Introduction
Well before sunrise on Christmas morning, I awakened to see Mrs. Appalachian Irishman already busying herself with food preparations for the meal at her father's house. Before noon, she loaded up our 2012 Sentra with food fixings and headed to her father's house. There, she joined her two sisters, our niece, and a family friend. The five women scurried about like ants to finalize the afternoon meal. My father and my wife's two male first cousins must have watched or listened in amazement.
With Christmas dinner at my father-in-law's house not starting until at least 2 PM, what did I do? I got in a quick hike before Christmas dinner! It was my 196th hike on House Mountain. The first article published today shares my Christmas Eve hike on House Mountain.
Photographs from the West Bluff
The early morning breakfast (cereal and coffee) didn't last long. Before noon, my digestive system signaled the need for more food. I couldn't wait until 2 PM. So, after my wife left for her father's house, I fixed and ate a sandwich and apple (my usual noon meal), washing it down with about six ounces of Coke.
Canteen filled with water? Check. Sheath knife on belt? Check. Mike's ball cap on my head? Check. Let's hike! As on Christmas Eve, my 2006 Frontier once again became the 14th vehicle in the parking lot. I joined and met in passing several other Christmas Day hikers.
Touching the marker near the picnic area at 12:46 PM, I started up the west trail, just like the day before. Fifteen minutes later, I started up the six upper switchbacks. It took me only seven minutes to reach the highest switchback. I was making better time than the day before. After a lucky 13 minutes passed, I had hiked across and up the trail below the ridge. At 1:21 PM, I touched the rock near the west bluff to mark my time. On Christmas Eve, 40 minutes were required. On Christmas Day, I made the same trek in 35 minutes. My “lame mountain goat” precautions continue to slow me down. My goal is to hike up the west bluff in under 30 minutes, as I did before becoming a “bionic” man.
Enough of the me-against-me battle to hike up faster! What about the photographs from the west bluff? The following is the first of the two that I took:
The above photograph was taken at 1:26 PM, looking northeast. Mike's ball cap, first mentioned in the 8/5/2023 short story, rests above my trusty canteen. Unlike Christmas Eve, the sky was sunny and a crisp blue. The temperature was in the upper 50s.
Two minutes later, from the same location, I turned slightly northwest to photograph the view.
Mike's ball cap and my canteen are still visible. A group of three young people was resting on the rock in the background. I didn't speak with them. I don't think that they noticed me. Overhearing their conversation, they seemed to be discussing a technical topic about business. I asked myself, “Who hikes to the west bluff of House Mountain on Christmas Day to talk about business?” Well, these three young folks did!
Oh, no! What time is it? It's 1:30 PM on the dot! I need to get off this mountain and to my father-in-law's house for Christmas dinner! Let's hike down and out the west trail as fast as we can!
Conclusion
Thankfully, I was not overly cautious, as I usually am, while hiking down and out. I was making excellent time.
At the third switchback down, however, I was pleasantly delayed by a fairly brief but engrossing conversation with three hikers, who had paused to catch their breaths. The older man, a few years younger than me, was from Knox County. The lady, ten years my junior, and the young man, probably in his late 20s, were from Florida. Christmas Day greetings turned to conversations about hiking. Those led to the realization that the four of us were Christians. We enjoyed a moment of Christian worship and prayer at that switchback! I hope to meet those folks again. The older man has Irish roots, just like this Appalachian Irishman. All four of us are rooted in Christ.
At 2:22 PM, just as I was about to touch the marker near the picnic area to end my hike, my “long-suffering” wife called to ask where I was! I still hiked down and out in 52 minutes, including the enjoyable conversation that delayed me. “Yes, dear, I'm walking out to my truck. I'll be there in about ten minutes.” I was.
Arriving at my in-laws' house, the final preparations were still underway. Dinner was served shortly thereafter. As usual, it was a fine meal with far too many leftovers. Christmas presents were then exchanged. Having requested that no one give me gifts, I still received a few.
You see, dear reader, I already have the gift of Christ. Why do I need any other gift at Christmas? I'm too old for gifts or Christmas stocking stuffers.
The next article will be about my hike on House Mountain on the day after Christmas. Three House Mountain hikes in three days, before, on, and after Christmas Day, were a memory in the making.
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