Cherished Connections

8/6/2014

Good morning from the lodge. There was just a little bit of color as the sun was making its ways above the ridge line. We are experiencing a little bit of cloud coverage, but that should burn off and make for a beautiful day. Chris and I will be hiking down to enjoy some days off. We will be working our favorite Farmers Market on Saturday and visiting with old crew members from the past. We love getting the phone calls from past crew telling us they are coming through town with their new born babies. I get to play Auntie and then give them back when it is time for a diaper change. I am just kidding, well, sorta. However, the connections we have made on this mountain will always be cherished. From our crew members to the amazing guests we get to see year after year. We have met some wonderful people and our lives will be enriched forever with those connections.

Now, on to the daily weather report. The high yesterday was 63º with a low of 47º. We are currently witnessing some cloud coverage, but that is expected to lift and make way for a gorgeous day up top. I hope everyone has a great weekend and happy hiking.

Mary Milliman

8/6/2014 12:53:22 am

I Iove reading your post on cherished connections!!
I pray we are able to be one of the lucky guest to spend a night at the lodge this year!! We have tried in the past and not been able to get in.. So hopefully we will make it this year!! My sister-in-law ( Kim Sikorski ) has submitted our form for 2015 and we will try calling on Oct.1st!!
This is one thing I would Love to cross off my bucket list!
I love to see the connections you make with everybody!!
Hope to see you in late April or early May!!!!! We'll keep our fingers crossed!!
Mary,Todd,Kim & Steve

Kent

8/6/2014 01:01:43 am

Well, it looks like the dry spell will end on Friday. Of course, that's the first day of my backpacking trip. I seemed to be cursed, lately. :(

Debi

8/6/2014 01:09:56 am

No, its not you Kent. I think its my fault. Every time we come down it rains. We haven't had any rain in Michigan where I live in about 3 weeks. We have a night up top on the 12th. And plan on doing 1 day hike up there maybe the Sunday before.

Kent

8/6/2014 01:20:31 am

Heh! So, you're to blame, then! ; )

Seriously, though, it might not be too bad on Sunday and Tuesday. Right now, they're saying a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms. With any luck, Friday won't be as bad as they're forecasting, either.

Hope you have a great trip, Debi!

Debi

8/6/2014 05:47:22 am

Thanks for the weather update Kent. I haven't even checked it yet. Good to know.

doug y link

8/6/2014 01:16:11 am

Perhaps one of my favorite parts of a lodge stay is meeting people, especially around he dinner tables. Very nice indeed.

tomk in SC

8/6/2014 01:26:07 am

Speaking of meeting people. . .I have lost contact info for a gal we met at the JumpOff last AUG 24. She was with her boyfriend and three or four other folks that she worked with at Oak Ridge. I cannot recall her name, but I believe she holds a PhD in physics and is researching something called "Islands of Stability". I'm hoping one of them sees this. I believe it was her first time to the lodge and some of the folks she was with had been there before. I've had no luck calling Oak Ridge. Apparently finding a specific individual with a PhD in Physics at Oak Ridge is like finding a specific individual wearing orange at a Vols game!

doug y link

8/6/2014 01:35:37 am

Hey tomk ! "Islands of Stability" !? Isn't that Leconte Lodge !??

tomk in SC

8/6/2014 01:47:45 am

Doug, right on a couple of levels.
1. When the clouds are below the lodge the mountains look like islands in a vast sea of clouds, We have some pictures of that that are awesome, and Allyson has snapped an posted some of these as well.
2. When you posted I thought of a book we had in high school. It was a religious themed book but the title was something like "A Still Point in a Turning World" There's a lot of stuff happening all over the planet, but rain or shine, cold or hot, the cocoa, "slow llama stew", pancakes, great staff and other hikers make the Lodge something of an island, a respite from so much too much.

norman

8/6/2014 01:56:48 am

Tomk in SC, Oak Ridge is't Top Secret any more is it?? Hope you find her.

Chris

8/6/2014 02:48:21 am

I have an idea. Try hiking up to the lodge and review the guest log book that many sign when they arrive at the lodge. It's catalogued by dats and ask for details such as trail hiked up. You may find the name that jumps off the page at you.

Marie McBride

8/6/2014 06:40:08 am

Thanks for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. We had another great time. I appreciate the Red Hot Sprinkle hook-up too!

norman

8/6/2014 09:38:39 am

Tomk, is it tom k or tomk? You might want to look at Nova science NOW : 19 - Island of Stability on youtube , you might see her there!!

tomk in SC

8/6/2014 12:28:10 pm

Norman: first name tom last starts with k, I live in South Carolina
I watched the Nova piece, she wasn't there, but that led me to someone at Lawrence Livermore National Labs who knows somebody at Oak Ridge that is working in that area. I have a name that could lead somewhere.
Chris: I sent a note to Christi (LeConte Reservations) and she is going to see if Nathan can check the log.
I'll phone the Park Service and see if their shelter permit records might lead somewhere.
Thanks for all the ideas! This community is awesome!
I'm headed up for TWO nights later this month. I can't wait!

Lindsey Brackett link

8/7/2014 01:11:26 am

My mom has been wanting to do this for months and was lucky enough to snag a cancellation. My girls and I were lucky enough to join her Tuesday night. Thanks for a wonderful time of refreshment, fellowship, and bottomless coffee and wine. We made some new friends and my oldest (who doesn't like to hike) admitted it was worth the trip. Blessings to you!

I have a blog myself. Hoping to get a post up soon!

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