A Nap on the Mountain

I went hiking with the Boy Scouts last weekend at Table Rock.  The plan, of course, was to get to the top and back without losing anyone.

Well, it didn't take long before plans were changing. It turns out that not all the boys were well prepared for a hike to the top of a mountain.  The result was that myself and a scout leader decided to hang back with a scout while the rest continued their journey to the top.

 The three of us made it a good way up before deciding to turn back and wait at the shelter for the rest of the group to come back down.  This provided me with an opportunity to stretch out on a large overlook at the shelter area.  It didn't take long before I was dozing off with the sun beating down on me.

I remember at one point, a group coming out on the rock where I was laying, with their dog panting near me.  My hat covered my face but my eyes were open.  I didn't move.  The thought of the dog coming over and  licking my face was suddenly my worst nightmare as I heard the panting grow nearer.

Thankfully, the group and their dog came and went without incident and I continued my nap.  When I woke up fifteen minutes later I was pretty hungry.  Specifically, I wanted that apple I had packed.  The one that Randy was carrying for me.  Hopefully he didn't eat it when he was at the top.

When Randy and his friends met back up with us he walked out onto the rock where I was and handed me my lunch bag consisting of a water bottle and an apple.  I unpacked it and thanked him for bringing it to me.  As I sipped my water I saw a motion out of the corner of my eye.  That was when I watched my apple start to roll down the side of Table Rock.  It slowed down about twenty feet away on another ledge and Randy offered to go get it.  I told him not to worry about it, that we'd get it in a few minutes.  I thought it had stopped, but it had only taken a break from its rolling.  We both watched as the only element of my lunch continued to roll off the cliff.  We heard it crash into some branches below and Randy informed me that his offer to get my apple was canceled.

With my apple gone, Randy offered me some other snacks that he was carrying.  I refused most of his offers as I mourned the loss of my apple, but when he presented some chocolate I finally gave in and accepted his offer.

With my nap over and my lunch gone, we headed back to the bottom.

The original plan had to be adjusted as the day went on which meant that I didn't make it to the top and I didn't get to eat my apple.  In exchange for those adjustments, I added in a nap on the side of a mountain and some chocolate. Ultimately, it was a relaxing day on the trail and the core of our plan stayed intact.  We made it back to the cars without losing anyone.