I had to share this story from my adventures this morning.

Ok well, I have been on a bad streak lately – gone out on hikes and coming home empty handed. Even went to get these 2 boxes the other day with my nephew and ran close on time so had to head back and I was SOOOOOO close. I love t's boxes and just had to have these 2. Mr Sun and Bloodroot from her Woodland Wildflowers series. So this morning, since my “calf” is at my Mom's, I announce that I am getting dressed and going up to the GAP.

The muggle/bear/troll is already in grump mode but insists that I am not going alone, “Holly it rained all day yesterday, you will twist an ankle and then we will be on the news tonight with search teams looking for you !, How far are these things anyway” I think quick and LIE and say only a mile “darling” just right by the falls and that is only a mile in. So I get dressed still planning on going alone or with my one dog, and the troll gets ready too. Off we go up the mountain, the trails are VERY wet and all the little streams that have not been an issue to get across are a little challenging. We get to the falls across the new bridge (while this bridge is nice, I love the old wooden bridge better). The troll does not like to try and understand clues he just starts looking. We look for Mr Sun for a little while – I keep telling him “this is not the place – t's clues are very good and if she says a CUBE she means a cube.” We are wet, dirty and looking everywhere until I finally convince him that we are not in the right spot and need to keep going. We trudge on, wet and dirty. I read him the clues again, things click and my bad luck streak has been crushed and I find the SUN. Go to the river edge and get a wet bottom stamping in but AHHHHHHH what a great feeling, I am back on my game ! Now I have to figure out a way to LIE again and get him to go for the bloodroot. PLEASE I beg, it is only a little further up to the next trail. He agrees and we trudge on. We get to the Coldspring connection and he asks again HOW FAR ? I LIE yet again, only a ¼ of a mile! We cross the small wooden floating bridge which was a pretty good challenge due to the water this morning. Then cross the big bridge and face a large stream with really no way to cross. The troll announces WE ARE GOING BACK. I AM NOT HIKING BACK 2 miles with wet feet and socks HOLLY !! I try and think fast I see a log that we can use to cross – I don't even say anything and I attempt it and YEEEHAAAA I am across. I look back, with “that” look on his face he follows. GIVE ME THAT CLUE he yells. I am busted now, totally busted because it says that it is ½ mile not a ¼ of a mile. I say come on “darling” we have nothing pressing to do, we are this CLOSE, PLEASE. On we hike – Now like I said t's clues are very good – and she AINT kidding that this is a steep incline. I keep in front of the troll and just keep going. He is mad, he is laboring up this STEEP INCLINE and he yells to me YOU LIED HOLLY – YOU LIED! I apologize and keep climbing. It flatten just like t says and low and behold I am standing at the river edge. I can see that huge log on the other side. The water is roaring and the stepping stones that normally are used to get across are under water. The troll tells me – “come back another time when the water has gone down Holly – you can not hike back with your shoes and socks wet.” I almost died. There was NO WAY I was not going to have this box when I was standing this close – I can see the large log and all that is stopping me is a roaring river. I look at him, sit down and take my shoes and socks off. He announces that I have totally LOST MY MIND – IT IS DECEMBER he informs me. I am getting this box! I roll my jeans up to my knees and wade across the river. I run up the trail to the log – OH NO – he has my clue, so I yell to him to read it to me – He laughs like the troll he is and says WHAT IS IT WORTH TO YA !!!!!!! Finally after he has his little fun with me, SUCCESS – the Bloodroot is MINE ! I am only the 3rd person to venture for it. I stamp in, hide the box, wade back across the river as my darling troll is laughing and asking me if the water is WARM. Sit on my already wet bottom to get my socks and hiking boots back on. I look at the troll and say “did you really expect me to not get that box when I was standing here this close ?” He laughed and said “NO I knew we were not going anywhere until you had it but I was not getting any wetter !” So we venture back and he again reminds me that I LIED. Well the steep incline is now a STEEP decline and all the leaves covering the trail are wet and slick and I almost bust my bottom several times on the way back down, all to the troll's amusement. We have a very nice walk back, wet, dirty but feeling very fulfilled as my bad streak is over (I hope). As we get back to the car, the troll announces that my little 1 mile hike has taken us 4 hours ! We get home, I heat up homemade soup for lunch, and thank the troll again for going with me. He announces to me that he is hurting a little and reclines back and as I type this I can hear the sounds of a muggle/grumpy bear/troll snoring.

THANKS 't'

Holly

I think your troll is related to Mr. V.... I "skimp" on the distances all the time to get him to come with me!!! What an adventure! Yeah for you and your finds!
~Mrs. V (should be "TrollWife")

Love your adventure story. You are truly addicted. Your muggle/grumpy bear/troll sounds like mine. And like mine he was right there with you.

Your muggle/grumpy bear/troll sounds like mine

There really must be a lot of these around. Sounds like mine too. No place is too far, no weather too bad if he is hunting deer, but just let me suggest hunting a box in those conditions...;}

I "skimp" on the distances

yeah he was not happy at all and now that he is "napping" he is gonna be stiff when he wakes up - I am sure there are a few more short hikes I can go out on before dark because grump mode is gonna be in full force tonight !

:O)

You are truly addicted.

:O) more like obsessed !

Your muggle/grumpy bear/troll sounds like mine.

LOL Glad there are others that have a troll too !

Oh, thank you thank you for sharing that story!!! Tell the Troll I will make it up to him! What's his favortie wine, beer, soup, dessert...anything!! It was SO worth it to know you got it!!!! As for the lying, you and I are peas in a pod...that only works a few times. I'm afraid my sons are on to me now. They have to SEE the clue before they will go in after it with me!

't'

Oh my!! I just read all of this to Karver.....all the while saying "Boy he sounds just like you!"
He mumbles about clues too. If the box isn't readily available....he says "These clues aren't good!" He doesn't like to figure any out either. And at least grumpy old bear went with you, Karver would have said no way with the rain. (And even I know that with all that rain that the leaves would have been slick coming down). The Gap falls are kinda hard to get to, I wouldn't say it was an easy climb....and the ranger told me the actual falls were 1.1 mile in, and he knew it seemed longer because he carried part of the bridge on his back up there! And you went on that much further to the Bloodroot? Holly, I think you need to reward your grumpy old bear very nicely! :)
Karver said he is glad to hear another hubby say the same things he does.
And yes, I must confess I do the same as you.....'it's not too much further, hon'...when I know the clue says a mile! 'I think it MUST be right up around the bend'!
Kya

Tell the Troll I will make it up to him!

I will NOT !!!! *wink* he is all the better for it !

It was SO worth it to know you got it!!!!

IT WAS so worth it - it was fun - you know I love your boxes - and this one was well worth the adventure - I earned this one and I feel great!

Thanks for the adventure

Holly

Karver would have said no way with the rain

He only went because he did not want to have to hike in with channel 4 and the rescue workers looking for me ! Especially when his mother is 1/2 Jones, wouldn't look good for the family ! LOL

:O)

Holly

I was almost there with you today! Given the rain yesterday though, I figured the trails would be awash with runoff so my time was better spent catching up on boxes in Asheville that I hadn't gotten yet. That way I'll be all ready for Dixie's new ones for the upcoming gathering.

I WILL get Mr. Sun and Bloodroot one day!

Knit Wit

I was almost there with you today!

Oh he would have DIED if we ran into another letterboxer in the mess and yes it was a mess today. He would have thought that we are ALL off our rockers not just his crazy blonde wife! It would have been a hoot though

I WILL get Mr. Sun and Bloodroot one day!

Highly recommended - as most of her boxes are ! It was a lot of fun, even if he was really really really mad, and all he keeps saying is you LIED Holly ! It is steep and it is tough, but worth the effort !

See ya next weekend and don't worry we are leaving the troll HOME !

Holly

Quote

all he keeps saying is you LIED Holly !

Tell him to put on his big boy underwear and deal with it! LOL

Y'all made it back none too worse for wear and the exercise did him good. ;-)

Knit Wit

T said,
[you and I are peas in a pod...]

Did someone call my name ;->

Bubba

Holly,

I really enjoyed reading this story! You sound like a whole lot of fun! :-) (Did you happen to try for the other box you and I have discussed previously? I'm assuming not since you had the troll following you......but thought I'd ask.)

Glad you had a great time and your slump is over! We got out today to find 2 boxes too and got some great exercise to fight some of the excessive holiday eating!!!

Amyrica

I really enjoyed reading this story!

Thanks Amyrica - you just can't make these things up ! LOL

The little "calf" called a little while ago and said Momma you said you went hiking ? Did my DAD go with you - and when I said yes - he yelled back to my mother - SEE she did not go letterboxing because MY DAD won't go with her ! LOL I said I did go letterboxing and he said AND DAD went with you ????? LOL

Yeah the exercise was great - and my frig is cleaned out of the holiday leftovers and junk - On to a new year again

Holly

BTW I will email you !

Thanks for sharing !!!
I think, more often than not, it's that case of "If it isn't MY idea, it's not a good one".....
guy thing.
hubby thing.
boyfriend thing.
whatever !!!

G'night!
Dina B.

Well, when I was out yesterday with triviadaddy and the younger J Walkers, we were IN the rain, not just fighting the after affects. Fortunately, we didn't do too much slipping around ... or hiking for that matter. I had my share of that in November when I went to Table Rock with threespoiledboxers.

Paula Ü

Paula, Speaking of threespoiled boxers...have you heard from her in a while? We were emailing a bit, and then nothing. Haven't seen anything on here from here either. Didn't know if she was out of town on long holiday or if there was something wrong.
Kya

She's around, last I heard, in GA / TN. I don't know her computer status where she is.

Paula Ü

Okay thanks. So she is around somewhere visiting. Good to know...was worried maybe she was sick.
Kya

Hi Holly!

I had a great laugh reading your story! As one of the 3 to have found that box I know what a challenge it is - but the awesome stamp makes it all worth it! I had to abandon my family at Mr Sun and run to the bloodroot box. They said that if they made it back to the parking lot before me they were going to leave without me. In honor of that trip I planted the Whine box. You have never heard complaining like I did that day - and we didn't even have to deal with high water. Congrats on a great find!
Somebunny

Little did I know what you were going to start Holly!! I was up at Jones Gap with some adventurous little foxes today and about DIED when I saw Mam Fox come across the raging river with her pants rolled up!! I said, " Anthony's REALLY never goign to let you go boxing with me again after this!"
Her response?
"Holly gave me the idea!"

sheesh!

't'

I guess I should thank you, since you can take the blame instead of me: ) Maybe Mama Fox will still be allowed to come out and play...with me anyways: )

't'