Cinnabar

little cinn and big cinn are the names of the 2 camps rob owns up in the mountains. they are called this because there used to be a mineral called cinnabar that was mined for mercury... i think that's right. at big cinn, there was a dude that used to live up there mining and he died up there from mercury poisoning. there is a gravestone. really alot of history up there. he was born in 1914 and died in 1960 up on that mountain. big cinn has a different feel than little cinn, as big cinn is tundra and little cinn is trees, trees, trees. i prefer little cinn for camping. we took a load of supplies to ty today. it was my first time up there and omg...absolutely beautiful. i told rob that he can drop me off any time to stay up there and work. it was the most peaceful, serene, beautiful place i've ever been. they built a small trail over the mountain down to a spring fed creek...i hiked down there and had some much needed alone time. it was a gorgeous day as well. it was a quiet i've never heard before. ear deafening quiet until you make yourself adjust. then, to come back to all this noise...not easy. what i found out is that walking in the mountains away from everything and everyone...you must take bear spray and a pistol with you at all times. so i put them in my pack, walked down and just sat. ate an apple and took lots of pics and listened to the creek and birds and nothing. i'm sad because i don't think rob has any intention of dropping me off to work up at any of the camps. i told him also that i would love to go up there and at least camp for a few days. even that would be rewarding. along the way we spotted an eagle sitting in her nest - she had eggs in it. what a beautiful thing to watch from above. i also saw 3 black bears on the flight back...another beautiful animal, and my first time seeing one that close. saw many moose and one with 2 babies. a great day for animal watching. must have been the weather. sunny and warm all day. perfect temp.