TRAIL TALES: The poems of Roger Bell

She wondered why the trail crew was crouched behind the trees.
Read more of Roger's poems from the trail.

THE NAKED TRUTH

(Dedicated to the Hoedads, who were infamous for building trails naked!)

The PCT is a varied trail

And its users an interesting lot

We've built many miles in strange places

Leaving memories and tales I've brought

To these pages to enliven some visions

There's one I especially hold dear

Deep Creek in San Berdo Forest

This one clearly has no peer

Near its outlet in Mojave Narrows

Is a place hippies used to be seen

This is a hot springs unparalled

By the trail... if you know what I mean

For what defined this fine oasis

And definitely distracted our crew

No clothes were worn by its users

What else where we to do?

But gawk at the natives parading

Tho' we tried not to overly stare

We couldn't help noticing one gal

Who walked on the trailÉbare

Now she was quite well endowed

Tennis shoes and freckles as well

But we had almost lost any interest

Except for the tale I will tell

I think there were six of us working

Cleaning up some impeding rock

We'd set some shots and were hiding

When she came on her daily walk

I said I'd go tell her to wait

To protect from the blast to come

When I did she only sped up

I wondered if she was just dumb

I told her "we're about to shoot"

But she said "I don't care"

I begged her to stop but she wouldn't

Maybe thought I'd come just to stare

So down to the blast spot she walked

And noticed guys hiding behind trees

"Why are you hiding?" she asked

As if casually shooting the breeze

"We're ready to blast!" said Harvey

And that finally got her attention

I guess she didn't know what "shoot" meant

But now she understood our intention

I kid you not about this tale

It's one moment we all recall

The saga of the naked hiker

And learning the blaster's call

Roger reminds our readers to join American Trails and help support our work for trails and greenways for all Americans.

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