I wrote this before i knew the OD was
cancelled....................
For those coming in from afar where everything is Normal, do
not expect it here in the OD. Not counting the record heat and drought
from last summer, and the record cold and above average snow this winter and so
much rain this spring, the old-timers are scoffing their heads, and there is
plenty of grass but no time to make hay. The creeks are swollen, the
ground saturated, a bull dozer sunk up on the mountain trying to put in a
road. In the last 5 weeks its rained 26 days. Usually pads on the OD
would be a wise protectorate due to the rocks. This year I don't think I'd
use pads for the chance they'd get sucked off in the mud, and usually
liking flat plates I think I would like to have some grip for the mud as
there will be plenty of sliding and slopping. Care would be the prudent
means to approach the OD course this year. Since its rained the past 5-6
weekends and the weather man calls for scattered showers over the entire weekend
a good rain coat or slicker would seem to be the choice of wear just in
case. The honey suckle is in abundant flower tho, and the scent has never
been better. The Mountain Laurel is worthy of photos and the hills are
alive with its blossom. The bridge is a low water concrete type without
sides and the river is brown and flowing quick but the fish are biting and bait
is abundant. Ticks, flys, bees, mosquitoes,... but nothing like I saw down
in Richmond last week when i went to visit the Veterans Hospital. (Hey,
all you Flag Wavers, go push a vets wheel chair or replace their oxygen
tank or change a bandage or better yet their bed, rather than just say
what a grand plan war is and how noble gore is when you have not seen it, as you
merrily follow the Bush Team to Americas economic decline) the hippy
dippy weather man tom sites
