December 25, 2019

Good Morning and Merry Christmas,

Hopefully everyone is having a prosperous holiday so far, either doing something you enjoy or spending time with friends and loved ones.  To those of you working hard and keeping us safe today who happen to catch today's blog, thank you for doing what you do.  And not just military, medical, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, but especially those folks who keep the hotels and restaurants going here in the Smokies during one of the busiest weeks of the year.

As anticipated, not much variance in the weather atop Mt. LeConte.  Temps in the 40s again under partly cloudy skies.  Trails should be in decent hiking shape except for the occasional downed tree.

Now for some fun at the bearded man's expense.  Rumor has it he's back in the North Pole resting up with Mrs. Claus, Rudolph and the boys, and those hard working never-quit elves.  Despite a slight hiccup in his routine at 6,593', it was another successful holiday haul for jolly old Saint Nick.  All llamas are also well and accounted for.  Enjoy!

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Santa got run over by a llama
Hiking north from Old Lodge Christmas Eve
Most nights all the llamas are home sleeping
But as for me and Jack Huff we believe.

He'd forgotten the alfalfa
Stashed away all the pancakes
But some llamas have sharp noses
When it's chow time they do not like to be faked.
When we found him Christmas morning
On the trail where llamas pack
He had hoofprints on his forehead
And incriminating spit marks on his back.

Santa got run over by a llama
Hiking north from Old Lodge Christmas Eve
Evidence has all the wranglers baffled
But as for me and Jack Huff we believe.