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I drove to a little scenic viewing spot and parked the car. There was an entrance for a trail there, and I figured it was probably best to follow a more well-known path for my first time there. I locked up the car, tossed the keys in the backpack, and headed into the woods, a grin on my face so wide it wouldn’t have been pried off with a crowbar.
The mountains of Ashford were mostly covered with trees, rather than the craggy mountains west or the snow-topped ones up north. These mountains were ideal for hiking, and there in the lower third of the Appalachians, it was often overrun with avid outdoor people. But where Ashford lay, the path to the main Appalachian trail was a way off, and with as many trails as were around, from what I had heard, it wasn’t uncommon to never see a soul.
This was why it was such a surprise when I saw someone in the distance heading my way when I sat down for a lunch break. By the time he made it up toward me, I had recognized him from a visit he had paid the diner. I was just finishing up my lunch when he was within talking distance, and I raised up my hand for a wave. He saw me and waved back, coming off the trail to where I was on an overlook.
“Hey, there,” he said as he came onto the rocky overlook, looking out over the mountain ranges. “Mind if I join you? This is a great spot.”
“Not at all,” I said. “Come on down. I’m just finishing up lunch.”
“Thanks,” he said and walked close to the edge of the overlook. Placing his hands on his hips, he seemed to take a deep breath and then sat down at an angle, so he was kind of facing me and kind of facing the view. “This is why I moved here.”
“Big hiker?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say so,” he said, and I noticed the accent. It wasn’t especially thick, but it was there, adding a bit of music to his speech. “But I am not unknown to nature.”
“Ahh,” I said. “Name’s Finn.”
I stuck out my hand for a shake, and he reached over to clasp hands firmly.
“Gerard. Nice to meet you.”
“I believe I sort of met you the other day at Dina’s,” I said. “You were with Everett?”
“Ahh, yes,” he said, leaning back on his hands. “I work for his logging company as a surveyor.”
I reached in my bag for one of the cans of soda. “Can I offer you a drink? I’ve got soda and whiskey.”
“Canadian?” he asked.
“No, Kentucky,” I said, laughing. “Is that where you’re from?”
“Yes,” he said. “Quebec. French Canadian, so extra foreign.” He laughed and shook his head.
“Very nice,” I said.
“And you? Are you from here?” he asked as I handed over a soda.
“More or less. Not too far out. About twenty miles.”
“Local,” he said. “This is a beautiful country. I admire the mountains so much. It reminds me of how small we all are. How young.”
“Me too. I like that it makes all the troubles and cares of our world seem a bit…” I stopped, searching for the word.
“Trivial,” he finished for me.
“That’s it,” I said. “So, are you out here for work?”
“No, I just moved up here and thought I should see what the area has to offer. I love the mountains and thought a hike would be a peaceful way of spending a Sunday. I don’t really know anyone other than the people I work with.”
“Well, you’re right about this being a good way of spending a day,” I said. “I haven’t lived here all that long either. Not in Ashford.”
“Do you like it here?” he asked.
“I love it. I’ve always loved the mountains, so this place is perfect for me.”
“Hard to argue with scenery like this.”
“It is,” I laughed. “Well, since we’re both doing the same thing, do you want some company while you hike, or do you prefer the solitude? I won’t take offense either way.”
His face seemed to brighten up, and he nodded.
“I would very much like some company,” he said. “I see you came prepared for a much longer journey, though. I only brought a few supplies. I have work in the morning.”
“So do I,” I laughed. “I just always overpack for hiking trips, just in case.”
“Very smart. I could learn something from you.”
“Maybe,” I said. “Whenever you’re ready, then, we can continue on.”
“I’m ready now,” he said. “Let us go.”
I grinned. His accent was cool in a way I wasn’t sure how to place. It wasn’t the weird, prissy French accent, nor the silly Canadian accent I heard on TV, but a mixture of both. Somehow, it came off suave and cool. Plus, he seemed like a down-to-earth kind of guy. I figured spending some time with another human being on the trails was probably both safer and had the potential to be more fun. God knew I probably could use a friend.
