The SLACKDOWN at Jim & Molly’s“Blue Jay 5” and I had been hiki

The SLACKDOWN at Jim & Molly’s“Blue Jay 5” and I had been hiking together for several days through Shenandoah.  Well … We’d been camping together.  He’d leave camp early and stop early. I’d leave late and get to camp right about at sunset.  We competed intensely as to who was “The Most Slack” - While being fully aware of, and not struggling at all with, the inherent contradictions therein. Jim & Molly Denton Shelter is somewhat unique on the AT as it has a solar shower, a separate cooking/eating area, and a large built-on deck. There was a great crowd there that night, and we were all hanging out on the deck. Blue Jay started talking about our commitment to Slack, and called for the assembled hikers to decide which of us is the most slack.  We were to present our arguments as to why our hiking style was the most slack, there would be a vote, and a judge would make the final decision.I thought the whole concept lacked slack, and said so.  I offered that we were clearly equally slackful. He wasn’t satisfied with that. Because he wanted to win. Which, of course, is anti-slack. But I went along so as not to harsh the collective mellow …So Blue Jay described his hiking style, then I described mine. then he defended his style, and I explained how I thought mine was more slackfull. We went back and forth on town visits, zeros, hiking with groups, hostels, cooking styles … I think his competitive nature hurt him, ‘cause in the end, the vote was pretty clearly for me. One commented that while he had clearly mastered the art of Slack, I was Slack.  We both said that was the nicest thing anyone had ever said about us …Sloth was the judge. She was the epitome of slack herself, hanging in her Warbonnet hammock from the shelter’s rafters during the whole ordeal. All but invisible to us behind her mosquito netting. She was clearly channeling the wisdom of Solomon when she declared that we were both equally slackful, that we just differed in our approach.The next morning Blue Jay left early - Just before Aquaman showed up and played a long set on his mandolin while the rest of us ate breakfast and enjoyed the music, and the company …Soon after the Slackdown, Blue Jay and I parted company. He headed into Linden to resupply, ran into some old hiker friends, and headed off on another adventure. But we’re staying in touch. -- source link

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