slippery [1010.1999]

The mountain was dark this morning. Cold and misty. I stopped, half way up an listened: sounds of rain on rock, water trickling, pine needles rustling overhead with each drop. Everything looking blue, misty. The moon was out - somewhere. I couldn't see it, but enough light trickled down that I could make my way. I was the only person on the path going up. I slipped twice, falling hard, but without much pain. At the top, drenched with rain, I decided that even if the sun came up, I wouldn't see it. I'd brought an "essentials" bar - chocolate / peanut butter. It made a fine breakfast under the circumstances. On the way down, I slipped a third time, sliding a good four feet against the smooth rock and scraping my elbow before I caught hold of a small fissure. By then I could see clearly, although I still couldn't see the rising sun.

Odd: going in, the kid at the gate told me I could only use my daily ticket on the day I bought it. I was trying to use it as a coupon on a yearly pass. It says right on it: $6 off annual parking. He wanted to send me over to talk to someone (probably someone six times bigger than me and carrying a cattle prod, from the kid's tone of voice). Then the lady on the the other side of the gate office said something and he realized he had no idea what he (or I) had been talking about, and sold me the annual pass with the $6 discount. I got the impression he was looking down on me the whole time, but in fear.