel in them ourselves!
Pat, looking forward to the tales, tall and otherwise.
Love this! Blog and I love hearing the boys sing!
Can’t wait to read and hear more!
Hello Pat,
Congratulations on getting your website up and running. I enjoyed reading your first story and look forward to reading many more.