RAT`s Annual B-Day Hike – 9-8 to 9-10-2016
Almost every year I have tried to take 4 or 5 days off to go hiking around my birth date in September. Although I have missed a few I managed to make it happen in 2016. This one would only be for 3 or 4 days which is the shortest yet but, it is way better than none at all ! I will also add that the location and the unusually hot weather made it seem much longer. For the first time ever and to my delight, I would be joined by my son Tyler Tarpley. Unfortunately though, my usual compadre Tommy ‘Bol’Dar’ Warden would be unable to attend. The locations I chose for this event was in the Linville Gorge as Tyler had only been there once before and there was much more I wanted to show him. Day one was spent gathering last minute supplies, packing up and driving over where we stopped at the Gorge Rat`s campsite at the Hawksbill trail head with just enough daylight left to complete the climb to the summit before the sunset.