Visit With Red Bull - photo

   We finally had contact with Red Bull today!  Whew!  They were stopping to set up camp early, with impending severe weather.  His father literally jumped into the car moments after speaking with him to begin the journey to deliver his phone, and Indian flute.  While his father was driving, I called one of his older sisters to see if she wanted to go along to help drive.  She had 15 minutes to prepare, before Dad reached her location.

   What should have been a 5 hour journey took a little longer, due to a car accident blocking the road.  The A.T. intersected an area with a parking lot about 1 1/2 miles from Red Bull's shelter, and this is where they planned to meet.

   Red Bull and his companions hiked to the Helveys Mill Shelter at mile 592.1 on the A.T., elevation of 3,121 feet.  They hiked about 14 miles today.  Red Bull backtracked about 1 1/2 miles on the trail to the parking area for the Kimberling Creek off of VA 612 near Bland, Virginia to meet Dad.

   The plan was to meet so Red Bull could return to the shelter before dark, but it was going to be close.  With the traffic from the car accident, they actually met him a few moments before sunset.  I was incredibly concerned about him trying to hike 1 1/2 miles back to the shelter in the dark, but he had the confidence associated with youth.  He did make it back to the shelter, and his father and sister made it safely home in the early morning hours.

   Red Bull is doing well.  He wanted his Indian flute, a Lord of the Rings book, earbuds (his got lost), and chocolate chip cookies.  I hope he is careful with his flute, he purchased it on a family trip to the Grand Canyon.  It was handmade by Native American Indians, and would be difficult to replace.  He enjoys using it to play songs from Lord of the Rings.  He also decided to trade packs again, choosing to go with the smaller lighter one for a while.  He said he is trying to "downsize" what he is carrying for now.

   He told me that "Gtr" did catch up to them when they took an extra zero day in Damascus, but that Gtr then needed a zero day too.  So Gtr continues to be a day behind them, but he is also with a group so all is well.  I know Red Bull appreciates the company of Gtr because they are closer in age than anyone else in their current groups.

Red Bull looks very happy with his chocolate chip cookies!

handmade Native American wooden flute, similar to Red Bull's