Hunting Pegmatites in a Kilt

[Norm]

The summer is almost over and it has been a lot of fun wearing my UT Kilt out and about to the mall, grocery stores, gun shows, on walks with my wife, and rock hunting / hiking. Nearly all comments I heard were positive; most everyone knows what a kilt is these days (except for the loud mouthed types in a truck who called out "nice dress"; my wife hollered back "it's a KILT!"... I did not hear what they said, but she sure did!).

Recently, a friend and I went rock hunting in the Bradshaw mountains near Prescott, Arizona. First we found a large formation called a pegmatite, which is like granite but the crystals are fist size or bigger. Lots of mica, feldspar and a nice big green beryl crystal my friend, John, found. The only oops was when I was atop the pegmatite formation, which is built like a stone wall, elevated above the surrounding granite, and a gust of wind came up from below and.... my kilt went up around me like a blown umbrella. THAT is why I do not go commando. This is how I look at it: A kilt worn without underwear is a kilt. A kilt worn with underwear is..... still a kilt. Anyhow, good thing no one was on the road going up to Crown King whilst my kilt was thus mis-adjusted.

We then took a trail to the bottom of the canyon, and I mean a LONG, steep trail. I attached a photo of me near the trail entrance... you can see from the background that it is mighty rough country. The only downside of the kilt was it does not protect your legs from cat claw bushes sprinkled along the trail. So I got a few scratches. Still, the comfort and freedom of said garment more than made up for that. The Lord was watching over us on that trail. We encountered a BIG rattlesnake, and on the way up, bolts of lightning stabbing the surrounding terrain, and my subsequent wet kilt (from rain, not from that other possible cause).

All in all, the UT Kilt really performed well. Nothing can beat it for comfort. Just gotta be better at dodging those pesky sticker bushes....

And no, I didn't shoot the snake... it was off the trail and away from anything so why destroy if you don't have to?

But now.... kilt season is about to say bye bye here in the plateau country of Arizona. Cold and wind do not make for good kilt wearing. Back to... uh.. er... um... p....pa.... PANTS. There, I said it.