Spring Break - Vogel State Park, Blood Mountain

Helen and Adam were off for Spring Break a couple weeks ago. Derek had a summer job interview nearby and spent a night with us.

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Mountain Crossings store at Neel Gap along the Appalachian Trail

We had been discussing Spring Break options with Adam for weeks. He wasn't very excited about going anywhere and, instead, just wanted to relax and play video games with his friends (like he does every other day). He eventually decided he could "go camping or something", but only for a few days. The day before we were set to leave, he seemed caught off guard and said he didn't want to go.

Helen and I re-calibrated and decided we would do some day trips and invite him to go along if he so desired. There's definitely some family strife. I'm ready to set a course with Helen that doesn't include working around the kids constraints. Helen thinks it's still worth constraining our plans, often significantly, just in case one of the unicorns is inclined to show itself. She assures me that, in the not too distant future, she will be more willing.

We were all set to head out on this adventure without Adam, when Adam showed up downstairs. He didn't seem very enthused, but said he was going to go with us. He refers to these situations as "crossing the mommy guilt bridge". He doesn't really want to go, but he crosses the guilt bridge because he doesn't want mom to feel bad. Despite Helen's re-assurances that he needn't feel guilty...he does. I wonder out loud if it has to do with asking Adam to go 5 different times in 5 different ways. In Helen's defense, she is much better about it now, but the damage is done. The earworm has dug its way into Adam's conscience.

To show Helen what "no guilt" really means, I asked Adam if he ever feels even the slightest bit of guilt that he would hurt my feelings by not going. He says "of course not".  The implication being what I've made very clear: I'm usually only interested in being in your company if you're in a decent mood, fully engaged (no phones, side discussions, or other distractions), and open for mostly beyond the surface discussion (nothing perfunctory or easily looked up on google). Of course, well played sarcasm is always appreciated.

To summarize: Adam is not happy to be going, David is not happy that Adam is going, and Mom is happy that both Adam and David are going but wishes we could have worked Derek in also.

Sometimes we can joke about these situations and how they remind us of our trip to Denali and how upset Adam was when the guide talked about how the mommy grizzly bears have to hide their cubs from the daddy grizzly bears who want to kill them.

Blood Mountain plaque outside the store

Tradition to throw worn hiker shoes into the tree outside the store

Walasi-Yi is the Cherokee name for the mountain gap

This "Granny" was getting information and supplies in the store. It really sounded like she was hiking the AT. The staff seemed a little concerned and wanted to make sure she knew options for getting off the trail. She didn't look quite as sturdy as Grandma Gatewood.

Granny checking out the hiker boxes

Vogel State Park nearby

Eventually Adam and I loosened up and we had a reasonably good time. Helen says that it's worth pushing through. I disagree.

Ready to hike up Blood Mountain

Shelter log book

We finished in time to make it to Nani's just before it closed. We had eaten there a couple years earlier and really liked it.