Blue Ridge Breeze by Robinson Ed

Author:Robinson, Ed
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Leap of Faith Publications
Published: 2019-01-08T16:00:00+00:00

Eleven

She said that I was a glutton for punishment, before digging through the closet and dresser for my warmest outdoor clothing. I didn’t own actual ski wear, as many did in the High Country. I didn’t much care for skiing. I did have long johns, heavy outer pants to wear over jeans and thickly insulated flannel shirts. I was most worried about my feet. My hiking boots weren’t insulated, though they were waterproof. I had one good pair of wool socks. I’d need to wear them over the top of regular socks.

I had a decent pair of warm gloves, but they’d never been tested in the conditions I was about to face. I had a warm hat and a hooded jacket to keep my head covered. I couldn’t get too carried away in search of warmth because I needed to maintain freedom of movement. I didn’t plan to sit in one spot and hope the poachers came to me. I’d listen and observe, then walk towards any sign of them. They wouldn’t know I was there. One reason is that I’d be moving like smoke. The second reason is that no one in their right mind should be up on that mountain in January.

If things worked out as planned, they’d never know I was there until their court date. If things went poorly, I’d be outnumbered and outgunned in strange territory. I could only hope that the deer killers weren’t people killers too. Most men aren’t capable of taking a life under normal circumstances.

I met two state troopers and one WRC officer at four the next morning. Brody dropped me off and went back home. We staged at a small parking area just off NC 105 where the trail began. I was handed a trail map of the north face of Grandfather Mountain. Three red marks designated where the previous kills had been discovered. Sunrise wasn’t until almost seven, so I had time to get up high before we expected the poachers to arrive, if they arrived at all. I had my pack with water and munchies and my weapons. As I started up the trail, the cop cars pulled out. They’d return later so as not to spook our targets.

It was twenty degrees, which was on the warm side for an early January morning. As long as I was walking, my body temperature was comfortable. As soon as I stopped to rest, the cold began to penetrate my defenses. I kept moving in the dark, trying to get as high as I could before daylight. It was tough going. I’d learned that a lot of folks had someone drop them off at the top of the mountain so they could hike it downhill. Their pickup car would be waiting where I’d met the officers. I wondered why they hadn’t suggested taking me up there and letting me hike down. I’d bring it up at the first opportunity.

After a few miles of steady uphill climbing, I stopped to listen and take in my surroundings.

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