Put a Sock in It!

Granny Hat’s better half never ever throws anything away, especially not socks.  They can be worn quite comfortably even if toes stick out and heels brush the floor, flirting with splinters. Dad routinely begs Granny to darn socks for him but they don’t make socks like they used to, they are rarely properly knitted or woven, but rather hot pressed in some textile factory in who knows where.  Sometimes she tries to fix those darn socks but at least in their retirement, they make great stain applicators, non-abrasive scrubbers and ……. well, that’s what this post is about.

Really, today’s musings were supposed to be just about the launch of Mission’s newest adventure but some socks got in the way. 

Mission, Granny’s son who trekked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, decided it was time for one last, independent journey before signing his next four years away to dental school. So, he quit his job, shaved his head, packaged up homemade mixes of cold – soak trail food, tested his gear, checked the oil and packed the car for a drive to the southwest to thru-hike the Arizona Trail.

This will be a relatively short, just over 800-mile trek from the U.S.- Mexico border to Utah.  It crosses through such scenic places as Saguaro National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park.

On April 1, Mission signed Granny up for text messages from Garmin, the device that will replace “Spot” on this trek.  Dad helped Mission de-clog the car’s window washing system and clean out the air filters.  There were prayers and hugs and cookies.  No stone left unturned.  As he waved goodbye, Mission talked happily about his planned dinner break at In n’ Out Burger in Salt Lake City.  It’s the small joys in life!

Five minutes later, Dad got a call.  Mission had broken down on “Elk Hill” just two miles up the road. The car had lunged, hiccuped, shook and showed all the signs of transmission failure.  Granny Hat and Dad accused Mission of playing an April Fool’s trick but he insisted it was no joke.  After towing the car to Honda, Mission and Dad sat down to discuss possible costs of getting the car back on the road.  Granny’s better half has always said “cool heads prevail” and she was glad to see that everyone stayed calm and thankful.  Thankful for safety, for proximity to home when the car broke down, for perhaps a sparing from something no one knows anything about.  God doesn’t play April Fool’s tricks.  

Early on April 2, Granny Hat woke up abruptly; there was soft snow falling but bright lights flaring as Dad rummaged through the closet frantically searching for his winter socks. He was on his way to the local Fire Station’s Annual Auction hoping to bid on a summer canoe.  That’s how it is in NW Montana, spring means “planning for summer while you are still watching the garlic and daffodils sprouting up through a white blanket”. 

Suddenly Dad yelled, “Socks!  I may have done a terrible thing!”  Now Granny was fully awake as she listened to the men talking about how they had stuffed two old socks in the air intake to protect the engine from dirt when they blew out the air filter.  They were pretty sure they had forgotten to remove those socks, blocking the air intake.       

Firefighter’s Auction on the back burner, Dad and Mission hurried off to the Honda dealership and sure enough, it was true.  They had “put a sock (or two) in it” and forgot to remove them!

Mission kicked it in gear and happily resumed his  southbound road trip.  Dad headed to his auction (feeling like a heel) and is most likely still there lost in the noise and excitement.  Auctions here in the Flathead Valley are legit, they are a religious experience.   

Back home, in the quiet, Granny Hat is reminiscing about the day she started her blog (way back in 2018 before the world went crazy) to document and enlist prayer partners as Mission hiked 2,650 miles on the PCT.  She enjoyed posting beautiful photos and GPS progress.  It kept her from worrying about fire, snow, cougars, bears and poodle dog bush.   

Over the past two years, Mission has hiked, rock/ice climbed, skiied and paddle boarded in Glacier National Park.  Granny was concerned about a new list of dangers: grizzlies, wolverines and avalanches. When her son goes to dental school in Florida, she will worry about gators, but she refuses to do so today, today has enough trouble of its own. The AZT promises rattlers, jaguars and gila monsters, not to mention extreme desert heat.   

Granny has decided to put a sock in it!  She will write instead of worry, pray instead of pursue fear, follow the AZT adventure faithfully for her readers.   Stay tuned for life on the Arizona Trail!

Mission, may your feet be fleet, your journey blessed and may your socks hold up!