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.