The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Weekend on the Black Crest Trail

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Our Mud Run team did not make the run this last April, so our fearfulless leader took us on the trail of our lives. The experience was unmatched and is nearly indescribable. Pictures will be posted later.

No map captures what this trail delivers. It is "black-diamond" expert level that most people do in descending fashion. We climbed. And climbed. And climbed. And experienced everything a human being could possibly experience--it was a ride, inside and out.

We summited 9 peaks in two days: Celo Knob, Gibbs Mountain, Winter Star Mountain, down into Deep Gap, up Potato Hill, Cattail Peak, Balsam Cone, Big Tom, Mt. Craig, then finally ending at Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak on the Eastern Seaboard. Here's a snapshot of maps with elevation details. With calories burned. I am in deep recovery mode right now.

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