Mr. T Is hitting the trail!

This trail report is dedicated to Mr. T, who is starting the John Muir Trail in a few weeks.

Back in the early 2000’s, there was a garage band at the high school in town. The band members were Mr. Z, That Smart Kid, That Cool Kid and Mr. T. As all bands eventually do, this band broke up – just like The Beatles. Mr. Z. ran a fast mile and played the drums. That Smart Kid played guitar. That Cool Kid was the ringleader. Mr. T was the quiet beatle. Here comes the sun!

Now The Quiet Beatle is starting the John Muir Trail and I just wanted to wish him the best of luck. Good luck Mr. T! You are as sweet as Tennessee Whiskey!

Back in July of 2014, I had the privilege of hiking the Rae Lakes Loop out of Kings Canyon with Mr. T and Mr. Z. The loop is 40 miles long with one big climb.

Mr. Z brought a guitar.

We hiked fifteen miles that first day. Whew! Even though we did all the proper preparation, to be honest I was worked. In the words of Augustus McCrae I felt like I had been “ridden hard and put away wet”.

As Mr. Z was only 20 years old at the time, I opted out of stashing any medicinal whiskey in my backpack. Disclaimer: Please understand that drinking alcohol at altitude is a recipe for disaster. Not only does it cause the body to cool and become dehydrated, it can also exacerbate the effects of Acute Mountain Sickness. Even so, could I feel any worse?

As I was pondering my lack of medicinal whiskey, Mr. T magically pulled a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Original Recipe Tennessee Honey out of his backpack. Blessed are the children.

After the sun set and we had a nice fire going, Mr. Z magically pulled out three high quality cigars from his backpack. Amen. 

We spent three nights on the trail. Each evening included live music and discussions of music theory and chords. 

I learned quite a bit on that trip. I learned how to properly light, smoke and enjoy a good cigar. I also learned about the circle of fifths.

Speaking of circles, it is a true joy when the teacher comes to understand that the master has become the student.

Enjoy the journey my friend! You truly are one of the sweetest people I know!

(Originally published on June 3, 2021)