Bud

The Cohutta doesn't get crowded until May.

I loaded my pack.

Tent, sleeping bag, pad, cook kit, water filter, food for three days, headlamp, first aid kit, rain jacket, a change of socks, and my fly fishing gear.

Five-weight rod in a tube strapped to the outside of the pack.

a small chest pack with my fly boxes and tippet and nippers.

Total weight was about 40 pounds, which is heavier than I'd like but manageable for six miles of relatively flat trail.

The hike in followed the river.

The Jacks River Trail is not maintained to any real standard.

The Forest Service does some brushing, but the wilderness designation means no power tools and no real trail crews.

The river running about 50 yards to my left through the trees.

The forest was beautiful.

Big hardwoods.

White oak.

Tulip poplar.

Hickory.

Just starting to leaf out.

Bud came and stood with us and stared up at the jacket for about a minute.

Then he and Lenny stepped away and had a conversation I couldn't hear.

It went on for maybe five minutes.

I saw Bud shake his head twice.