Klipspringer says MUSH!
One unofficial job of a ridgerunner is playing messenger. It is a sometimes stressful (wait… who was I supposed to tell that to again?), sometimes rewarding task.
Recall a recent encounter of the adorable variety:
One morning I pass an elderly gentleman who thru-hiked way back when and is now doing a section hike with one of his old thru-hiking buddies. We stop to chat, and I find out that they both spent the night at the last shelter but his friend had yet to begin packing up to leave by the time he was heading out.
“When you see Farmer, can you tell him Klipspringer says ‘mush’?” he asks me.
A couple miles down the trail I pass another hiker of about the same age. “Are you Farmer?” I ask him.
“Yes…” he replies.
“Klipspringer says MUSH!” I tell him. To which he throws his head back and lets out a giant laugh.
“I haven’t heard that in years!” he says with a smile. And he starts hiking a little faster to catch up with his old friend.
