Date: 2014-05-03
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Unnamed Gap
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: clear sky

I left Standing Bear feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the uphill climb. After a couple of miles I passed Eric just starting to break camp at a tent site. More beautiful scenery, but now filled with much more green and flowers as spring has arrived everywhere. About 2 in the afternoon I descended into a gap with a dirt road crossing. There were three cars there just packing up after doing trail magic for hikers. They had been cooking hot dogs and hamburgers, but I missed it! So they gave me some homemade cookies, the last cupcake, some Gatorade, water and lastly a couple if candy bars for the road. The two women were Mother Goose and Mother Theresa and had thru hiked last year. I didn't get the man's name and forgot to take pictures. My first trail magic food! I had just missed some at I-40 yesterday.I continued up to Max Patch Bald where Linda and I had visited by car five years ago. A large bald with a beautiful 360 panoramic view of the surrounding mountains on a clear and windy day. The grass had been recently mowed and there were lots of day visitors having picnics, flying kites and just enjoying the view. I spent about 20 minutes with a small group of folks answering questions about my hike. It was fun talking with them. Eric caught up with me and we hiked together to the next shelter where we had both thought about spending the night. There we met My Time and his wife out section hiking. My Time had retired a couple of years ago and now it was "my time." He had served in Viet Nam as a platoon leader in '68 and again as a Chinook helicopter pilot in '72, the same year I was in the war. Eric had to listen to us share war stories for a little while, then he and I continued on since it was only 5:30. Eric/Ajax, My Time and Mrs. My TimeA couple of miles later we stopped at what the guide listed as an unnamed gap. There were several other folks camped there and plenty of good spots to set up my tent. An older woman and three men were sitting around a campfire area eating dinner, so Eric and I joined them. Honey Bear is thru hiking and her husband and two friends are doing some sections with her. They started a fire and we chatted 'til the sun started to set. We decided to name the gap Virgil's Gap after one of the guys there.During a break today Eric mentioned he was wrestling with what his trail name should be. Since he is hiking more miles each day than most folks, he hasn't stayed long enough with one group to get one. Apparently a few have been suggested and the one he likes best is Action Jackson. A well-known and admired older hiker, Normally Hobs (hiking or biking) called him that. I think Hobs called him that because Eric lives in Jackson WY, but I thought it was a good name for him since he hikes fast and far. Plus, Action was the role I played once in college in West Side Story. (The part was combined with another of Tony's lieutenants for the movie version.) Keep in mind that I went to the Air Force Academy and there weren't any drama students to compete with for parts. :-) I think Eric will stick with Action. Today's tune: "Close to You" by the Carpenters. Don't know how it got into my head, but it was a good tune for hiking. So today is dedicated to Linda, one bodacious woman I'd like to be physically as well as spiritually close to!