The weather this Winter Season has been quite the challenge to get out on our days off to hike, backpack and tent camp… but on this particular day we want to take advantage of being IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT.
So what do we do? We jump in Slipper’s Jeep and head out to The Appalachian Trail.
First photo opportunity is at Long Creek Falls where we enjoy the sounds, temperature and solitude of the cascading waterfall… just before getting-our-hike-on to Hawk’s Mountain Shelter
As we enjoy the short hike and backpacking experience, we stop by the Closed Shelter and hike past it and the Closed Privy to a small knoll IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT.
We set up camp just in time to have an evening snack before Hiker Midnight.
We no longer dose-off-to-sleep when we are awakened by Military Maneuvers all around us. Helicopter fly-overs! Gun shots! Bombs bursting! Machinery rumbling! Troops walking right past our tent at True Midnight!
While it all began IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT, it didn’t take long for the stillness to become a soundbite for the next Tom Hanks War Movie.
The next morning (upon exiting the tent) I realized (by the red tape at the trail) that we had obviously camped in the Military Zone😳
What a memory! What all started IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT became an evening of what it must be like “on-the-front-lines!”
At least we survived to share it and to smile about our hiking, backpacking and tent camping adventure IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT.
