Married!

PILOT (Elaine Carlson) and FELIX (Rob Davis), hitched

At 9 a.m. last Sunday, on top of a wind-blustery mountain in North Carolina, while the bagpiper played, I think, "McPherson's Lament," FELIX and PILOT became married. Small freshets left from the rain and heavy fog of the day before, complicated the path up the mountain that a group of celebrants carefully climbed. But on this morning, the sun shone.

This is the most exciting and pleasurable marriage ceremony Pat and I have attended since BRENDA and STEVE were married in the woods last year, TRASE and SCOT were married on Mackinaw Island, and therefore, one of the several very most appropriate weddings we've attended since 1970. Guests dressed correctly for the circumstances, and there was not a formal suit or tuxedo or pair of high heels in the congregation, except for the beautiful dress and shoes of the bride.

When the pastor asked, "Do you take this man ...?" Pilot said, "es-yay!" And in his turn, Felix said, "Sure, why not!"

"I now pronounce you," said the pastor, and the couple kissed, the deed accomplished.

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THE PEOPLE - the people who attended the ceremony were almost entirely composed of family and hikers (those people who for pleasure walk great distances under assumed names.) Such people are independent spirits. They are glowing extroverts who seem to assume friendship with anyone they meet. These people joke and kid around and laugh heartily. They turned out to be, to us flatlander old folks, as kind and fun an association of people we could ever have hoped for.

Many of them have "trail names." Felix and Pilot are trail names.

This is how they identify one another in casual conversation. Some other trail names were, "Sundown" "4-11" "Stoat" "Walkabout" and "Earthworm." There were hikers from many places. The bride's family are from Massachusetts, the groom's from Indiana, we from Michigan, and others from Kansas City, North Carolina, Baltimore and Colorado.

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I was so happy to have invited myself, while Pat thought it was the event of the year. We both met so many comfortable new people that we're tempted to take up hiking. Long life and much happiness to the new couple!