Last week I went up Mount Olympus and on the summit was a US flag which had been placed there by a group of local missionaries.

On Thursday I went up, the flag was gone, and the pole was lying in the rocks next to the concrete base in which it had been placed, so I carried it down.

On Saturday I saw a group of Forest Service employees on the way to the summit carrying picks and other implements of destruction. Apparently they were going up to supervise the missionaries removing the concrete block.

Carrying down the broken flagpole was easy. Two years ago I found 65 lbs worth of barbell weights on the summit. It took me 2 trips to haul it all down (I tried to do it one trip and could barely stand up). If someone will carry up and leave a new flat screen TV I'll really be impressed.

Thanks for the service of cleaning up!

Thanks for bringing it down.

Seriously. Thanks for doing what you did.
Missionaries huh....reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw once. "God, please save me from your followers."

Kiefer wrote:Seriously. Thanks for doing what you did.
Missionaries huh....reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw once. "God, please save me from your followers."

I especially liked one of the comments on the first Tribune link: "Teenage boys will be idiots. That's OK. It's just important to remember that they're idiots, when they come to your door telling you they know the meaning of life."

Here is my unsolicited commentary:

I love the flag, but Olympus was not the place for one. The manner of it being raised there was disrespectful. Tying a t-shirt to the flag boasting the mission was tactless and does not help their cause. I wouldn't dream of doing that kind of stunt.

I was a missionary for two years in North Carolina, although I was a little older than most of the others there. I knocked on doors - a lot of doors, and turned around when the person at the door told me "No thanks". I am not ashamed of any of it. I didn't and still don't have all the answers but I believe I had something worth sharing with those who wanted to hear it.

On the other hand, being older by a few years than the majority of the young men in the mission, I was constantly baffled by the stupid things I witnessed them doing. The flag on Olympus does not surprise me.

Thanks Joe for carrying the trash down. I would have hated to see that damned pole up there. The concrete bothered me most. I would not want to carry that crap up and back down the mountain. I prefer to carry not more than a bottle of water.

If I ever have a surplus of cash Joe I will leave a sales receipt for a new 60 inch TV at the top for you, and a note telling you where to pick it up.

Thanks for bringing it down Joe, but I think the 65lbs worth of barbells is even odder.

Matthew Van Horn wrote:Thanks Joe for carrying the trash down. I would have hated to see that damned pole up there. The concrete bothered me most. I would not want to carry that crap up and back down the mountain. I prefer to carry not more than a bottle of water.

The concete was the worst part. I was already contemplating carrying up a hammer and chisel to try to chip it out. Barring that, I would have covered it with a bunch of rocks. Fortunately I didn't have to resort to either plan.

ZeeJay wrote:Thanks for bringing it down Joe, but I think the 65lbs worth of barbells is even odder.

I'm sure it was just teenagers showing off. I quickly learned that Camelbacks are not designed to carry 65 lbs.

I was up there on the 16th of last month after work and assume this was the pole they put up. I didn't notice it was placed with cement, I was sort of in a hurry. Got up there snapped some pics, then ran back down. Someone also brought along the green lawn chair. At that rate these people are going they really should have left a flat screen up there.

Thanks Joe for hauling it down!

That chair now resides in my backyard - I brought it down on 6/22. There was also a chair up there when Matt Van Horn and I made a trip up a couple of years ago, but we didn't bring that one down. I could also use a small outdoor end table if someone wants to carry one up.