It is sort of strange to be watching Fox News Channel and hear a story about Traphill, North Carolina, but that just happened.
Traphill is a small, very rural, community in the northeastern part of Wilkes County. My parents lived there before I was born. My oldest brother and oldest sister were born there (delivered by midwives…ew!) In the old days, its claim to fame was moonshine whiskey. Today, it is known for Stone Mountain State Park. It seems as if Stone Mountain has grabbed another unsuspecting soul.
Some time ago, I wrote in this space about a man who got lost and wandered through some pretty rough underbrush to end up on top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I allowed at that time as how I could not understand how someone parked along a river would get lost and continue to climb, instead of going down. It turned out that guy was retarded and I later apologized.
Now, a 12-year-old Boy Scout is missing. According to Fox, "About 10 scouts and the adult leaders of Troop 230 noticed that Michael Auberry was missing between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday…" Troop 230 is from Greensboro. A bunch of city boys.
"'He just kind of wandered off after lunch and we're not sure where he went,' David Bauer, a spokesman with the Blue Ridge Parkway told Fox News…"
It got down to 21° last night. What's the matter with these people who are supposed to supervise kids and retarded people? Why in the world would they take them away from the most secure parts of this park and then not supervise them?
Stone Mountain State Park covers 13,750 acres. Probably 13,500 of those are wild and covered with thick trees and brush. At night in winter the wind can come off the Blue Ridge like it's shot from a cannon. I've been all over that park. It is like a woman. Lovely and desirable. But once it makes you think it's safe, it can be deadly. People just don't understand how wild it is. There are bears…bobcats…cliffs…fast moving streams…and, at 21°, some pretty slick trails.
Look here, leaders of the young and infirmed: Either watch them or leave them at home.
Oh, and a note to Vanessa: There really are deer up there!
1 comment:
i thought it was stone mtn., but on cnn they said it was doughton park. how close are they from each other?
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