First big hike of the year

**Tartan Hiker** · 21st June 07, 07:09 PM

Here I am with my staff this afternoon as we neared the end of our first long hike of the year. We and 6 others hiked from Montreat, NC to Mount Mitchell, a total distance of 14.5 miles. If you look at the photo you'll see a mountain way out there directly above my left shoulder (I'm the one in the kilt, by the way...

) We started our hike 4.5 miles beyond the summit of that mountain at 9 AM. When the pic was made it was about 2:30, and we reached the summit of Mitchell about an hour later. Splendid weather, good company, and a cold root beer at the summit...good times.

Thompson Camel PV, 4-yard box-pleat, cool and comfortable all day. Was asked if I minded having my photo taken by a family when we got to the Mt. Mitchell parking area. How many sweaty 50-year-olds in shorts can say that??

**Don Patrick** · 21st June 07, 07:15 PM

Miss my hiking days. I imagine a kilt would be really nice. What did your fellow hikers have to say about your kilt? Any problems with insects?

**Dirka Skene** · 21st June 07, 07:15 PM

That kinda makes me want to go for a hike...but it's too darn hot and there are not mountains around here for miles!

**Kid Cossack** · 21st June 07, 07:29 PM

That's doing it right, right there.

**Kiltedmusiclover** · 22nd June 07, 04:30 AM

Looking good.

The humidity was down a little here in the foothills.
What about on the Mountain??

**Kilted Christian** · 22nd June 07, 05:28 AM

Great news. I was camping last weekend about 25 miles from you at Curtis Creek. I was hiking kilted when a woman asked if I was wearing a hiking kilt or a dancing kilt. I told her about it and she told me "we need more men in skirts." Since she was smiling and honestly ignorant, I didn't pursue it.

**Tartan Hiker** · 22nd June 07, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Kiltedmusiclover

Looking good.

The humidity was down a little here in the foothills.
What about on the Mountain??

Yep, hardly broke a sweat all day, until that last mile up to the summit anyway.

Don, I've never noticed any more problem with bugs than if I were wearing shorts. And everyone around here is used to seeing me kilted. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we usually do trail work. Crawling through the laurels with a chain saw is no place for a kilt, but I'll often change into one at the end of the day. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we lead public hikes on cleared trails, and I'm always kilted for those.

Anyway, there's more evidence for those who have recently asked about how well kilts perform as outdoor garments. At this point, I'll not hike in anything else unless forced to.