Many thanks to all those that commented on Part 1 of this story. It was gratifying to read your comments and e-mails. I have tried to back track in this part and clear up a few discrepancies that had been pointed out to me. I'll try harder in the future to be sure and dot my I's and cross my t,'s. Your comments, positive or negative, are always welcomed, and...
Turns out I didn't have it memorized. The first numbers I called weren't hers and I gave up after that. That was two weeks ago. I can't stop thinking about her. And it's not my fault. Living in a secret shifter compound in the middle of nowhere is boring as hell. I see the same people everyday, have the same conversations everyday. But Olivia, she was this c...
Warning: this story has plant rape, and penetration of uncommon holes. So read on at your own risk. ***** Jane took in a long breath as she surveyed the path ahead of her. Jane was an experienced hiker but even she was having trouble with this steep and rugged trail. She sat down on a rock and took a deep drink from her water bottle. She would rest for a m...
It was one of those gorgeous blue, big sky Montana days and I was hoofing it at a good pace up a 5-mile trail to a favorite spot in the Beartooth range in south west Montana. Late spring, warm sun, cool winds and the occasional patch of snow; it was the perfect hiking weather. There would be a spectacular view that I would most likely have all to myself. Hun...
I hiked up the trail, birds and bugs singing along from their arboreal hiding spots all around me. Usually, I found myself alone on these weekly excursions, but today was different, even if I didn't yet know just how unique it'd be. I had been setting a pretty steady pace when up ahead, I realized there was another hiker on the trail. I was walking quite a b...
Alicia, once again here, continuing from Part 5, this time with my husband's full blessing. *** Bob and three others were waiting for me as I emerged from the guesthouse. One other guy, Terry, and two girls, Betsy and Kate. As we walk along the shore it's obvious that Terry and Betsy are into each other. They are walking ahead and I catch myself looking...
Day Two: On to the Higher Elevations After some pan-fried griddlecakes smothered in fresh berries and syrup the girls packed up camp and started northwest. They planned to make it up the trail to the next tiers of the canyon. The weather reports had been favorable for the entire weekend. And it was indeed a brisk, but sunny and clear Saturday morning. 5 mi...
My new email friend and I started emailing one another, sharing a story. We would each contribute a chapter, letting each other know of our likes, and dislikes. I park my car, and walk up the trail a ways, past the creek, over the river bridge, and take a detour off the beaten path, up the rather more difficult broken rock, up the side of the mountain. I ha...
I had planned this trek along a part of the Appalachian Trail for a while now, since February, and my girlfriend Renee and I were looking forward to it. I was taking part of my annual leave -- soldiers get 30 days leave a year -- in the middle of June, and Renee was able to get off two weeks herself. Not knowing if my Army boots were really good for the trai...
Backpacking doesn't really strike one, at first glance, as a sensuous sport, but it is to me. I love walking, and to me, energy is life, and challenging my body in the wilderness is a sensual, consuming experience. The clean air of the country, the slightly sweet odor of decay in the woods on a warm afternoon, the stinging shock of a plunge into an icy strea...