As many know, Badger grew up in Fountain City and sports were a staple of my youth year-round. Football in the fall, basketball in the winter, golf in the spring, as well as competitive swimming in the summer. Toss in tennis matches with track and field and my memories suggest that sports were a full time job even before my 18th birthday.
Nevertheless – as one of those TV pitchmen used to exclaim: “But that’s not all!” – working for Tiny Seay at Beaver Brook Country Club and Jim and Dick Kirkendol at Smithwood Pharmacy was part of my upbringing too. Well, yes, let’s not forget school at St. Joseph’s, Shannondale and Central High. In the 1960s and 70s, this lifestyle was referenced as a “full plate.”
But I digress. The Mabrys also had a family cabin known as Asheland in the community of Sunshine near Kinzel Springs and Townsend, right next door to the Payne family. The location was close to the Smokies and we were able to do a bit of hiking too.
When I turned 60, just over 10 years ago, the action sports were a past memory. The hiking bug though bit me again and I’ve been going strong in that arena ever since. Hiking has been good to me and for me. My nickname Badger came directly from off trail hiking pursuits. I met my girlfriend and partner Kitty Myers – the talented and fearless Rock Sprite – on a hike to one of North Carolina’s most fabled waterfalls, and we’ve been going strong as a couple for 10 years now. Another great joy was meeting wonderful people in the hiking community through our time on and off the trails. We’ve developed great friendships in the outdoors communities of the Southern Appalachians, virtually none of which I even knew 10 years ago.
All of the childhood memories returned juxtaposed with those of the hiking community when Badger visited Roan Mountain on Friday, June 20, 2025 – a truly historic date when the famous Rhododendron Gardens were opened again after renovations and recovery from Hurricane Helene for the Tennessee and North Carolina Festivals.
Badger, along with Adventurer of the Year John Forbes, have been honored with the title of “Ambassador” of a predominantly female group known as Hiking Sticks and Lipstick. Famous Burke County and Linville Gorge historian Denise Bishop is the group leader, and we chose that historic Friday to hike the Appalachian Trail from Carver’s Gap on to the Grassy Ridge Trail.
We had beautiful weather and a great day for human and canine interaction. Upon reflection, what astonished me were the number of hikers who knew the Badger from hiking, photography and social media. While photography has aided in my popularity, Badger didn’t realize the breadth and reach of that popularity. We must have seen 40-45 hikers on the mountain who knew me or Rock Sprite and when they met me, they also met our crew and anyone else around. The feeling of being a big part of this community was poignant and uplifting.
The past 10 years, even with all the vicissitudes and tribulations of life, have been a great blessing. I have always maintained that a community of like-minded folks with positive lifestyles and similar goals raises the level of the water for us all.
Nothing epitomized that belief more so than this joyous day on Roan Mountain in June 2025, one that will always be remembered as a Badger Day of Celebration.
Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images
Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at instagram.com/honeybadgerimages.
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