Thursday, January 22, 2009

Backpacking Buddy Big Don

I first met Big Don back in 1981 and he was a gentle spiritual giant who often went out backpacking with me and CampTrails Bob and Johnny B and many others. Sadly, no one had a camera during our dozens of trips out together, not Bob, not Johnny, not Don. There are many stories of Big Don stumbling thru the rhododendron like a big rhino, and if he lost you on the trail he wouldn't hesitate to call out, "WALTER!" and I'd be just out of sight 5 feet ahead on the trail. One time he visited a cold snowy camp in the Conehead Preserve and we sat in the snow by my tent and he just started weeping and said he felt sorry for me out in the winter in the woods when everybody else had a warm house and a family.

No comments: