It's nearing Christmas and in the Dahlonega, they're getting into the spirit.
It was about 35 degrees when I left the car, which felt really cold because I'm still lame, but after like 200 yards of climbing I was already unzipping and starting to think I was overdressed.
Some dude driving around at that house halfway up to Cooper Gap blinded me with his headlights. Some other guy passed me on FS42 then pulled into the quarry to pee and must have turned around because I never saw him again.
It was cooler on top and there was ice and icicles everywhere.
Near Mauldin Gap I saw one of the Blackhawks from Merrill head up the valley and orbit around Hawk Mountain. They either landed it up there or hovered around for a long time. While climbing Hawk Mountain I could see it, hanging there ahead of me. When I was like 100 yards away, they took off to the west. Aw, man. There was an idling humvee and a big tent set up in the campsite across from the food plot, but I didn't see anybody anywhere.
I spun a loop around the summit, and with all the leaves gone, I could see the lights of civilization in every direction. I wish there was some easy way to take a photo of it. It was pretty amazing.
The descent made my feet miserably cold. Two guys on motorcycles were setting up a tent at PR Gap. I took No-Tell this time. Eventually the cold crept into other places and I was glad to be done. I've still got some work to do on staying warm.
It was cold, but tonight the real misery was in the zippers. I had a hard time with every zipper on every article of zippered gear I had. The worst was my right shoe cover. I'm buyin new shoe covers as soon as I get a chance. These are like 4 years old and only a few threads are holding them together across the bottom.
Nothing is open in Cumming after 10, so it was Waffle House again, but our Waffle House is good.
Back at home, my family had been busy setting up Christmas trees, lights, wreaths and all manner of decorations. Not quite as many as I saw in the Square, but way more than I realized we even owned. Festive!
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