It's a quarter to 8 in the morning and I'm waiting for the little store to open; I want my pancakes and coffee! While the hostel accomodations are threadbare, it was beautiful listening to the river outside the window last night. Called Greg, too, on the payphone out front. Finally! So good to hear his voice. This morning my feet are swollen and my hip hurts like a mofo. Popped some advil which I'm chasing with a poptart. Gonna try for a shelter 10 miles away.
It's noon, and I think I'm near Snowbird Mountain, or about 3 miles from the shelter. This hill has a big buzzing white structure on top that looks like something Starfleet might build, but it's an aviation signal tower. Taking a short rest/lunch break. I am so glad I didn't go to Standing Bear Farm last night! I passed the turnoff for it this morning and decided to see if they had stove fuel and just check out the place. It's a nice-looking farmhouse, but I didn't see anybody around and, when i got to the driveway, an unchained Rottweiler started barking, so I turned around and went back to the trail.
Foxfire is aiming for the same shelter I am, and she said I could use her stove tonight. I've got about one meal's worth of fuel left so that should get me into Hot Springs okay.
Heh-heh, only hiked five hours today. I'm at Groundhog Creek Shelter (a pretty ratty-looking shelter if you ask me) and Nick and Foxfire are here, too. Who's Nick? I first ran into Nick when I walked into the Mt. Collins Shelter. I wasn't expecting to find anybody there, and I happened upon him when he was adjusting his backpack...he was bent over and fussing with his belt like it was a bathroom break. He later told me I had an I-just-found-an-axe-murderer expression on my face.
I got in around 1:30p, and I plan on starting early tomorrow to climb Max Patch 'cause it was pretty warm today, in the 80s (ah, the Weatherman said it was 83 degrees; record for the day is 85). Actually, I am hearing a lot from people about how great the weather is, how many flowers are out, etc.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Mountain Momma's Kuntry Kitchen, NC
Christ on crutches! Change of plans: I'm at Mountain Momma's, in the very, very small town of Mt. Sterling, NC. That's 20.9 miles of AT and another 2 miles down the road to the hostel—a 22.7 mile day! But it was another perfect day of hiking: great scenery, good trail, light heart, and I just zoomed along. Got to Cosby Knob Shelter at 1:30—my proposed stop for the night—met Birdman taking the Low Gap cutoff for the waterfalls (Flatfood said it was nice) and decided to push on to Davenport Gap Shelter. But as I thought about it, I realized that if I went not quite 3 miles more I could have a shower and clean clothes tonight and still be on track to pull into Hot Springs on Monday, plus get to split what looks like some big ups and downs into three very reasonable days instead of one mondo and one normal day.
This place is a dump! The Brits are here, as are Foxfire and Pirate. Pirate's an older hippie-looking dude; Foxfire is a thru-hiker from Indiana. Her husband is in Macedonia or Kosovo (she doesn't know which); they left the same day. I'm sharing a "cabin" with Foxfire. It's small, and the holes in the screens aren't stopping anything smaller than a raccoon. Pretty picky for someone sleeping in a three-walled shelter, huh? Mountain Momma's does have a hiker-friendly store, so I have victuals for the stretch into Hot Springs: Lipton noodles, tuna pouches, and poptarts. I also have postcards which I'll write next, and a Great Smoky Mountains shotglass for Lesley's collection. No tincan stove fuel, though.
After breakfast tomorrow I'll catch the shuttle up to the trailhead.
Oh, and bears seen today? Zero! Not a single bear sighting in the entire park. What's up with that? Well, people say I'll see plenty bears in the Shenandoahs.
This place is a dump! The Brits are here, as are Foxfire and Pirate. Pirate's an older hippie-looking dude; Foxfire is a thru-hiker from Indiana. Her husband is in Macedonia or Kosovo (she doesn't know which); they left the same day. I'm sharing a "cabin" with Foxfire. It's small, and the holes in the screens aren't stopping anything smaller than a raccoon. Pretty picky for someone sleeping in a three-walled shelter, huh? Mountain Momma's does have a hiker-friendly store, so I have victuals for the stretch into Hot Springs: Lipton noodles, tuna pouches, and poptarts. I also have postcards which I'll write next, and a Great Smoky Mountains shotglass for Lesley's collection. No tincan stove fuel, though.
After breakfast tomorrow I'll catch the shuttle up to the trailhead.
Oh, and bears seen today? Zero! Not a single bear sighting in the entire park. What's up with that? Well, people say I'll see plenty bears in the Shenandoahs.
Peck's Corner Shelter, GSNP
I'm on the Rockefeller Monument at US441, Newfound Gap, hoping I could keep a signal and call Greg but no such luck. Crappy cell phone! Gonna get more water (from a faucet!) and pee then push on to Icewater Springs Shelter.
Hey! So while I was getting it together I got some more of the zoo experience I got at the Dome. A bus of old ladies pulled up and two of them quizzed me: you're hiking the AT? Alone? You carry all of that? Where'd you start? How far you going? They couldn't hardly believe it, but thought it was cool. They said (several times), "You're just a bitty thing," when I told them 205 miles in two weeks. And a couple (she sounded local; he was an Aussie) talked to me, too. He sounded wistful. I told him about the retired thru-hikers, and he told me about hiking in New Zealand. He was disappointed that I'm not thru-hiking; think he wanted a photo op.
Dude, I booked—5 miles in 2hrs 15min—on great trail. Looks like today's sojourn won't be so bad.
I pulled into Peck's Corner at 4pm. The shelter, like Mt. Collins, is 1/2 mile off the AT, so that makes it just about 8 miles from Icewater Springs Shelter (which, when I got there, was full of a group of older teens from Dearborn, MI). Two guys were here when I pulled in, Blue Elk and Florida Runner, section hiking in the Smokies. No Brits; they must've pushed on to Tri-Corner. A couple, X and Pixie, just pulled in, and maybe Flatfoot will show up later. Passed Sage and Forest, the patchouli-smelling hippie couple from Oregon, on the trail. First thing I did when I got in after staking my spot was eat! After that, introductions, then the journal. It was raining, but has cleared a bit. I'm planning on going to bed early tonight; all that tea sitting around the shelter yesterday and I didn't sleep for shit!
A beautiful day's hike: good trail, not a lot of steep up and down, and much of it was along knife ridges—sheer drops! Yes!—and great views of ridge after ridge. My favorite section so far. Although X and Pixie are complaining about all the ups and downs. They also say 3 or 4 people are on the trail behind them and are heading here tonight.
Bears seen today: 0.
Next morning: It's 7:15a, and I should be outta here by 7:30a. A quick note: X and Pixie smoke. Oh, the reek! I thought they were smoking this morning but it was just the smell coming off their stuff. Went to get my pack and a guy camping out asked how many were snoring last night? Oh, only 4. He laughed. I told him about the reek problem and he agreed, no good. His name is Lex and he thinks I smell nice! Hiker's perfume, certainly.
Hey! So while I was getting it together I got some more of the zoo experience I got at the Dome. A bus of old ladies pulled up and two of them quizzed me: you're hiking the AT? Alone? You carry all of that? Where'd you start? How far you going? They couldn't hardly believe it, but thought it was cool. They said (several times), "You're just a bitty thing," when I told them 205 miles in two weeks. And a couple (she sounded local; he was an Aussie) talked to me, too. He sounded wistful. I told him about the retired thru-hikers, and he told me about hiking in New Zealand. He was disappointed that I'm not thru-hiking; think he wanted a photo op.
Dude, I booked—5 miles in 2hrs 15min—on great trail. Looks like today's sojourn won't be so bad.
I pulled into Peck's Corner at 4pm. The shelter, like Mt. Collins, is 1/2 mile off the AT, so that makes it just about 8 miles from Icewater Springs Shelter (which, when I got there, was full of a group of older teens from Dearborn, MI). Two guys were here when I pulled in, Blue Elk and Florida Runner, section hiking in the Smokies. No Brits; they must've pushed on to Tri-Corner. A couple, X and Pixie, just pulled in, and maybe Flatfoot will show up later. Passed Sage and Forest, the patchouli-smelling hippie couple from Oregon, on the trail. First thing I did when I got in after staking my spot was eat! After that, introductions, then the journal. It was raining, but has cleared a bit. I'm planning on going to bed early tonight; all that tea sitting around the shelter yesterday and I didn't sleep for shit!
A beautiful day's hike: good trail, not a lot of steep up and down, and much of it was along knife ridges—sheer drops! Yes!—and great views of ridge after ridge. My favorite section so far. Although X and Pixie are complaining about all the ups and downs. They also say 3 or 4 people are on the trail behind them and are heading here tonight.
Bears seen today: 0.
Next morning: It's 7:15a, and I should be outta here by 7:30a. A quick note: X and Pixie smoke. Oh, the reek! I thought they were smoking this morning but it was just the smell coming off their stuff. Went to get my pack and a guy camping out asked how many were snoring last night? Oh, only 4. He laughed. I told him about the reek problem and he agreed, no good. His name is Lex and he thinks I smell nice! Hiker's perfume, certainly.
Mt. Collins Shelter, GSNP
It poured last night. Wow! Will likely leave around 8a for the Dome. Will be warm again today. I think my neck is sunburned.
Set out at 8a like I hoped. First on the trail but still no bears! Did see a feral chicken and a rabbit, though. Got to the observation deck on Clingman's Dome about 10:20a—fogged in and, despite the presence of a cell tower, can't dial home. Bummer. and no vending machine or trail magic, either. Pushing on to Mt. Collins for a break and Icewater Spring Shelter for the night.
Well, here it is, 1:30pm and I'm at Mt. Collins Shelter, in for the night! What's up with that? Since hitting the highway (the trail parallels it for awhile) I've heard thunder and seen big clouds. Also, of the four hikers I've met, one is behind me and the other three are hitching into Gatlinburg today. So I don't have any pressing need to do another big 16-mile day, especially to get to Icewater Spring Shelter, which was described by one of the local hikers last night as exposed and no place to be in a thunderstorm. So, since my hip feels better today, I'm going to only do half a day and pray that I can entertain myself.
Okay, so I have some time...hey! I hear voices. Some folks're coming. Anyway, Silers Bald Shelter was spiffy! It has built-in dormer windows and lots of headrom in the upper bunk. Plus a nice bench table and bench set-up. Riot—it's Bruno & Lawrence, and they're staying here tonight. They heard there's a big group at the next shelter and I told them what I heard about its exposed placement. And now they're talking religion. I wonder if they know Credo? (Bruno is noting the saint's feat days in his journal!)
Okay, I planned it out and I don't feel so bad. Despite this puny 8-miler, and with only one day over 16 miles I should pull into Erwin on Saturday around 2pm or so! Which'll give me Saturday in Erwin along with breakfast before my 10a or so ride back to Asheville. So it's Peck's Corner Shelter tomorrow. Whee!
Since I am entertaining myself, I figured out that if I do 200 miles of trail each year it'll take me 12 years to finish, though I'll have to do 260 for the last segment on account of Maine's 100-mile wilderness. And Shenandoah is another three years, so Greg's got plenty of time to prepare!
Flora and fauna I've seen so far, in no particular order: bluets; red, yellow, white, wite/red trillium; purple and yellow violets; buckeye; juncos; that rabbit and feral chicken; woodpeckers; whitetail deer; salamander; millipedes; non-Roman snails; a crunchy-looking black and yellow caterpillar-like bug; white, yellow, black and yellow, and blue butterflies; a flower that reminds me of a candystripers uniform.
Oh! Burno & Lawrence were saying that when they were on the Dome it was raining, so looks like I lucked out. Though it's cool now and completely cloudy, the thunder has stopped. I hope it pours again tonight!
Flatfood pulled in around 6pm. I've eaten dinner now, a wonderful repast of noodle-roni parmesan with tuna, sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil, and tea, as good as last night's stovetop stuffing was bad. Been reading the register; funny to see so many examples of weather changing. Entries for the same day can say "sunny," "cold and wet," etc.
It's 6:30p now and it is raining with thunder in the distance. Good crowd tonight, the most I've seen yet this trip. After Flatfoot, the thru-hiking retired couple pulled in, then Digger and his friend shortly thereafter.
Bears seen today: 0.
Set out at 8a like I hoped. First on the trail but still no bears! Did see a feral chicken and a rabbit, though. Got to the observation deck on Clingman's Dome about 10:20a—fogged in and, despite the presence of a cell tower, can't dial home. Bummer. and no vending machine or trail magic, either. Pushing on to Mt. Collins for a break and Icewater Spring Shelter for the night.
Well, here it is, 1:30pm and I'm at Mt. Collins Shelter, in for the night! What's up with that? Since hitting the highway (the trail parallels it for awhile) I've heard thunder and seen big clouds. Also, of the four hikers I've met, one is behind me and the other three are hitching into Gatlinburg today. So I don't have any pressing need to do another big 16-mile day, especially to get to Icewater Spring Shelter, which was described by one of the local hikers last night as exposed and no place to be in a thunderstorm. So, since my hip feels better today, I'm going to only do half a day and pray that I can entertain myself.
Okay, so I have some time...hey! I hear voices. Some folks're coming. Anyway, Silers Bald Shelter was spiffy! It has built-in dormer windows and lots of headrom in the upper bunk. Plus a nice bench table and bench set-up. Riot—it's Bruno & Lawrence, and they're staying here tonight. They heard there's a big group at the next shelter and I told them what I heard about its exposed placement. And now they're talking religion. I wonder if they know Credo? (Bruno is noting the saint's feat days in his journal!)
Okay, I planned it out and I don't feel so bad. Despite this puny 8-miler, and with only one day over 16 miles I should pull into Erwin on Saturday around 2pm or so! Which'll give me Saturday in Erwin along with breakfast before my 10a or so ride back to Asheville. So it's Peck's Corner Shelter tomorrow. Whee!
Since I am entertaining myself, I figured out that if I do 200 miles of trail each year it'll take me 12 years to finish, though I'll have to do 260 for the last segment on account of Maine's 100-mile wilderness. And Shenandoah is another three years, so Greg's got plenty of time to prepare!
Flora and fauna I've seen so far, in no particular order: bluets; red, yellow, white, wite/red trillium; purple and yellow violets; buckeye; juncos; that rabbit and feral chicken; woodpeckers; whitetail deer; salamander; millipedes; non-Roman snails; a crunchy-looking black and yellow caterpillar-like bug; white, yellow, black and yellow, and blue butterflies; a flower that reminds me of a candystripers uniform.
Oh! Burno & Lawrence were saying that when they were on the Dome it was raining, so looks like I lucked out. Though it's cool now and completely cloudy, the thunder has stopped. I hope it pours again tonight!
Flatfood pulled in around 6pm. I've eaten dinner now, a wonderful repast of noodle-roni parmesan with tuna, sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil, and tea, as good as last night's stovetop stuffing was bad. Been reading the register; funny to see so many examples of weather changing. Entries for the same day can say "sunny," "cold and wet," etc.
It's 6:30p now and it is raining with thunder in the distance. Good crowd tonight, the most I've seen yet this trip. After Flatfoot, the thru-hiking retired couple pulled in, then Digger and his friend shortly thereafter.
Bears seen today: 0.
Silers Bald Shelter, GSNP
Ugh! Finally at Derrick Knob Shelter for lunch and advil replentishment. It's a mostly sunny, warm day. Changing into sandals, eating, getting more water. If this keeps up I will run out of advil much sooner than later. It's 5.5 miles to Silers Bald, which'd put me in around 5:30pm, but sets me up well for Clingman's Dome tomorrow. That's the plan.
Silers Bald Shelter, 7:30pm Pulled in around 6pm. It's raining here and thundering in the distance. It's still light. Everyone at Silers Bald has eaten and is settling in for some reading, writing, and fussing in the last light. It's me, two local hikers just doing the Smokies, and Joe and Mike (Joe and Mike pulled into Mollies Ridge about an hour after I did). They're from Philly, or Pittsburgh. Something like that! An oil company executive and a chemical engineer. Huh—they don't really want to talk about work.
The hip is a problem. I don't know what to do other than lighten my load, which I do with every meal. Oh, the stove. It's okay. I love the light weight, cost, and that I can buy fuel just about anywhere. But, it takes a while to boil water. I've tried boiling enough water for dinner and tea together, but it takes too long. Plus, I burned a hole in the brand new table at Silers Bald! I don't think anyone noticed.
Bears seen today: 0.
Silers Bald Shelter, 7:30pm Pulled in around 6pm. It's raining here and thundering in the distance. It's still light. Everyone at Silers Bald has eaten and is settling in for some reading, writing, and fussing in the last light. It's me, two local hikers just doing the Smokies, and Joe and Mike (Joe and Mike pulled into Mollies Ridge about an hour after I did). They're from Philly, or Pittsburgh. Something like that! An oil company executive and a chemical engineer. Huh—they don't really want to talk about work.
The hip is a problem. I don't know what to do other than lighten my load, which I do with every meal. Oh, the stove. It's okay. I love the light weight, cost, and that I can buy fuel just about anywhere. But, it takes a while to boil water. I've tried boiling enough water for dinner and tea together, but it takes too long. Plus, I burned a hole in the brand new table at Silers Bald! I don't think anyone noticed.
Bears seen today: 0.
Mollies Ridge Shelter, Great Smokies National Park
It's a quarter past noon, and I just came down from the observation tower on Shuckstack. Nice view; partly sunny weather. Jay from Utah was eating lunch there; met him this morning waiting for the P.O. to open. He was also the only other hiker on the 9am shuttle from the Fontana Village Inn to the trail. We both waited in vain for the visitors center to open; supposedly 9a, but it never did. Off-season? Called Greg, got a liter of water, found a dead cardinal that flew into the glass walls of the visitor center, and left. Heh! I wanted a Smokies patch for my pack. Darn. So instead of getting dropped off at NC28 where I got picked up Sunday, I skipped that 2-mile section and went right for the Dam. I'll come back some day and finish that.
Mollies Ridge Shelter, 4:45pm Got here about half an hour ago. Thank god! Sometime shortly after Shuckstack my right hip started hurting. Only knowing I had to camp at a designated site while in the park kept me going. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Hung my pack on the way-cool bear cables, put my food and sleeping stuff in the cage...er, shelter, got my water and popped two advil. In 15 minutes or so the water'll be ready and I'll start dinner. There's a fire ring for cooking 'cause you can't in the shelter. No table, either. Jay is the only other person here and other than the school group we saw going the other way, the only people we've seen today. Logbook shows two others passed through here. It also shows some horrendous weekend crowds. Friday/Saturday saw 20 or so people here, a bit less on Sunday but still a lot. Glad I'll be doing the park during the week!
Going to take it easy tomorrow and hope my hip sorts itself out. The pain is in the bone/ligaments, not on the surface. Aiming for Derrick Knob Shelter, 11.7. Oh, hey—that cardinal at Fontana Dam? Poor bird. Got a good look at the plumage, then took the tail feathers and returned the rest of the bird to the earth. Those beautiful red feathers should make a great fan.
Bears seen today: 0.
Mollies Ridge Shelter, 4:45pm Got here about half an hour ago. Thank god! Sometime shortly after Shuckstack my right hip started hurting. Only knowing I had to camp at a designated site while in the park kept me going. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Hung my pack on the way-cool bear cables, put my food and sleeping stuff in the cage...er, shelter, got my water and popped two advil. In 15 minutes or so the water'll be ready and I'll start dinner. There's a fire ring for cooking 'cause you can't in the shelter. No table, either. Jay is the only other person here and other than the school group we saw going the other way, the only people we've seen today. Logbook shows two others passed through here. It also shows some horrendous weekend crowds. Friday/Saturday saw 20 or so people here, a bit less on Sunday but still a lot. Glad I'll be doing the park during the week!
Going to take it easy tomorrow and hope my hip sorts itself out. The pain is in the bone/ligaments, not on the surface. Aiming for Derrick Knob Shelter, 11.7. Oh, hey—that cardinal at Fontana Dam? Poor bird. Got a good look at the plumage, then took the tail feathers and returned the rest of the bird to the earth. Those beautiful red feathers should make a great fan.
Bears seen today: 0.
Fontana Village Inn
Slept poorly last night. Between the mouse exploring the tent, the rain worries, and thinking about bears (thanks, Jeff the shuttle guy!), had a hard time settling down. Woke up at 8:30a! No tea this morning; I'm just gonna get going.
Cable Gap Shelter, noon Taking a shoe break, having some lunch. I've only got 5.5 miles to NC28 and the ride into Fontana Dam. Hoping to get a room and shower and fuel as the P.O. won't be open til tomorrow. I grossly overpacked food! Again. Sitting in the shelter and sorting through my chow bag, I have three (!) dinners and my resupply about three hours away. Tsk. Oh, I forgot to mention, somebody left a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan mag in Brown Fork Shelter. It was terrible. I read the whole thing. In turn I left a bit more of Fast Food Nation (more of it in the NOC hiker box).
Fontana Village Inn, 6:30pm I'm cooking my dinner on the patio of my room. So, 3p, I pull into NC28 and the message board with the shuttle schedule and phone. Hey! No service on Sundays, great. I forget sometimes that everywhere is not like coastal California. Should I hike a mile farther on and camp at Fontana Dam Shelter then walk back Monday to grab my maildrop and fuel? Back track?! No way. So I call anyway, since I see that the Inn offers hostel bunks for $15, and they'll come get me. Somebody answers the phone and says, sure, we'll come get you. Sweet! So I register for a hostel bunk—only nobody's staying in the hostel, they're all staying at the Inn, which slashes its prices during the off-season (which this is). So my $80 room is $26.
I showered first (natch) then went down to get fuel and do laundry. Ran into Bruno & Lawrence. The Hiker Supply store is small, I'm warned, and when I get there it's a choice between big cans of denatured alcohol or Colemans. I try the general store, nada. Walk down to the gas station and they've got HEET for $1.59. Did my laundry with a husband/wife team from Florida hiking sections with two cars. Don't really feel like fine dining in the Peppercorn restaurant, so that's why I'm cooking on my tincanstove on the porch. Got the tent drying out here, too.
Hikers, can't take 'em anywhere.
This place is a little family-oriented vacation village—sports, hiking, biking, the lake, etc.—with a cultivated small-town feel with the sno-cone stand and the sandlot baseball.
Tonight I'll figure out how many days it'll take me to pass through the Smokies, and pare down my chow.
Cable Gap Shelter, noon Taking a shoe break, having some lunch. I've only got 5.5 miles to NC28 and the ride into Fontana Dam. Hoping to get a room and shower and fuel as the P.O. won't be open til tomorrow. I grossly overpacked food! Again. Sitting in the shelter and sorting through my chow bag, I have three (!) dinners and my resupply about three hours away. Tsk. Oh, I forgot to mention, somebody left a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan mag in Brown Fork Shelter. It was terrible. I read the whole thing. In turn I left a bit more of Fast Food Nation (more of it in the NOC hiker box).
Fontana Village Inn, 6:30pm I'm cooking my dinner on the patio of my room. So, 3p, I pull into NC28 and the message board with the shuttle schedule and phone. Hey! No service on Sundays, great. I forget sometimes that everywhere is not like coastal California. Should I hike a mile farther on and camp at Fontana Dam Shelter then walk back Monday to grab my maildrop and fuel? Back track?! No way. So I call anyway, since I see that the Inn offers hostel bunks for $15, and they'll come get me. Somebody answers the phone and says, sure, we'll come get you. Sweet! So I register for a hostel bunk—only nobody's staying in the hostel, they're all staying at the Inn, which slashes its prices during the off-season (which this is). So my $80 room is $26.
I showered first (natch) then went down to get fuel and do laundry. Ran into Bruno & Lawrence. The Hiker Supply store is small, I'm warned, and when I get there it's a choice between big cans of denatured alcohol or Colemans. I try the general store, nada. Walk down to the gas station and they've got HEET for $1.59. Did my laundry with a husband/wife team from Florida hiking sections with two cars. Don't really feel like fine dining in the Peppercorn restaurant, so that's why I'm cooking on my tincanstove on the porch. Got the tent drying out here, too.
Hikers, can't take 'em anywhere.
This place is a little family-oriented vacation village—sports, hiking, biking, the lake, etc.—with a cultivated small-town feel with the sno-cone stand and the sandlot baseball.
Tonight I'll figure out how many days it'll take me to pass through the Smokies, and pare down my chow.
2002: Back to the NOC
Flew into Asheville last night, stayed at some cheap Asheville motel. Woke up early—well, considering the time when I got in, 7:30a is early—paid my bill, bought postcards and Jeff my shuttler pulled up. Timing. Had pancakes and coffee at the NOC and was on the trail by 10a.
Told you I couldn't wait to come back.
Partly cloudy weather. no rain so far, just about perfect for the big uphill. And it is a big uphill. Which wasn't so bad, with a year's worth of fuel behind me.. It's now 1:30p and I'm at Sassafras Shelter for lunch though I'm not really hungry. Think I'll tank up on water and head for Sweetwater Gap for the night.
Met my first hiker today, Flatfoot from Florida, though he sounds 100 percent New York.
It's 8:15p,and I'm finally fed, cleaned and in bed. I am at Brown Fork Shelter I don't know what happened to Sweetwater Gap; didn't see it. I'm plenty pooped. Sixteen miles, and over that big hump of Cheoah Bald, too. It's gently raining. It kindly waited until I was done with my mac and cheese. Two Brits in the shelter, Bruno & Lawrence. I'm in the 'mid. I wanted privacy for my bath, and I think I'm just a bit cranky from missing home and being tired and all. Fontana tomorrow.
Told you I couldn't wait to come back.
Partly cloudy weather. no rain so far, just about perfect for the big uphill. And it is a big uphill. Which wasn't so bad, with a year's worth of fuel behind me.. It's now 1:30p and I'm at Sassafras Shelter for lunch though I'm not really hungry. Think I'll tank up on water and head for Sweetwater Gap for the night.
Met my first hiker today, Flatfoot from Florida, though he sounds 100 percent New York.
It's 8:15p,and I'm finally fed, cleaned and in bed. I am at Brown Fork Shelter I don't know what happened to Sweetwater Gap; didn't see it. I'm plenty pooped. Sixteen miles, and over that big hump of Cheoah Bald, too. It's gently raining. It kindly waited until I was done with my mac and cheese. Two Brits in the shelter, Bruno & Lawrence. I'm in the 'mid. I wanted privacy for my bath, and I think I'm just a bit cranky from missing home and being tired and all. Fontana tomorrow.
Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
The hike from Wesser Bald to NOC was pretty, and good trail. It's too bad NOC is at the end of it—makes it harder to stop and enjoy the scenery. The trail was mostly on ridgetops, so it was in parts steep and rocky like Albert Mountain trail, and like that trail, would pop out onto rocky promotories for vistas. Today was clear so the views were great. Finally! And it seems like today that most of the trees have popped out their leaves, so there was leaf-green everywhere, and flowers, too, that I have not seen on the trail before. Don't know if it's the valley or the march of the seasons.
I reached the NOC sometime between 10 an 11am. It's a big sporting complex like they have on the American River. I have showered, put my stuff in the bunkhouse, eaten a big lunch—salad!—seen a cardinal, flowering dogwood and eastern redbud, chatted with Gnome, Bloody Stump, Khaos, Madman, T, Dutch, Achilles, Stump, Jamie, Hard Time, Jeremy—ooh, just saw what looked like a little blue kingfisher fly down river!—and others. Gnome and Liverwurst are bunking with me tonight in Tsali #2. Happy to be going home, but also wishing I was making the climb tomorrow up the hill to Fontana Dam with everyone else. After dropping my fuel, moleskin, tuna and noodles in the hiker box and signing the register, I headed toward a riverside bench to write this when I heard behind me, "Hey, San Francisco!" It was Hemlock and his buddy, whom I met briefly in Hiawassee outside the P.O. (I asked them if that's where they were camping as their maildrop was strewn about them on the lawn.) Hemlock is from Sausalito. When I was eating my nachos deluxe and side salad and chatting with Gnome, we looked out the window and saw some old buy posing with Liverwurst and Miles while the man's wife took a picture. I see Stump across the wate soaking her feet -- I'm going to join her. Okay, now we're both writing in our journals. Stump, if I haven't explained, asked her son to thru-hike with her, and he agreed. Jamie and I think they're probably the only mother-son team on the trail. Stump is a real sweet woman. I've given my e-mail and phone number to a couple of people this trip: T, since he gave me my trail name; Packman, because we hit it off so well; Gnome, too -- maybe his trail name should've been SuperDad. He does love his kids and grandkids. Feels good to soak my feet in the river. Stump just compared the feeling of these town days to Christmas; I said it feels a little like homecoming. It's supposed to rain and thunder sometime tonight, stump and I are feeling little drops now (2:40p). I may have to take this into the community room by the bunkhouses. And, even though I'm stuffed, I can't stop thinking about vanilla shakes, or maybe ice cream floats. Man.
I have had a Cherry Garcia bar -- no milkshakes here -- and again am sitting by the river. Rain still has not started in earnest. T and Dutch hitchhiked into town -- I stayed to eat -- and I'm watching kayakers and rafters drift by. Finally met Archon, too, all in khaki and looking like he should be on safari, not hiking in North Carolina.
I reached the NOC sometime between 10 an 11am. It's a big sporting complex like they have on the American River. I have showered, put my stuff in the bunkhouse, eaten a big lunch—salad!—seen a cardinal, flowering dogwood and eastern redbud, chatted with Gnome, Bloody Stump, Khaos, Madman, T, Dutch, Achilles, Stump, Jamie, Hard Time, Jeremy—ooh, just saw what looked like a little blue kingfisher fly down river!—and others. Gnome and Liverwurst are bunking with me tonight in Tsali #2. Happy to be going home, but also wishing I was making the climb tomorrow up the hill to Fontana Dam with everyone else. After dropping my fuel, moleskin, tuna and noodles in the hiker box and signing the register, I headed toward a riverside bench to write this when I heard behind me, "Hey, San Francisco!" It was Hemlock and his buddy, whom I met briefly in Hiawassee outside the P.O. (I asked them if that's where they were camping as their maildrop was strewn about them on the lawn.) Hemlock is from Sausalito. When I was eating my nachos deluxe and side salad and chatting with Gnome, we looked out the window and saw some old buy posing with Liverwurst and Miles while the man's wife took a picture. I see Stump across the wate soaking her feet -- I'm going to join her. Okay, now we're both writing in our journals. Stump, if I haven't explained, asked her son to thru-hike with her, and he agreed. Jamie and I think they're probably the only mother-son team on the trail. Stump is a real sweet woman. I've given my e-mail and phone number to a couple of people this trip: T, since he gave me my trail name; Packman, because we hit it off so well; Gnome, too -- maybe his trail name should've been SuperDad. He does love his kids and grandkids. Feels good to soak my feet in the river. Stump just compared the feeling of these town days to Christmas; I said it feels a little like homecoming. It's supposed to rain and thunder sometime tonight, stump and I are feeling little drops now (2:40p). I may have to take this into the community room by the bunkhouses. And, even though I'm stuffed, I can't stop thinking about vanilla shakes, or maybe ice cream floats. Man.
I have had a Cherry Garcia bar -- no milkshakes here -- and again am sitting by the river. Rain still has not started in earnest. T and Dutch hitchhiked into town -- I stayed to eat -- and I'm watching kayakers and rafters drift by. Finally met Archon, too, all in khaki and looking like he should be on safari, not hiking in North Carolina.
Wesser Bald Shelter
Got in around 4pm. Today was mostly easy (and cooler -- mostly overcast), but the descent into Tellico Gap was a bit hard—even my knees are tired. And my feet do hurt. Only one other hiker here, Flash (the chatty guy from Columbus, Ohio), and now Republican Stan is here. (Stan's the guy who identified my mystery snake for me, "a black snake." Good enough!) As it's almost 5p I'd be surprised if many more people show up, even though Spider and Liverwurst are behind me. So instead of tenting I am in the shelter tonight, as it's a nice one and good-sized. Stan says the black snake I saw today (it rattled at me, not near as friendly as the first) was it using its mimic ability. Pretty effective, too. I knew it wasn't poisonous, but the logical part of my brain could not override the instinctual part that heard a rattle and said, steer clear!
Yay! Gnome showed up. He let me use his Motorola T900 to send Greg an e-mail! Too trippy, e-mail on the trail—not to mention the cell phone use. I would never have imagined that you could use a cell phone from the trail. Another wilderness expectation shot down. Oh, and it's not even 6p but I've already eaten dinner. Gnome was updating the crowd at large with news updates (he also gets news feeds on the T900) until Spider asked him please not to. Oh, yes—Spider and Liverwurst and their dogs are here now, too, so we'll be cozy in the shelter tonight. Gnome just showed me pictures of his kids and grandkids, and a letter they sent with this first maildrop. Way cute. I gave him my e-mail/phone 'cause after the trail he's coming out to the Bay Area, Walnut Creek where his daughter lives.
It's going to be a short (5.6 mile) but steep descent into Wesser tomorrow. I've got a new blister on the ball of my left foot—so tomorrow's hiking will be tough, but hey! Archon says that NOC nachos are tasty.
Everyone recommends I read "Blind Courage" by Bill Irwin.
Short segue: Republican Stan is very Republican, perhaps the polar opposite to my leftie Berkeleyesque politics. We both stopped at a shelter for a break one day and chatted. We agree on a surprising number of issues, like the energy crisis (stop using oil). A comforting conversation.
Yay! Gnome showed up. He let me use his Motorola T900 to send Greg an e-mail! Too trippy, e-mail on the trail—not to mention the cell phone use. I would never have imagined that you could use a cell phone from the trail. Another wilderness expectation shot down. Oh, and it's not even 6p but I've already eaten dinner. Gnome was updating the crowd at large with news updates (he also gets news feeds on the T900) until Spider asked him please not to. Oh, yes—Spider and Liverwurst and their dogs are here now, too, so we'll be cozy in the shelter tonight. Gnome just showed me pictures of his kids and grandkids, and a letter they sent with this first maildrop. Way cute. I gave him my e-mail/phone 'cause after the trail he's coming out to the Bay Area, Walnut Creek where his daughter lives.
It's going to be a short (5.6 mile) but steep descent into Wesser tomorrow. I've got a new blister on the ball of my left foot—so tomorrow's hiking will be tough, but hey! Archon says that NOC nachos are tasty.
Everyone recommends I read "Blind Courage" by Bill Irwin.
Short segue: Republican Stan is very Republican, perhaps the polar opposite to my leftie Berkeleyesque politics. We both stopped at a shelter for a break one day and chatted. We agree on a surprising number of issues, like the energy crisis (stop using oil). A comforting conversation.
Bartram Trail cutoff
I am half a mile up the trail and one mile down the road, at Rainbow Springs Campground; an unplanned stop. I have 1) showered; 2) started my laundry; 3) called home; and 4) sat down for some lunch, a pepperoni pizza and a Dr. Pepper. Just met Spider and his dog Girl (both very sweet), and Liverwurst and his dog Miles, all getting a ride back to the trail in the camp pickup. Packman and Robert are showering now. A load of people that had spent the night here were leaving as I came in. Saw T;rather, he spotted me,for which I was very glad. Got his e-mail now. He said he plans to spend an extra day in Wesser on Friday (his birthday) rafting. My hope, when I'm done here, is to ride back to the trail and hike to the Bartram Trail cutoff, about 12 miles.
Okay, a little more about last night at Rock Gap. Despite my concerns the five of us in the shelter slept well. Only Robert and I had our heads pointing out—the others had them by the wall and the mice. Achilles started a real nice fire in the ring; he, Packman, Lobster and Chowdah and I sat up and chatted til about 9 or 9:30p. We talked hiking/outdoors experiences, environment, Bush, California energy crisis, etc. We noted that few Republicans seem to hike. I hope that's not true!
Got the scoop on Packman's trail name: when he pulled into Neels Gap, his pack weighed 91 pounds! And Packman is not a big guy. Among other things, he had a 12-lb fruitcake (great trail food, but how 'bout slices next time?). Oh, and the stars were out last night, too, brilliant and beautiful.
Bartram Trail cutoff Well, it was hot this afternoon, mid to upper 80s. By the time I got to the Bartram Trail cutoff sites, about 4pm, I was bushed. Thirsty, too. Pleasant camp with a campfire for cheer and bug repellancy.
Okay, a little more about last night at Rock Gap. Despite my concerns the five of us in the shelter slept well. Only Robert and I had our heads pointing out—the others had them by the wall and the mice. Achilles started a real nice fire in the ring; he, Packman, Lobster and Chowdah and I sat up and chatted til about 9 or 9:30p. We talked hiking/outdoors experiences, environment, Bush, California energy crisis, etc. We noted that few Republicans seem to hike. I hope that's not true!
Got the scoop on Packman's trail name: when he pulled into Neels Gap, his pack weighed 91 pounds! And Packman is not a big guy. Among other things, he had a 12-lb fruitcake (great trail food, but how 'bout slices next time?). Oh, and the stars were out last night, too, brilliant and beautiful.
Bartram Trail cutoff Well, it was hot this afternoon, mid to upper 80s. By the time I got to the Bartram Trail cutoff sites, about 4pm, I was bushed. Thirsty, too. Pleasant camp with a campfire for cheer and bug repellancy.
Rock Gap Shelter
Whoo-ya, now that was a hike! I'm taking another breather after tackling Albert Mtn, the only real climb on my hike today, but what a doozy. Last one-third mile was pretty steep—needed to use my hands getting up the trail. But an excellent cap to what has been my favorite stretch of trail so far, from Beech Gap to Albert Mtn. Great views coming up the mountain, lots of sun-dappled trail, not a lot of up and down, birds a'plenty. Just a real nice, pretty day of hiking. It's 1:30p and I took lunch from noon to 12:30p, started this morning at 9a. Only have three miles to go this afternoon, and all downhill. I didn't see anybody on the trail today until Mooney Gap!
Yesterday was a sea change for me—now I'm walking towards home, not farther from it. Definitely a mood-improver for me. I really miss home: not the food, not Mons Nestus, not the hot water or any one thing, just the whole package, home. I can't wait to see what Greg and Jay did with Jay's room. And while I'm enjoying myself out here tremendously, contemplating what color they painted Jay's walls is even more pleasing.
Well, I missed the campground in the book; now it's 3:30p and I'm at the Long Branch cutoff. I'll stay here even though it's a dry camp. There's water at Rock Gap Shelter, just two miles more, where I can load up tomorrow. But, you know, Rock Gap Shelter is just 2.5 miles away, an hour and a half. Traildancer—the first black hiker I've seen—just cruised by on his way to Wallace Gap. I think I'll rest up, pee, and head on out.
Rock Gap Shelter, 4:45pm I'm here. I was hoping for a tent site, but few suitable sites, which are all taken already. Drat—those shelter floors are hard, and it looks like a few people will come in later from town; their stuff is here. Achilles is here, as is a guy I've seen in the registers, Packman (second black hiker, yeah!). Apparently, Traildancer didn't stop in—Achilles didn't see him and he's not in the register. Two hikers, Lobster and Chowdah from Bangor, are here, too. Lots of graffitti here (as at several shelters past), including "Seniors Rules!"
Maddog and Bloody Stump just grabbed their stuff and moved on, and I see "the Belgian" showed up. Another resident tonight is Hard Time—he's with Stump, who's also here, along with Robert (now Chill Out). The map is out.
Yesterday was a sea change for me—now I'm walking towards home, not farther from it. Definitely a mood-improver for me. I really miss home: not the food, not Mons Nestus, not the hot water or any one thing, just the whole package, home. I can't wait to see what Greg and Jay did with Jay's room. And while I'm enjoying myself out here tremendously, contemplating what color they painted Jay's walls is even more pleasing.
Well, I missed the campground in the book; now it's 3:30p and I'm at the Long Branch cutoff. I'll stay here even though it's a dry camp. There's water at Rock Gap Shelter, just two miles more, where I can load up tomorrow. But, you know, Rock Gap Shelter is just 2.5 miles away, an hour and a half. Traildancer—the first black hiker I've seen—just cruised by on his way to Wallace Gap. I think I'll rest up, pee, and head on out.
Rock Gap Shelter, 4:45pm I'm here. I was hoping for a tent site, but few suitable sites, which are all taken already. Drat—those shelter floors are hard, and it looks like a few people will come in later from town; their stuff is here. Achilles is here, as is a guy I've seen in the registers, Packman (second black hiker, yeah!). Apparently, Traildancer didn't stop in—Achilles didn't see him and he's not in the register. Two hikers, Lobster and Chowdah from Bangor, are here, too. Lots of graffitti here (as at several shelters past), including "Seniors Rules!"
Maddog and Bloody Stump just grabbed their stuff and moved on, and I see "the Belgian" showed up. Another resident tonight is Hard Time—he's with Stump, who's also here, along with Robert (now Chill Out). The map is out.
Beech Gap
It was a long day—16.6 miles from Plumorchard Shelter. I saw a big fat glossy black snake on the trail today. At first I though it was a stick; when I realized it had a face, I shrieked and backpedaled several feet. Thank goodness no one was around. When I saw it wasn't poisonous, I started to laugh, and took a picture as the snake glided across the trail and up the hill.
The ground and trees are still bare. So, so strange, since spring was in full bloom when I left the Bay Area.
Muskrat Creek Shelter, 12:30pm I've been here about 10-15 minutes; Wiley and Orion are here, too. T was here last night about 7p. If he goes into town to catch Arkon tomorrow I might be able to catch him. Chinook and Izzy are headed for Standing Indian Shelter four miles away, as are Wiley and Orion. Depending on the terrain, that would put me in camp about 3p—kinda early. If I push on it's up and over Standing Indian Mtn (about 5300 feet) and then a additional easy 4.5 miles to Beech Gap and campsites. We'll see how the feets are doing.
Beech Gap, 5:45pm Well, I did indeed make it. I ran into Robert, already set up; haven't seen him since Low Gap. No one else here. It's a big wide gap, too, so plenty of sites. Buggy, though—Robert gave me a couple of spritzes of Avon Skin-so-soft. Now I smell clean, though I certainly am not clean.
I went through my book to see if I could not only make it to Wesser, but get there on the 12th so I can shower and launder before heading home, and I can. If I do only 12 miles/day I'll be there no problem. Before I came out here I was expecting something akin to a Desert Survivor hike; in other words, a wilderness experience with no roads, cars, buildings or phones. But with road crossings most days and towns every three days or so, it's quite the opposite (not to mention the shelters and the actual trail itself—I don't even use maps or a compass). Which fortunately means the opportunity to get clean on a regular basis. Unfortunately it also means I'm packing way too much food. I don't mind sleeping on the dirt, using the bear's toilet, or eating the same thing day after day, but I really, really, look forward to a hot water shower after three days on the trail. Funny what you miss. It's 8p now and I'm going to bed.
The ground and trees are still bare. So, so strange, since spring was in full bloom when I left the Bay Area.
Muskrat Creek Shelter, 12:30pm I've been here about 10-15 minutes; Wiley and Orion are here, too. T was here last night about 7p. If he goes into town to catch Arkon tomorrow I might be able to catch him. Chinook and Izzy are headed for Standing Indian Shelter four miles away, as are Wiley and Orion. Depending on the terrain, that would put me in camp about 3p—kinda early. If I push on it's up and over Standing Indian Mtn (about 5300 feet) and then a additional easy 4.5 miles to Beech Gap and campsites. We'll see how the feets are doing.
Beech Gap, 5:45pm Well, I did indeed make it. I ran into Robert, already set up; haven't seen him since Low Gap. No one else here. It's a big wide gap, too, so plenty of sites. Buggy, though—Robert gave me a couple of spritzes of Avon Skin-so-soft. Now I smell clean, though I certainly am not clean.
I went through my book to see if I could not only make it to Wesser, but get there on the 12th so I can shower and launder before heading home, and I can. If I do only 12 miles/day I'll be there no problem. Before I came out here I was expecting something akin to a Desert Survivor hike; in other words, a wilderness experience with no roads, cars, buildings or phones. But with road crossings most days and towns every three days or so, it's quite the opposite (not to mention the shelters and the actual trail itself—I don't even use maps or a compass). Which fortunately means the opportunity to get clean on a regular basis. Unfortunately it also means I'm packing way too much food. I don't mind sleeping on the dirt, using the bear's toilet, or eating the same thing day after day, but I really, really, look forward to a hot water shower after three days on the trail. Funny what you miss. It's 8p now and I'm going to bed.
Plumorchard Gap Shelter
It's Saturday, and I'm on the second half of my trip. I got a late start out of town today. First, we had breakfast at the hostel: pancakes, sausage, cheese biscuits, orange juice, coffee, as much as we wanted. And it was really good food -- take it from someone who cooks. I packed up and hitched in with Julian and Porkchop and Spike. Spike got a room at the Holiday Inn Express, Julian and Porkchop went to do e-mail at the library, and I bought Tevas and groceries, then went back to Spike's room to grab my pack. Called Greg from the lobby then went upstairs to find Spike's family there, one of whom having been born in Albany! Very nice people, and very encouraging about my hiking. Caught two rides to Dick's Creek Gap and set off for Plumorchard Gap Shelter, only 4.3 miles in. I passed a guy going out on the blue-blazed access trail—he said no one else was there. I was thinking of pressing on another couple of miles in hopes of shortening my hike on the 13th as well as catching CW and T, who are both ahead of me on the trail, but the Tevas gave me new blisters (natch) and I have to say the novelty of staying at an empty shelter was appealing.
Plumorchard Gap Shelter, 5:20pm Two robins are foraging in the leaf litter, and those slate-grey birds are in the trees, and I can hear if not see woodpeckers. And someone keeps hopping onto the roof of the shelter. So I'm going to stay. I'll sleep in the shelter instead of the 'mid, too. Whee!
Well, at 6:15p I heard noise on the path and who should show up but Numbers and Leprachaun. They also left town late (about 2:30, he said), which put them about half an hour behind me to start. I am glad to have some company -- it's very different to be by myself after a week or so of camping with others. I also have to do something about my blisters or I'm gonna have some serious mileage problems. I think that if I can tape my feet right, the Tevas will be the way to go, even though I hate adding the weight of my shoes to six days' worth of food and my cold-weather clothes (it was low- to mid-70s today, with more of the same forecast through Wednesday). The blisters on both my little toes have blisters underneath the original blister -- how's that for messed up? But now, the Tevas are rubbing my heels and I can't get the moleskin and duct tape to stay put. My feet are fine when everything's in place, but it doesn't stay that way for long. Now Leprechaun is offering me Crazy Glue to keep the tape in place! He also has an alcohol stove -- made out of two V8 cans and some bent paper clips. Sweet. I hope my soda can stove is waiting for me when I get back.
fyi, as of the end of 2005, this remains my shortest hiking day so far!
Plumorchard Gap Shelter, 5:20pm Two robins are foraging in the leaf litter, and those slate-grey birds are in the trees, and I can hear if not see woodpeckers. And someone keeps hopping onto the roof of the shelter. So I'm going to stay. I'll sleep in the shelter instead of the 'mid, too. Whee!
Well, at 6:15p I heard noise on the path and who should show up but Numbers and Leprachaun. They also left town late (about 2:30, he said), which put them about half an hour behind me to start. I am glad to have some company -- it's very different to be by myself after a week or so of camping with others. I also have to do something about my blisters or I'm gonna have some serious mileage problems. I think that if I can tape my feet right, the Tevas will be the way to go, even though I hate adding the weight of my shoes to six days' worth of food and my cold-weather clothes (it was low- to mid-70s today, with more of the same forecast through Wednesday). The blisters on both my little toes have blisters underneath the original blister -- how's that for messed up? But now, the Tevas are rubbing my heels and I can't get the moleskin and duct tape to stay put. My feet are fine when everything's in place, but it doesn't stay that way for long. Now Leprechaun is offering me Crazy Glue to keep the tape in place! He also has an alcohol stove -- made out of two V8 cans and some bent paper clips. Sweet. I hope my soda can stove is waiting for me when I get back.
fyi, as of the end of 2005, this remains my shortest hiking day so far!
Blueberry Patch, Hiawassee, GA
The group at the Cheese Factory was up and about early. I hit the trail at 8a because, hey, this is my vacation. At Tray Gap BSA Troop 605 had set up a thru-hiker feeding station. I didn't stop but everyone else from the C.F. must have because I didn't see any of them all day.
Made real good time on the trail, probably because I knew a shower was at the end of it. Passed Spike (nee Whiskers Mike) near the end. As I was coming into Dicks Creek Gap and the highway I saw two hikers hitching—a relief not to have to hitch alone, since it was my first time and all. Just as I got ot the road a truck pulled up so I ran and jumped in the back with the other two and rode to the Blueberry Patch Hostel outside of town. Quite a crowd showed up—12 people, so a bunch of us camped among the fruit trees in back as there were only 7 beds. First thing I did was shower and put on clean clothes, then put my filled laundry basket by the door to be washed, then made the round of introductions: Orion and Wiley Coyote from Florida (the guys I rode in with) and Achilles from Maine (worst blisters I have ever seen but at least it got him a cool trail name)—he'd been there since Saturday recuperating. Doccson, Spike, Dutch, Chinook and Izzy showed up, too. Oh, and Dave "Breaking Wind" the windsurfer from Maui. Real nice guy.
Dutch, Spike and I hitched a ride into town for Daniel's $5.99 AYCE. Not as good as Blairsville, but tasty. Mike and Andrew showed up at the buffet, and we heard that T was in town at the Hiawassee Inn. Got a ride back, made phone calls (arranged a shuttle back to ATL—$165, ouch!). Oh yeah, and cokes in the hostel fridge and a box of home-made chocolate-chip cookies sent by a thru-hiker's mom. Beautiful night.
Made real good time on the trail, probably because I knew a shower was at the end of it. Passed Spike (nee Whiskers Mike) near the end. As I was coming into Dicks Creek Gap and the highway I saw two hikers hitching—a relief not to have to hitch alone, since it was my first time and all. Just as I got ot the road a truck pulled up so I ran and jumped in the back with the other two and rode to the Blueberry Patch Hostel outside of town. Quite a crowd showed up—12 people, so a bunch of us camped among the fruit trees in back as there were only 7 beds. First thing I did was shower and put on clean clothes, then put my filled laundry basket by the door to be washed, then made the round of introductions: Orion and Wiley Coyote from Florida (the guys I rode in with) and Achilles from Maine (worst blisters I have ever seen but at least it got him a cool trail name)—he'd been there since Saturday recuperating. Doccson, Spike, Dutch, Chinook and Izzy showed up, too. Oh, and Dave "Breaking Wind" the windsurfer from Maui. Real nice guy.
Dutch, Spike and I hitched a ride into town for Daniel's $5.99 AYCE. Not as good as Blairsville, but tasty. Mike and Andrew showed up at the buffet, and we heard that T was in town at the Hiawassee Inn. Got a ride back, made phone calls (arranged a shuttle back to ATL—$165, ouch!). Oh yeah, and cokes in the hostel fridge and a box of home-made chocolate-chip cookies sent by a thru-hiker's mom. Beautiful night.
Cheese Factory site
Rained again last night but appears to have stopped now. T and I got a fire going in the fire ring last night much to everyone's delight. I didn't think we would, but on the second try it worked. I kept blowing and blowing on it til it took—with a crowd around me I was not goint to sing to Tatewari! Standing around the fire last night made me wistful that I'm not thru-hiking with these guys—the group I've seen to fallen in with—but at the same time I'm not so sad because the hiking is difficult physically. Jamie and Gerber showed off their tuna can stoves last night; mighty impressive. CW finally pulled in about 5p, a little after Mike and Andrew came in, rested, and moved on; they're trying to make up for a slow start. Didn't see Whiskers Mike at all. Oh, and I finally met the Belgian (Fossil, but everybody calls him "the Belgian"). I signed his map, which he asks everyone to do. Most people say "the Belgian" and roll their eyes, but he was only in our camp for a little bit before heading down to the shelter to crash.
Today's hiking will be mixed: the trail from here to Unicoi Gap is mostly level ridge-walking, but after that is Rocky Mtn, with an almost 1000-foot ascent and descent. Aiming for the Cheese Factory site for a 13-mile day. that will leave 11.7 miles for Friday's hike to Hwy 76 and a ride into Hiawassee.
Cheese Factory site, 5pm I've been here for about an hour. The palatial 'mid is set up. I've got water and my camp clothes on. Tomorrow will be a long day: 12.5 miles to the highway where I catch a ride into town. My plan is to go to the Blueberry Patch hostel, get a bunk, a shower, and my clothes washed. Then maybe a restaurant, though food ins't a big priority so far. I don't feel underfed. But I will need to resupply and must figure out my ride to ATL.
The Cheese Factory is jumping: T and Dutch are here, along with six others. Leprechaun and Numbers pushed on; probably what Gerber, Jazz and Jamie did, too. I've got to write down a story Jamie told yesterday that had me chuckling all day. Just before Damascus, if you push, you can hike in four states in one day. To reach the last state, you have to cross to the other side of a bridge in Damascus. The guy he was hiking with was so tired, though, that he blew off the bridge and headed straight for the motel. When Jamie caught up with him in the loby, the clerk was saying, "All we have left are smoking rooms," to which the tired hiker replied "I don't care if the m****'s on fire"—it's still making me laugh. Okay. I'm getting up to make some noodles and tea.
One more note. T made it official: I'm now Bedouin on the trail, on account of the 'mid looking like some sheik's desert tent, and my desert hiking.
It's a little after 7pm, and i"m in the 'mid because it just started raining, even though Dutch assured us it would be clear tonight and lovely tomorrow. Porkchop said earlier that if he's wrong she would throw things at him.
Today's hiking will be mixed: the trail from here to Unicoi Gap is mostly level ridge-walking, but after that is Rocky Mtn, with an almost 1000-foot ascent and descent. Aiming for the Cheese Factory site for a 13-mile day. that will leave 11.7 miles for Friday's hike to Hwy 76 and a ride into Hiawassee.
Cheese Factory site, 5pm I've been here for about an hour. The palatial 'mid is set up. I've got water and my camp clothes on. Tomorrow will be a long day: 12.5 miles to the highway where I catch a ride into town. My plan is to go to the Blueberry Patch hostel, get a bunk, a shower, and my clothes washed. Then maybe a restaurant, though food ins't a big priority so far. I don't feel underfed. But I will need to resupply and must figure out my ride to ATL.
The Cheese Factory is jumping: T and Dutch are here, along with six others. Leprechaun and Numbers pushed on; probably what Gerber, Jazz and Jamie did, too. I've got to write down a story Jamie told yesterday that had me chuckling all day. Just before Damascus, if you push, you can hike in four states in one day. To reach the last state, you have to cross to the other side of a bridge in Damascus. The guy he was hiking with was so tired, though, that he blew off the bridge and headed straight for the motel. When Jamie caught up with him in the loby, the clerk was saying, "All we have left are smoking rooms," to which the tired hiker replied "I don't care if the m****'s on fire"—it's still making me laugh. Okay. I'm getting up to make some noodles and tea.
One more note. T made it official: I'm now Bedouin on the trail, on account of the 'mid looking like some sheik's desert tent, and my desert hiking.
It's a little after 7pm, and i"m in the 'mid because it just started raining, even though Dutch assured us it would be clear tonight and lovely tomorrow. Porkchop said earlier that if he's wrong she would throw things at him.
Low Gap Shelter
It's 4:30, and I'm at the shelter—well, camped outside the shelter, which is packed. I pulled in about 3p. I though I would go farther, but my feet were (and are) so painful I said that's it. T's here, and Jamie, Gerber, Jazz, Docsson and Dutch—people I recognize from the cabins. See? Rain's good for something. T's waiting for CW and getting a little worried.
These accents are tripping me out! It's not everyone, but a lot of people. For instance, Jamie pronounces "supernatural" as "super natch your ell," with the accent on the "ell."
Misty all day today, except for an hour or so this afternoon when we got some sun, but now it's cloudy again. Also, because my feet hurt so much, I'm changing my expectations: instead of pushing hells bells for Wesser and the NOC, I'm going to do what I can to reach Hwy 76 and get into Hiawassee, assess how I'm doing, and probably arrange to get a ride out after passing the North Carolina border.
Goose Creek Cabins, Neel's Gap
In the megamid, 7:45am It's been raining and thundering since 5a. I've heard two people hike past my tentsite. Thought I'd wait it out but I think I'll just go for it. Might be Blood Mtn tonight if it's too wet.
Pretty funny to be sharing a cabin with two strange men, huh? I can't wait until I get to hitchhike into town!
Now I'm showered and in dry clothes and sipping tea with the guys, chatting while we wait for the dinner shuttle into Blairsville. Five restaurants in town? We'll see.
Our driver recommended an all-you-can-eat buffet; most of us went there. I wore slippahs at least two sizes too big I found in the hiker box at the registration desk. Now, everybody working at the cabins is extremely nice, but wow: their office is crammed with DAP (dead animal parts) and a big ol' Confederate flag. I am a stranger in a strange land for sure!
So the AYCE was good, except for the chicken-fried stead and poor dessert bar, and only $6.41, ice tea included. Folks, I've spent that at Starbucks on mornings before heading into the office.Now, why is sweetened ice tea the default instead of unsweetened? Bought granola cereal and two bags of tuna at the grocery after dinner. With help from CW and T I've figured out my route/mileage from here to NOC, which should put me in Wesser early (noon?) on the 12th. Plane leaves ATL the 13th. Will get fuel and arrange a ride tomorrow at Walasi.
Goose Creek Cabins, 4:45pm
Well, it certainly was wet! It rained all day—thunder and lightning in the morning, which was pretty scary. As I was packing up this morning the lightning was moving in and I was nervous about that metal pole holding up the 'mid. I pretty much went straight through to Blood Mtn and stopped for about 20 minutes at the shelter there. I didn't stay longer because I was getting cold. Man I was beat. But from there it was only 2.5 miles down hill to Neels Gap and the Walasi-Yi Inn. The hostel was closed but the woman there said a shuttle was coming from the cabins, $25/night. Yes! I threw my stuff in along with some other folks that I've been running into since Hawk Mtn, and we went to Goose Creek Cabins. Everybody was coming off the trail so it's crowded, and I'm sharing a cabin with "T" and "CW" (cry wolf) and his dog Rowdy. She's a good girl. T's the guy who, at one point, passed me going uphill and made some comment about the rain, and I said, yeah, but it's better than being dead. He thought that was pretty funny. When I showed up at Walasi to find a crowd of hikers waiting under the awning for the shuttle to the cabins, T was there and said to the rest of the hikers, "Here comes my inspiration!"Pretty funny to be sharing a cabin with two strange men, huh? I can't wait until I get to hitchhike into town!
Now I'm showered and in dry clothes and sipping tea with the guys, chatting while we wait for the dinner shuttle into Blairsville. Five restaurants in town? We'll see.
Our driver recommended an all-you-can-eat buffet; most of us went there. I wore slippahs at least two sizes too big I found in the hiker box at the registration desk. Now, everybody working at the cabins is extremely nice, but wow: their office is crammed with DAP (dead animal parts) and a big ol' Confederate flag. I am a stranger in a strange land for sure!
So the AYCE was good, except for the chicken-fried stead and poor dessert bar, and only $6.41, ice tea included. Folks, I've spent that at Starbucks on mornings before heading into the office.Now, why is sweetened ice tea the default instead of unsweetened? Bought granola cereal and two bags of tuna at the grocery after dinner. With help from CW and T I've figured out my route/mileage from here to NOC, which should put me in Wesser early (noon?) on the 12th. Plane leaves ATL the 13th. Will get fuel and arrange a ride tomorrow at Walasi.
Ramrock Mountain Shelter
Black Hawk Shelter Monday morning, 8am. Well, I'm a little stiff but feeling better. I'm eating breakfast in bed (sausage and dried mangoes). It was cold last night. I woke up at 2a and took off my sweater as it felt warmer; clouds had moved in. By 4:30a it started to rain so I threw up the 'mid. It rained for the rest of the night. It's mostly stopped now but when I woke up and put on my glasses, I saw snow around the edge of the megamid! Not a lot, but seeing any was a real surprise. No wonder I slept in my long johns, fleece pants, undershirt, wool shirt, sweater, hat and socks.
Justus Creek, 1pm I've been resting my tootsies for about 20 minutes -- my longest break on the hike so far. There's some youth group here, too. They're all sitting on white trash bags and eating hot dogs and burgers off a grill. I don't know how they got a bag of briquets and jug of gatorade out here!
Spent part of the day hiking along with August and Nutter, both swell people. I hope they make it all the way to Maine. Michelle, too, who was having such a hard time when I passed her on the trail. She seemed like such a nice person in the five minutes we talked. I hope I make as good an impression on people I so briefly meet.
Part of that companionable hiking with August and Nuttere was spent sans shoes; a big relief, lemme tell you. I never did get around to replacing my hiking boots after I left them on BART, so I came to Georgia with my little leather Nike low-top hikers. While they're fine at home on dayhikes, they definitely are not working here. I don't know if my feet are swelling or what, but my toes are cramped on the downhills (and there are a lot of downhill stretches) and the sides are rubbing against my ankle bones, especially on my right foot, enough that I almost took out my pocket knife to saw off part of the shoe. Almost. I still might, because the top layers of skin are gone and it's oozy now. Blisters on my little and ring toes, big toes and index toes , balls of my feet. My miserable feet are slowing me down considerably. Fortunately, it's my only complaint -- well, and not having anything hot to eat in the dead of winter! When does spring get to this part of the country, anyway? And what are those little grey birds I see bustling about?
From here it's only 2.5 miles to the Gooch Gap Shelter, so I think I'll go further along the trail before I stop for the night (August is headed to Gooch). Let's see where another five hours gets me.
Ramrock Mtn, 6:10pm I feel better. I stopped about 5p, somewhere near the top of Ramrock Mtn -- shorter than I'd wanted, but my feet .... I wanted to get as close to Woody Gap today as I could so I would only have 10 miles to Neels Gap and fuel. But the trail was winding around the mountaintop and when I saw a good campsite, I capitulated. I set up the 'mid and pulled out my chowbag: I finished the last stump of my sausage and ate some dried apples and thought, tomorrow will be hard. In the non-cook pile of food I had one package of jerky, more dried apples and cherries, and the soy nuts, but hard sausage and dried fruit does not a happy GI tract make. And tomorrow's section has Blood Mtn, the high point on the AT in Georgia. I thought about all that plus my aching feet, and looked over at the fire ring. Ding! I collected a pile of scrap wood, got my pots 'n' pans and a bag of noodles, and hoped I could get a small fire going for four or five minutes to cook those darn noodles. I am happy to report that, thanks to some scrap paper and Al's storm matches, I am now full of hot cooked noodles -- I even have some tea I'm letting cool. I will drink my tea and eat some ginger candies, pee, and crawl into the 'mid for a long evening's slumber.
In the megamid, 7:30pm -- I had just changed into my sleep clothes when a kid, a Lhasa Apso, and a mom come strolling by. "What's that?" the kid asks him mom (re my food bag hanging from a tree). "That's to keep it safe from dogs like that!" I said. Mom laughed. "How far thataway is ... anything?" I asked her. She said I was about half a mile from Hwy 60. The road and Woody Gap! If I leave around 9a tomorrow I should be in Neels Gap by 4 or 5p.
Justus Creek, 1pm I've been resting my tootsies for about 20 minutes -- my longest break on the hike so far. There's some youth group here, too. They're all sitting on white trash bags and eating hot dogs and burgers off a grill. I don't know how they got a bag of briquets and jug of gatorade out here!
Spent part of the day hiking along with August and Nutter, both swell people. I hope they make it all the way to Maine. Michelle, too, who was having such a hard time when I passed her on the trail. She seemed like such a nice person in the five minutes we talked. I hope I make as good an impression on people I so briefly meet.
Part of that companionable hiking with August and Nuttere was spent sans shoes; a big relief, lemme tell you. I never did get around to replacing my hiking boots after I left them on BART, so I came to Georgia with my little leather Nike low-top hikers. While they're fine at home on dayhikes, they definitely are not working here. I don't know if my feet are swelling or what, but my toes are cramped on the downhills (and there are a lot of downhill stretches) and the sides are rubbing against my ankle bones, especially on my right foot, enough that I almost took out my pocket knife to saw off part of the shoe. Almost. I still might, because the top layers of skin are gone and it's oozy now. Blisters on my little and ring toes, big toes and index toes , balls of my feet. My miserable feet are slowing me down considerably. Fortunately, it's my only complaint -- well, and not having anything hot to eat in the dead of winter! When does spring get to this part of the country, anyway? And what are those little grey birds I see bustling about?
From here it's only 2.5 miles to the Gooch Gap Shelter, so I think I'll go further along the trail before I stop for the night (August is headed to Gooch). Let's see where another five hours gets me.
Ramrock Mtn, 6:10pm I feel better. I stopped about 5p, somewhere near the top of Ramrock Mtn -- shorter than I'd wanted, but my feet .... I wanted to get as close to Woody Gap today as I could so I would only have 10 miles to Neels Gap and fuel. But the trail was winding around the mountaintop and when I saw a good campsite, I capitulated. I set up the 'mid and pulled out my chowbag: I finished the last stump of my sausage and ate some dried apples and thought, tomorrow will be hard. In the non-cook pile of food I had one package of jerky, more dried apples and cherries, and the soy nuts, but hard sausage and dried fruit does not a happy GI tract make. And tomorrow's section has Blood Mtn, the high point on the AT in Georgia. I thought about all that plus my aching feet, and looked over at the fire ring. Ding! I collected a pile of scrap wood, got my pots 'n' pans and a bag of noodles, and hoped I could get a small fire going for four or five minutes to cook those darn noodles. I am happy to report that, thanks to some scrap paper and Al's storm matches, I am now full of hot cooked noodles -- I even have some tea I'm letting cool. I will drink my tea and eat some ginger candies, pee, and crawl into the 'mid for a long evening's slumber.In the megamid, 7:30pm -- I had just changed into my sleep clothes when a kid, a Lhasa Apso, and a mom come strolling by. "What's that?" the kid asks him mom (re my food bag hanging from a tree). "That's to keep it safe from dogs like that!" I said. Mom laughed. "How far thataway is ... anything?" I asked her. She said I was about half a mile from Hwy 60. The road and Woody Gap! If I leave around 9a tomorrow I should be in Neels Gap by 4 or 5p.
Black Hawk Shelter
Okay, I made it to Black Hawk Shelter. I'll count up the mileage later. I am beat. Cold air but warm sun. It's 6:30p now and it's starting to get cold. Actually too cold all day to even sit and rest; visible breath so whenever I stopped I got too cold. Now I'm just tired. Ate most of a package of jerky today, some apples, and, about 0.2 miles from the shelter along the trail then at the shelter table, all my granola. I will probably eat some sausage later but I'm going to wait until I pee then crawl in my bag. No tent; sky is clear. Though everybody else at the shelter—20, 25?—are in tents or in the shelter itself. Other than distance, it wasn't strenuous hiking; moderate at worst but mostly easy.
Okay, mileage. The shelter is 7.6 miles along the AT. Add that to the 8.5 Approach Trail plus the 1.0 mile from the lodge to the start of the Approach Trail—I just had to walk through that arch!—and that puts me at about 17 miles today. I think I'll do a little less tomorrow. My feet hurt.
I'm in my bag. I've had some of my sausage. It's just after 7p and still pretty light thanks to DST. It if stays cold like this I will be glad to get fuel in Neels Gap. Who've I met so far? Amanda and Court and their dog Walker; Michelle, no dog; August and his dog 'Nutter. August dropped out of college with one semester to go and is thru-hiking. Amanda and Court are sectional. Michelle I do not know.
There are leaves on the ground and some evergreens (pines, a holly-like tree and rhododendron) but mostly it is bare. I heard some songbirds and saw crows and what I'd call a turkey vulture, spiders, that's it. So weird; it was green and spring back for me two days ago.
Okay, mileage. The shelter is 7.6 miles along the AT. Add that to the 8.5 Approach Trail plus the 1.0 mile from the lodge to the start of the Approach Trail—I just had to walk through that arch!—and that puts me at about 17 miles today. I think I'll do a little less tomorrow. My feet hurt.
I'm in my bag. I've had some of my sausage. It's just after 7p and still pretty light thanks to DST. It if stays cold like this I will be glad to get fuel in Neels Gap. Who've I met so far? Amanda and Court and their dog Walker; Michelle, no dog; August and his dog 'Nutter. August dropped out of college with one semester to go and is thru-hiking. Amanda and Court are sectional. Michelle I do not know.
There are leaves on the ground and some evergreens (pines, a holly-like tree and rhododendron) but mostly it is bare. I heard some songbirds and saw crows and what I'd call a turkey vulture, spiders, that's it. So weird; it was green and spring back for me two days ago.
Amicolola Falls Lodge, Amicolola Falls SP, GA
I'm here!
I'm in the Amicolola Falls Lodge, room 108, on a blue-and-green-check bedspread. Just got off the phone with Greg and at his suggestion, grounded myself in Georgia.
REI was closed by the time we got there, and Target was a bust, so I'll have to figure out a fuel plan tomorrow, and also mail home my duffel and daypack; no lockers to be found at the ATL airport. The weather's clear, but Mary, my shuttler, said rain is forecast through Wednesday. Nice woman, Mary—keeps a photo scrapbook of people she's shuttled. Took me through the Steak 'n' Shake drive-through ... mmm, butter-toasted buns.
I'm in the Amicolola Falls Lodge, room 108, on a blue-and-green-check bedspread. Just got off the phone with Greg and at his suggestion, grounded myself in Georgia.
REI was closed by the time we got there, and Target was a bust, so I'll have to figure out a fuel plan tomorrow, and also mail home my duffel and daypack; no lockers to be found at the ATL airport. The weather's clear, but Mary, my shuttler, said rain is forecast through Wednesday. Nice woman, Mary—keeps a photo scrapbook of people she's shuttled. Took me through the Steak 'n' Shake drive-through ... mmm, butter-toasted buns.
The Appalachian Trail, baby!
Here's the deal: I've wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail for years now, but could never get the money and the time off from work at the same time. Then I read Bill Bryson's book and decided to just section-hike the darn thing. That was the fall of 2000; and by spring 2001 I was on the trail.
My plan then, as now, is to section-hike using my vacation time-off from work. The first year, I was on the trail April 1 to April 12. The second year, I hiked April 13 to April 26. Next year, I'll be back hiking the 27th. And so on until I'm done.
I'm adding my journal notes from last year and this, and intend to keep this online journal up-to-date on my future section hikes.—Bedouin
3/17/2001
I bought my ticket. Now I'm getting scared -- I feel like I have to actually go now that I spent $400 on a plane ticket. Still haven't arranged transportation from Atlanta to the trailhead and back.3/24/2001
Now I'm nervous. It started yesterday. I have my ride to Amicolola Falls set, and a place at the Amicolola Falls Lodge for Saturday night. Now I just need a ride back. Absolutely no appetite.3/28/2001
Yesterday I posted to BayAreaHiking with the suggestion of a pool: whoever guesses closest to my mileage wins a 6-pack of Blenheim ginger ale. Hamid says 160 miles, Bill says 130 and the NOC. He also says be sure to hit the Blueberry Patch.
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