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Spent last night near Neel’s Gap (milepoint 30.7).
I’m still hiking. I just finished a 5-mile night-hike from Hogpen
Gap (GA 348) to Low Gap Shelter. Total miles today =10.6, but 5 of
them were at night during the full moon. I’ve used up 2 rolls of
film (disposable cameras) and bought another roll. I got 2
photos of a mother deer and her fawn. They stood still for the photo
on the north side of Blood Mountain. I have a sore left knee so I’ve
started using poles. I also dropped my pack weight to about 30 lbs.
Today’s goal is Tray Mt. Shelter.
Thanks to “Syngyn Hawk” and “Shawnaka” (sorry if the spelling is bad - ed.) for the hot cocoa and oatmeal with raisins! You’re right, it did kick off the morning - I’m planning to avoid night ‘hiking’ up difficult mountain climbs in the future. The wind blew me up, down, left, and right, and occassionally inside-out...(An interesting feeling - ONCE.) That was during my ascent of Tray Mountain at 8-9 PM last night. The full moon and clear skies made the view fantastic, but it was hard work. Rocks look different by moonlight than by sun (DUH?!) Anyway, I hope to make Plum Orchard Gap Shelter by dark today.
Oh! Thanks to “Blazing Wind” for the bit of fudge!
Looks like I’m getting our of here at 10:30 AM today. I was cleaning
up the shelter from a bunch of spring-breakers the night before and
decided to keep the nylon/PVC tent. It’s torn, but I can fix it with
a bit of seam-grip (not seam sealer). If that doesn’t work,
“Goop” will work. A needle and thread might work to strengthen the
tears as well. I’m burning the 1+ lb of garbage I found lying around
the shelter. I guess I don’t mind, since they gave me a tent. (He
threw the tent away later - ed.)
I stayed with “Syngyn Hawk” and “Shawnaka” again last night. We all decided to stay at the Deep Gap Shelter. Plumb Orchard Shelter will be today’s goal. After stopping before the path of a skunk, I decided to check my new blisters. It was a mistake to add a second pair of insoles. The boots were fine the day before. The foot-first-aid break took 1/2 hour and the sky started clouding over. I got to the Deep Gap Shelter with water just in time to build a fire for the others and share my mashed potatoes. “Syngyn Hawk” and “Shawnaka” had some saltines, summer sausage and tuna.
The shelter we stayed in is like something out of ‘Little House on the Prairie’. I stayed in one loft. They were on the first floor. I covered the doorway with the blue tarp - very good idea since the rain poured last night!
After looking at the topo map of Georgia and South Carolina I
have to agree with “Croshs” and “Syngyn Hawk” that Georgia should
be taken slowly and the time can be burned in the next few states.
Georgia has a lot of steep uphills and downhills. Well, time for
breakfast. It’s still drizzling, but the 8 miles to Plumb Orchard
will be done by 2-3 PM if I get out by 10 AM.
Yesterday morning was interesting. As soon as I was ready to leave, the sky turned dark, the wind picked up, and the sky fell. It started with that evil locomotive wind sound as the skies grew dark. The early light drizzle, left over from the night’s rainstorm, changed into sleet. Next came hail. After a few minutes of sleet and hail, the snow began to fall. High winds persisted through all of this and the temperature dropped to 25 degrees from the 40-degree night in my loft.
I apparently catapulted a mouse about 10 feet to the wall in the next loft that night because I felt it fly from atop my sleeping bag and all 3 of us heard it hit and scamper off.
After a few hours of snowfall we ate and chatted with “2-D” and Eric, then packed up and started the day’s trek. Yesterday was never much above 32 degrees because it kept snowing all day. The winds were strong and gusty as well. I was very happy to find the shelter when I did, because I had wet sock-mittens and really wanted to get warm and dry.
I wore a layer of fleece covered with a wind and waterproof shell. The body moisture still built up inside the waterproof shell where my hip belt rested, even though I took a slow pace to avoid breaking a sweat, but that’s hard to do.
I can’t believe I was able to wear only a bathing suit and take a sponge bath a day earlier! I think I got a winter sun burn that day (3/2).
This morning is 30 degrees in the loft. It’s a fancy shelter, but very inefficient use of heat conservation. While I’m sure the shelter is wonderful in the hot summer, the cold wind that blew beneath, above, and on all 4 sides of us definitely did NOT help keep us warm.
The father/son team that stayed next to me, “Syngyn Hawk” and
“Shawnaka” agreed with me that staying in tents is warmer. I’ll do
that tonight. I want to get some miles behind me. The last two days
of 7 and 8 miles have kind of put a damper on my hike. I’m glad I
kept them short, but today looks nice enough to do more. The next
camping area looks like Standing Indian Shelter about 12.4 miles
from this shelter.
9 AM -- Stayed here last night with Eric, Tom and "Yahtzee." They hiked in from the ‘Blueberry Patch’ last night. Apparently a good idea. They then pushed about 16 miles from Hiawassee at the I-76 crossing. We all plan to get to Big Spring Shelter today. That’ll be 14.4 miles. I’m feeling a bit old since most of the thru hikers I run into are college age. They plan to go into Franklin for groceries, lodging, etc. since we all have heard stories about the guy at Wallace Gap being kinda mean toward thru hikers (price gouging, attitude, etc.) I said 'hi’ to Chris at Muskrat Creek Shelter around 3:15 PM.
(Yesterday,) I walked by myself all day with most areas having between 4 inches and 2 feet of snow, depending on the sunlight and wind of the area. There was an occasional dry spot, but that was before the border. Oh! I crossed into North Carolina at 1:23 PM on 3/4. Kind of neat numbers. Anyway, Georgia is done! Now that I think about it, only 2-3 days were spent in Georgia WITHOUT snow.
I set up my tarp on top of the little tent, inside the shelter.
I think it raised the temperature inside my sleeping bag by 10 degrees!
I didn’t tell the others, to eliminate jealousy. I need to add sugar
to my diet so I’ll eat more. I think a few more spices will help
as well. Cayenne pepper is one on my list.
I need to check my answering machine, call Jim, buy groceries,
take a REAL shower, eat lots of junk food, mail postcards and journal
entries, sleep on a real bed, drink soda, add sugar and spices to
my food supply, buy more disposable cameras. (I ran out last
night so I didn’t get the shots from the top of the fire tower that
I wanted. I will have to come back here some time, anyway, since
this is such a GREAT camping site.)
Well, just when I thought the snow was over, we got dumped on. Last night we got about 2 more inches. Uggh, another 10 miles of snowshoeing down the mountain! I’m now quite happy with my decision to stay in town tonight and eat at Pizza Hut for lunch.
Since it’s Saturday, we’re gonna have to hurry to get to the post
office. Aggggrh. I’m sick of snow dumping on me every day!
10 PM -- I arrived here at 1 PM today and decided to take a Rest, Rehabilitation, and Reassessment break. I bought some more appropriate gear like the wicking long johns, nylon pants, and rain hat. I also conceded to the night and bought a Brinkman Mini-Mag light, head strap, and 2 spare AA cells. I’ve already spent about 12 hours hiking at night and I figured I should at least have the opportunity to see the water as I guesstimate distance across a stream with my hiking poles. I then wrote my earlier entry in the journal and mailed my film and fleece pants (and old smelly socks) home. (The contents of the package were very identifiable even before it was opened! - ed)
I then went to get a $2.00 shower. When I went to pay, I found out that the bunkhouse was $13, and use of the shower, kitchen, etc. was included. Another “blizzard” was expected to hit these mountains at 3 PM this afternoon so I decided to stay. The “allergy to mice” that I’ve been dealing with seems to be maintaining its presence. I still don’t think it’s a virus, but my sinuses are all irritated and congested anyway.
I developed a touch of diarrhea over the last two days. Since I’ve been extremely paranoid about ghiardia (sp?) (sp?), I’ve been careful to purify all my water using a filter with iodine (PUR). I believe the problem is from my change in diet. I felt ill after leaving KFC’s all you can eat buffet. I’ve been careful to drink heavy fluids for the last few days... My head feels fine: no headache, dizziness, nausea, fever spells, or other signs of illness.
After my hot shower, I noticed some frostbite on the top of my left ear. I believe that came about on the third as the wind was cutting through my balaclava and rain gear. I remember the stinging develop on that ridge near Cowart Gap as the rain/sleet/hail/wind pelted me from the left.
Looking back, I’m glad it’s just my ear and not the rest of me. I was very worried about “Syngyn Hawk” and his wife “Shannaru.” They are beginning hikers and wore lots of cotton clothing. I’m now confident that the two of them are capable of working through their inexperience, as they demonstrated a strong ability to assess their situation and form a new plan based on their recent experiences. I’m trying to learn from their ability to do that.
As anyone will tell you on the trail, a schedule can be a dangerous thing. My original mileage plan did not anticipate 10 days out of 13 with snow, several with dangerous winds, and most with wet ice. I joke about taking 2 steps up and one slide back, but the wet ice has really caused a few injuries amongst us thru hikers. The poles are the only thing that has kept me from breaking my left ankle 5 times and my right twice. I notice that I have twisted my left ankle many times. I think that is from the knee pain in the left leg. To compensate, I’ve used my right leg to power myself up and down any step more than 2 feet high. I also use my poles to take most force off my left knee, even more than I do to ease the right. I think this leaves me with less awareness of my left foot’s position and may have led to some of the twists. Fortunately, the poles and the new boots have prevented a serious injury.
Overall, I think I’m doing pretty good. Almost everyone I’ve seen on the trail was here at the Nantahala Outdoors Club today. I talked to “2-D” (Second Degree Smartass, traveling from New York with First and Third Degrees) about our progress. I’m a bit down about my mileage. Physically, I feel ready to hike 20-mile days. I’m not able to get up early enough, leave my warm sleeping bag, pack my gear, and walk into the frozen slush, sliding backward with each step, and feel like pushing for 20 miles. I feel like staying with our early “pack” of 8 to 12 that seem to squish out of every crack in a shelter.
“Yahtzee” made a good point a few days ago: Soon the days will be warm enough to send the extra weight home and fly through the Mid-Atlantic. He warned about taking the schedule idea too seriously. It’s funny. “Yahtzee” is an out-of-work biology high school teacher who quit his job to through-hike the trail, and “2-D” is a chemistry high school teacher . We’re all on the same basic timeline. “2-D” pointed out that I have to average 13.7 miles/day for the number of days I’ve allotted. 20 miles/day is reputed to be natural in Virginia. I know Harpers Ferry will be a 20+-mile-day. In nice weather, with my new-felt endurance, I will hop over the sharp rocks in Pennsylvania. I long for their severe traction at this point.
The next few days will offer a nice test of emotional endurance. The digestive evolution, pummelling from the skies, snow and ice-covered Smokies, or our new element - Bears. Now we get to lock ourselves into bed at night. It’s similar to a shark cage. We put our food and ourselves in a cage, lock it, then sleep while the bears try to eat it/us. I’m actually looking forward to seeing a cute lil’ fuzzy bear :) I hope they are as docile as the ones the Scout troop saw at summer camp at Valley Forge, PA. (I think Sven means Resica Falls, PA - ed)
I plan to stay at the Fontana Dam Shelter (161.7 miles) on 3/10. there should be free showers and heated bathrooms at the Fontana Dam Visitors Center where I will also pick up the permit to enter the Smokies. The night before (tomorrow night) should be spent at Brown Fork Gap Shelter (150.1 miles). That gives me a 16.2 mile hike tomorrow and a 12.8 mile hike on the 10th. I’m told there will be phones at the Visitor Center where people will shuttle the hikers around town to prep for the Smokies. I have a few numbers from the ALDHA Thruhiker’s Companion. Unfortunately, Wingfoot never put out his guide in time for my thruhike. Maybe he’ll have a copy for me when I see him at Hot Springs after the Smokies.
OK, now, time for sleep. I just remembered, my nose is sunburned,
windburned, chapped, swollen, and sore . . . I just sneezed.
Last night “Jeremiah” came into NOC around 7 PM. He was too late to get a room, so I let him stay with me. He paid NOC in the morning. I met him a few nights back in the fancy shelter during the bad wind and sleet storm (the one that gave me frostbite on my ear). He and his son are thruhiking to Maine in a roundabout way. His son is in the Mississippi National Guard, so he has to take a train home once a month to do his drill weekend. They meet up shortly after he gets back from Guard duty.
I’m staying in “Jeremiah’s” tent tonight. We decided the 7 miles to the first shelter was not enough miles, but the 16 to Shelter #2 was too many. We stopped at Locust Cove Gap.
Today was the absolute worst conditions for hiking I have ever,
or probably will ever, experience in my life. The temperature hovered
around 35 degrees all day. Last night we got about 2-3 inches of
snow. This morning we had fog covering everything with a light
freezing rain drizzle. To top things off, the first 8 miles of hiking
, to the top of Cheoah Bald from NOC, were UP! I mean ‘way UP. Every
once in a while I’d look up and say, “Yup, still up.” I think that
I had a nightmare once where I was scrambling up a hill and
getting nowhere. That was today. The best way to describe out predicament
is best illustrated this way: Imagine going skiing at your favorite
mountain. Now add about 6 hours of rain, turning the mountain to
a mix of ice, slush, and snow. Now put on your ski boots and
walk to the top of the mountain. Having fun?? Well, we made it the
10.5 miles closer to Fontana Dam today. Another 17.1 to go. I am
feeling much better knowing that this has to be the hardest day of
hiking. I was soaked through when we arrived, but I’m dry, in
my dry sleeping bag. Rain soaked through the pack cover, the pack,
and a stuff sack, but not the trash bag liner! Now for sleep!
11 PM -- I got a chance to put on my EMT/babysitter hat last night and this morning. Jeremiah and I helped feed and care for a “thruhiker” that latched onto us at Brown Fork Gap Shelter. He stated that he dropped his food off a cliff while retrieving his gear-bag. This was believable at first, but his story has gotten us thinking.
First, why hang a bear bag over a cliff, and second, we haven’t seen any big cliffs that would prevent subsequent retrieval of such a lost bear bag of food. He also spent 3 nights at NOC and had his whole supply waiting at Fontana Dam. His story seems like the same thing the homeless people on the streets of Philly would regularly give me.
Still, “Wyoming Skateboarder” was carrying a pack, along with a canoe paddle, tool box, and did seem appropriately dressed for the weather, so he probably intends to thruhike.
When we arrived at Locust Cove gap, we set up camp. Wyoming finally discovered, after I asked many times, that his sleeping bag was soaked through. Apparently those thin nylon stuffsacks can’t keep water off your sleeping bag when you lay in puddles at the side of the trail in a rain storm all day. He had a tarp to line his sleeping bag, and synthetic and wool clothing on his body. That, along with his tent, and the fact that his sleeping bag was Hollowfill II, kept him sufficiently warm. We fed him some hot food and cocoa and he went to sleep.
In the morning, “Jeremiah” and I agreed to stay at Cable Gap Shelter, and he left ahead of me. I waited until “Wyoming” was up, ate something, packed, and walking down the trail, before I policed the campsite and headed north. Good thing I did: I found Jeremiah’s radio and pack cover sitting under a tree branch. I last saw Wyoming sitting on the trail, in a puddle, waiting for me. He promised to walk to the nearest town when he reached the Sweetwater Creek Road (NC 143) crossing. I then walked quickly to the cable Gap Shelter (11.6 miles away) and set up camp inside.
“Jeremiah” is quite an interesting person. He’s an attorney who has a practice with his wife. He spent several years as an enlisted paratrooper in Viet Nam and has worked for the US Department of Personnel or something like that. His son will be rejoining him/us in the Smokies when he gets back from Mississippi.
Tomorrow night, “Jeremiah” and I plan to stay at the Fontana Motel aka “The Hike Inn.” We plan to split the cost of a $30 room, but the ALDHA’s Companion wasn’t clear if this was $30/person or if we could split the cost. Either way, he makes a good roommate. I’m even able to sleep through some of his snoring. Jeff & Nancy Hoch, the owners, will probably facilitate getting my mail drop tomorrow. Woo Hoo! I mad it to my first mail drop!
I spent some time thinking today. It was 35 degrees all day, overcast, steady breeze from the west, and standard ice covering everything. Aside from thoughts about family, friends, medical school, and a warm bed, I realized that i have become a much better winter hiker. I’ve improved my “edging” skills, where you walk on the edges of your boots, usually used in rock climbing to get up a rock with a narrow shelf. It’s also useful in breaking through hard-packed snow/ice and making a new foothold. Wyoming had crampons - cleats to spike into ice and snow. I might get a pair in Fontana if they’re not too expensive, as I will be able to use them throughout the Smokies.
I heard DC got dumped on by a snow storm? We only got 2 more inches last night. Fortunately, no rain, snow, or blopping from the trees today. This morning was very cold (25 degrees) for applying wet, frozen hiking clothing. My bag is warm and dry tonight. Time for more sleep - already got 6 hours.
Send mail to Sven! Loren Chassels General Delivery Erwin, TN 37650 Arriving about 3/25/99
Loren Chassels General Delivery Damascus, VA 24236
Arriving about 3/31/99
Well, It’s 8 AM, the haze is glowing, it’s 35 degrees, I’m dry,
my stuff is dry, and I’m psyched about a hot shower at the visitor’s
center, only 6.9 miles away! We might stay at the village in the
Fontana Inn or the Hostel, as it is located with the grocery and
Post Office. It depends on the shuttle service the Hochs provide.
Jeff and Nancy Hoch are the nicest people! “Jeremiah” and I made one phone call from the (closed until May) Visitors Center at Fontana Dam. Within 5 minutes, Jeff was at the pay phone with his pickup. Minutes later, we were deposited at the Fontana Village - an overpriced tourist trap with the post office. I picked up my 2 mail drop packages from Jim, a postcard, and a letter from Mom. Minutes later we were in our room - a spacious 20 x 20 foot room with 2 beds, a shower, bathroom, etc.
After showering, we went to Robbinsville with Nancy. She took us to a good pizza place and afterward “Jeremiah” and I walked across the street to Ingles.
At 5 PM, Nancy drove us back to the Hike Inn (Fontana Motel). We repacked our food supply, filled out our Smoky Mountain Thru-Hiker Permits, and nerfed out on the beds listening to National Public Radio, watching Friends on NBC, and chatting. Lawyers have some neat cases!
Anyway, the plan is to take it pretty light going into the Smokies and pick up speed once on top of the ridge. Reports talk about 2-4 feet of snow, and a 97 thru-hiker named “Kix” told us today that the first few days in the Smokies are tough. We’re going to shoot for around 12 miles/day. Besides, we’re required to stay as close to the shelters as possible if not inside. They want all hikers, and especially their food, to be locked behind the fencing of the shelter cage. We can camp outside if the shelter is full. Hopefully we won’t have to deal with that problem with this weather, and the few hikers we’ve seen. Most have passed us and are about one day ahead, so far as I can tell from the shelter logs. I believe we’re about the 30th to come to Fontana Dam this year. That’s what Jeff Hook told us as well. They take good care of the hikers around here, even providing shuttle service to hikers that don’t stay at the Hike Inn (for ($1 charge, I think.) I really feel like these people know the value of a good reputation and work to keep their reputation true. OK enough free plugging for the Hike Inn: Stay there if you get the chance!
My current health: I’ve dropped the dried fruit from my diet and the bowel irritation has diminished. I’ll add a few raisins back in a few days, but forget the mangoes, papayas, and pineapple. I forgot to mention an injury I acquired outside the Ingles in Franklin a few days ago. I stood up from the sidewalk after removing the packaging from my food. On the way up, I jammed the fire department sprinkler standpipe connection into the small of my back. It gave me a nice contusion with a small abrasion. I’ve been applying antibiotic ointment at night, but it’s almost gone.
(Three months after my thruhike, I was diagnosed with tapeworms and ghirardia. In retrospect, I believe this was the first time I showed symptoms of these problems. I must have been infected when I drank water that someone else "purified." I'm guessing it was responsible for many of the upcoming dietary and metabolism problems that I suffered.)
The blisters from the top of my left ear are almost gone. They are all that’s left of my frostbite.
My nose and cheeks are still a nice red color with some chapping. It’s more from the sweat and wind than the sun, I think. I’ve bought a stick of Bull Frog Sun Block (SPF 36) with UVA and UVB, waterproof special goo and other gimmicky enhancements. It even smells better than chapstick! It’ll probably make me into a nice tasty meal for a bear.
(Oh how these words sting, now that my hike in finished!)
While the addition of hot water to the last few meals I’ve had with “Jeremiah” has been nice, it isn’t something that I want to mess with (the stove or other heat source). I’m not going to add that to my gear.
I have found the addition of a flashlight to be one of the most uplifting additions to my gear. The head strap that I’m using with it makes nighttime trail register reading and journal writing possible and keeps me from feeling rushed in the morning or when I arrive at night. I’m carrying a total of 8 AA batteries now. 2 in the flashlight, and 6 spare. I want to have 2 spares at all times, just in case I have to push for a different shelter near darkness. I know I will be doing more night hiking when the moon starts coming up in the evenings again (about 2 weeks or so). It will be nice to see the streams when cloud cover decides to play games.
I finished roll #4 of film on 3/10. I’m sending it to Jim with this journal entry. I bought more film at NOC so I have the one I used today with some pictures of Fontana Dam, the Smokies, and some nice ice crystal formations on the trees (6 pictures today). I also have 4 more unused cameras, each with 27 shots. It’s funny how priorities have changed. I bought a 200-page pad of paper. I think I’ll send 100 slices ahead, or maybe I won’t.
I’m eating well. The brown sugar really got me eating the oatmeal. The mix I’ve developed is 1 lb of Instant Quaker Oatmeal, 1/2 lb dark brown sugar, 1 qt instant skim milk powder. Just add cold water, wait 5 minutes, then eat. It’s much better than those expensive packets! Total cost is about $5 per 2-lb batch. I also went for some Quaker Honey Nut Oats - Cheerios knockoff for 1/2 the price. Triscuits store nicely in the Tupperware. I bought a second, smaller Tupperware container that works well for rehydrating the freeze dried foods.
Well, my stuff is dry, I just watched a rerun of ER, and I’m ready to go to sleep. I even had my Neapolitan ice cream and Mountain Dew soda to help me doze off. Tomorrow’s breakfast: cheddar cheese sandwiches, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, etc. I bought a loaf of bread. Oh, how I love bread after not having it for so many months (dieting).
If anyone would like to send me a postcard, please give Jim your
mailing address to forward to me. I left all my addresses at home
and this is the only practical way I can think to get them. Just
send it to him in email.
8 AM - Last night I stayed at this shelter with 2-D, 3-D, and a couple of families - 2 dads and about 6 kids. I found out one father is a hospital administrator/pharmacist and the other is an anesthesiologist at the same hospital. We talked a lot about medical school, anesthesiology, and other specialties. It was a nice conversation. I’m looking forward to school.
Jeremiah said he was going to stay at Mollies Ridge Shelter, so he is probably 2.6 miles back. I’m hoping to see him again before he stops for his wife and son to meet him. Tonight I’m going to go for Double Spring Gap Shelter. It’s 16.0 miles north of here.
Now that everybody is leaving, I’d better get up, eat, and start moving. It’s warmer this morning than it was last night. It must be from the cloud cover that came in.
Yesterday was a beautiful day! We had sunshine and clear skies all day. The first 7 miles were dry trails. Unfortunately, the next 6 miles were a mix of deep snow, wet clay that oozed all over the place, and horse dung. It was nice to encounter horse dung after so much slush, clay, and other hazardous walking surfaces.
We heard a storm system is moving into the area. I expect we’ll
get snow tomorrow, so I better enjoy the overcast day today.
After they left, I finished breakfast and packed up. Just as I was going out of the fence of the shelter, Jeremiah stopped in. He stayed at the shelter 3 miles back. We chatted, then he went for water and I started hiking.
I noticed all of 2-d and 3-d’s footprints were covered and erased. I thought it was the 8 other sets of boots from the family but there was no trace after the families turned off the AT at Eagle Creek Trail.
I was worried about them so I made a quick detour and stopped at the Spence Field Shelter, following their tracks. Inside, I found them. They said they were fine. Some were cold and wet but they were changing and eating hot oatmeal and hot chocolate. They looked in good spirits, so I wished them luck and made my way up Rocky Top.
Rocky Top was intense. The snow increased. We now had an accumulation of 1/2 foot, but the drifts were forming mounds up to 3 feet deep in places across the ‘trail.’ After 2 hours of crawling through this horizontal snowstorm, I started getting blown off the ridge. The wind would blow me off the loosely packed snow where the ‘trail’ was winding and into the deep, fluffy, wet drifts.
When the wind made it impossible for me to climb further, I debated walking back down to Spence Field Shelter. Being the stubborn fool that I am, I decided all I had to do was make some snowshoes with cleats. No problem.
I hugged the first tree that the wind threw me against and wrapped my tarp around the tree, my pack, and my body. I sat on my foam pad and sealed myself in. Next I wrung out my wet fleece clothing. It was drenched with sweat from being inside my rain gear. I listened to the snow turn to rain as the wind picked up and battered my tarp. I’m guessing the wind was about 20 mph with gusts getting much harder.
When the rain let up, I opened the trap. I thought again about snowshoes or lashing some sticks to my feet and decided it would be a waste of time.
I picked up my tarp, wrung out my fleece mittens, and started back up Rocky Top. Soon after, I saw Jeremiah behind me. He seemed happy enough to be in this slop so I got a boost of energy. I continued to break trail and he followed. We made it to the peak of Rocky Top together. Neither of us wanted to lose sight of the other in case one of us cheated and decided to fly to the next gap on a gust of wind. We took several pictures of us standing in this torrential slop, then quickly descended, only to climb Thunderhead. At 5:30 PM, I got to Derrick Knob Shelter, where 2-D and 3-D had holed up in their sleeping bags. I met Tama. He is from Japan and is thruhiking to Maine with the rest of us. He wants to introduce the whole long-distance backpacking concept to his friends in Japan. Apparently this isn’t a very popular pastime in his country. I didn’t feel the need to point out how many people thought thruhiking the AT was a crazy idea before I left. I hope he makes it.
I’m eating dry stuffing mixed with dry croutons. I had about 1 gallon of water today including some orange herbal tea tonight so dry stuffing is fine - very easy cook & cleanup!
Tomorrow and the next few days are supposed to bring more snow, according to a Tennessee radio station that 2-D picked up. So far she’s been 1 for 2 on her weather forecasts. Tomorrow will be bright and sunny, I guess.
Well, I’m going to finish eating then get to sleep like the others
are. Wow! It’s past my 7:30 PM bedtime! I can’t wait until the days
are longer, the snow is gone, and the pack is lighter.
6 PM - We’re at this shelter for the night. Second Degree, Third Degree, Jeremiah, Tama, and I hiked close together from Derrick Know Shelter. We had horrible conditions today. The snow was somewhat compacted and wet at the base, but new snow dunes formed on the top. The first 3 miles of trail were broken by the others. I did the last 3 miles to Siler's Bald Shelter when it seemed like 3-D was getting fatigued. There were no views. We hiked in a giant, racing cloud all day. After a short lunch break at Siler’s, we moved on to Double Spring gap Shelter.
I have decided to leave the blue tarp in this shelter as a contribution to the trail. The wind has blown me all over the place while I have it on my back. It has minimal weight, but it is muddy, has 3 burn holes, leaks at the seam, and acts like a sail on top of the Smokies. It’s spun me around a couple of times. Since we have to stay in shelters in the Smokies anyway, I will plan to do that and possibly buy another one in Hot Springs. They’re not very expensive, and I think it’s more of a liability than a resource at this point.
Tomorrow doesn’t look much better: Snow, rain, then snow is the
forecast. I want to try for Icewater Spring Shelter tomorrow. We’ll
cross over Clingman’s Dome, the highest peak in the South. The Smokies
are highly overrated. Many of this shelter’s journal entries
said they were too covered with fog to see anything. If the AT didn’t
run through these, I don’t think I’d want to cross them. Oh well.
I took a photo of how deep the snow is. Hopefully we’ll see more
tomorrow.
8 AM - We stayed at Mt Collins Shelter last night. We had a nice sunny day in the afternoon. I thought about going all the way to Icewater Spring Gap, but I was concerned about being the only one on the ridge at night. The wind and rain died down after we got halfway up Clingman’s Dome. We actually walked above the clouds. I took many photos of the view. In fact, I finished up the roll on top of Clingman’s Dome.
The “fun” that we had with the mice turned wicked last night. One little rodent bit me, on 4 occasions, on my upper lip while I slept. It hurt and woke me up each time. The guy in the bunk above me got bitten half a dozen times as well. I think the Bullfrog sunscreen with aloe and other fragrances might have attracted it to my face. It also climbed in the sleeping bag with the guy in the top bunk.
At 5:05 AM I declared the rodent obviously deceased and stopped any sort of resuscitation attempts. It apparently bit me on the lip and received a pummeling inside my bag. It climbed into the bag with me and hid by my neck. I punched it about 5 times. It’s little beaklike nose was bloody and the corpse just laid there. I took some tissue and flung it onto the floor. Then I wiped up the bloodstain from my sleeping bag pillow. I an going to buy a couple of rat traps at the next grocery store and kill every rodent I can from here to Maine. I won’t use poison...yet. Rodents = 4, Sven = 1.
Today everyone is up early. We’re pushing for a 15-mile day to
reach Peck’s Corner Shelter. None of us can wait to get out of this
place. It’s COLD! Last night got down to 27 degrees before 7 PM.
This morning it’s 26 degrees. It’s supposed to be sunny all day and
stay sunny for the next few days. Of course, clear nights mean cold
air. OK, It’s almost 8:30 - time for me to pack up and leave.
7 PM - Today was an excellent day. the sun was out with a clear sky all say. There was a small breeze, but not more than a pleasant fresh air supply. The views today were phenomenal. I was wrong about the Smokies being overrated. They’re very beautiful if you luck out and get good weather. This morning was 26 degrees, but it got up to almost 70. The sun was hot and I got a new burst of energy.
Since the snow started melting, it was a difficult walk, but we all went 14.9 miles on the AT and another one mile going to and from the AT to get to and from the shelters. Mt. Collins Shelter is an inconvenient half mile down from the ridge, as is Pecks Corner Shelter. I’m particularly happy with my mileage today, I started at 9 AM (which is amazing in itself), and got to Pecks Corner Shelter by 4:15 PM with a 45-minute break in the middle. That is 15.9 miles in about 6.5 hours, almost 2.5 miles per hour in the snow and slush! If it were dry, we would be going faster. Anyway, it was a good day distance-wise.
Tomorrow, 3rd Degree and I plan to go to the Davenport Gap Shelter. This is 20.0 miles down the AT, plus a half mile to get from Pecks Corner to the AT. We’re debating going into Davenport Gap and getting a couple of burgers. I’m leaning toward waiting until Hot Springs where my forwarded food from Neels Gap in Georgia awaits. Hot Springs also has a real grocery, several restaurants, and I’ll have to say “Hi!” to Wingfoot.
We could be in Hot Springs by Friday the 19th. It’s hard to predict towns by day of the week. I keep fighting with the Sunday-closed and Saturday-close-early schedules. Friday will be a good day to arrive in Hot Springs. I’ll get the mail drop that I sent to myself and enjoy a night in town. More outgoing mail can still be sent on Saturday morning before I hike toward Damascus.
Second Degree told us that she won’t finish their thruhike. She said it a couple of days ago, but she still says it now that the weather got better. Apparently she was looking for something exciting to try and decided on this. We’re all a bit disappointed, but she still plans to hike North until she gets tired of it.
We gave Jeremiah a new trail name. Yesterday morning he woke up and did one hell of a motivational speech to get us going. He used to be a paratrooper and went on to become an officer while commanding troops in Viet Nam. He convinced 3rd Degree that his toes are ‘marines’ and that they were ‘devil dogs’ waiting to ‘become one with the essence’ of the blizzard outside. We now call him the ‘Iced Falcon’ since he seems to enjoy swooping out into the cold, wet, soupy weather.
I’m scared of some of the names that might come up from my incident with the mouse last night. The sampling I heard seemed a bit intimidating. 3rd Degree and I agree that we will go on a killing spree in the rat-infested shelters. Second Degree talked to a ridge runner about me getting bitten 4 times and the guy in the bunk above me getting bitten 5 times by that one mouse. He’s going to report the rodent and hopefully some type of rodent control measures can be legally taken. In the meantime, if it crawls, and comes near my personal space, it dies by rat trap. I plan to get a couple of heavy-duty ones that stop the squeak before it starts.
I’m a bit worried about diseases the mouse may be carrying. I suppose rabies isn’t out of the question, but I think the bites offered little opportunity for mouse saliva to enter my blood. We didn’t swap spit. I can’t even have the carcass examined because fellow rodents devoured it this morning between 5 AM and 7 AM when we all got up.
Well, tomorrow will be a 20-mile day. I am going to force myself
to my feet as soon as possible tomorrow morning. I suspect I’ll wake
up when Third Degree does, but I’ll make sure I actually pack up
and leave when he does as well. I caught up to him today after
leaving an hour earlier. Iced Falcon told me he said, “It’ll be a
cold day in hell before Sven catches up to me” or something like
that. After figuring he was putting me on, he said he was just relaying
the message. With that I picked up the pace and quickly passed
him. This isn’t a race, but I kind of like my reputation of leaving
giant footprints with five-foot strides. My pace is definitely faster
than most I’ve hiked with so far, I just can’t get my butt out of
bed in the morning!
9 AM - I hiked 28.5 miles yesterday! I finally left the Peck’s Corner Shelter at about 9:30 AM. I stood around gabbing with 2nd Degree when I was ready at 8:30 AM. It was a nice conversation.
We caught up to Ice Falcon at the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter. It was such a nice sunny day that all of us felt a bit lazy. He resisted the urge to nap and moved on to Cosby Knob Shelter. I stuck around another 2 hours from 12:30 to 2:30 to do my laundry and bathe at the water source. I still stink, but I think it’s mostly my pack straps. I’ll have to find a good cleaner for them.
I ate dinner at Cosby Knob Shelter with 2nd Degree, Ice Falcon, and a few first-year students at MCP/Hahneman Medical School. We talked about med school and Philly quite a while.
I arrived at Cosby Knob Shelter at 5:20 and left for Davenport Gap Shelter at 8 PM to meet 3rd Degree. I thought it would be funny if I signed in and went to the next shelter, as a sort of a nudge to get him moving quicker. Ice Falcon is a bad influence - he suggested I sign all three of us in at the next register as if we all passed him.
I stopped at Davenport Gap Shelter, talked to Third Degree and signed the shelter register at about 10:30 PM. I left for Deep Gap, Groundhog Creek Shelter at 11 PM on 3/17.
At 3 AM, after climbing one of the most annoying set of switchbacks up the side of Snowbird Mountain, I gave in to my exhaustion. I didn’t realize that I’d be climbing such a big mountain at night. Crossing T-40 wasn’t hard after I figured out where the blazes continued on the north side.
I stopped just short of the peak of Snowbird Mountain, went off the trail a few feet. The wind was getting bad, but the skies were still clear. I set up a wind break with my pack, changed into dry gear, and got into my sleeping bag. I then sorted my stuff for bear bag hanging and tied a bearbag with my food, toothpaste, Bullfrog, etc.
At 6 AM I woke up and watched the sun rise over the Smokies. At 9 AM, I got up and started writing and calculating today’s hike. I want to hit Hot Springs NC on Friday morning so I have time to do stuff in town. Today’s goal will be to stay at Deer Park Mountain Shelter. That will be 25.5 miles. If the mountains in between are difficult, I’ll settle for Walnut Mountain Shelter, but that’s only about 15 miles and will leave another 13.1 miles for Friday. I’ll push into the night for Deer Park so I only have 3.2 miles on Friday morning.
I have a maildrop at the post office and one at Elmer’s “Sunny
Brook Inn.” I also want to eat at a restaurant (buffet if possible)
and hit the grocery. I’ll probably stop by Wingfoot’s if I have time.
Well, off to hiking!
I’m staying with “La Tortuga” tonight. It’s a pretty nice shelter and it’s a mild evening. I’m not going to let myself sleep in tomorrow morning because I have to hit the post office and Elmer’s as early as possible to make sure I have a place to stay. I understand “Scooby” and “Crash” are about 1.8 miles ahead of me, staying at Walnut Mountain Shelter. I don’t know how many people Elmer can handle, especially at the $12 hiker rate. Besides, I want time to pig out, especially if I can find an all you can eat buffet!
La Tortuga has an online journal as well. We talked about the whole process. I also talked with the “Amish Reject” yesterday at lunch and dinner. He has an online journal as well. I imagine he’s staying at the Deep Gap, Groundhog Creek Shelter with Third Degree after eating at Mountain Mama’s today. I decided to skip that stop in hopes of better, larger quantity food in Hot Springs. Besides, I need to get moving now that I’ve lost so much time to the snow!
Today was a 13.8 mile day. Yesterday was 28.5 miles. Tomorrow will be 14.9 miles. At least my average is climbing back up. I want to start getting up earlier so I can do some 20-mile days without flashlight. It’s much more efficient use of time to use daylight. I hike a good 2.5 miles per hour by day in this terrain.
I guess this mailing will go out tomorrow (it did - ed.) so I’ll probably drop a postcard on Saturday and head off for Tennessee. I’ve crossed into Tennessee many times in the Smokies, but it’s not the same as when I will hit Erwin, TN. That will feel like the end of North Carolina even though I’ll be wandering back and forth for a while after that. Damascus, Virginia will be a real boundary to cross.
My next mail drop will be Erwin, TN 37650 if anyone wants to write
to me. I tentatively expect to get there by March 25th. I hope to
enter Virginia by April 3rd. All of this is contingent on me getting
out of bed early in the morning and on decent trail conditions.
9 PM - It’s supposed to rain tonight. The clouds are thick, the wind is picking up, and it is a new moon, I think. I stopped at this shelter after an 11.0-mile day. The alternative was to night hike to Little Laurel Shelter for 19.6 miles, but I felt that would be unwise. I also don’t want to tarp camp in a likely rain storm.
Anyway, 11 miles from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The first two were with a journalist who interviewed me for a couple of magazine articles he is writing. One is about thruhiking in general and he sounded like he might feature some individuals in it. The other is about online journals of thruhikers. Jeff M., the journalist, promised to send me a copy of them. I wonder if the Courier Post or Cherry Hill paper would be interested in my thruhike. Anyway, he gave me bagels and humus. How could I refuse talking to a ‘stranger’ that offers me humus -- and chocolate candy sticks! I sat with him and his girlfriend for about 2 hours.
I made the post office by about noon, but the postmaster just let me in seconds before locking the door. I think I should have mailed more stuff (food) ahead in my bounce box to Damascus, but I didn’t have enough time to debate what to bounce. My pack feels too heavy. Especially if I’m going to Erwin, TN, only 55 miles down the trail. The stuff I bounced from Neels Gap weighed 16 pounds. I bounced some of that pasta ahead. I should not have bought any food in this town.
Let me tell you all about Hot Springs, NC. It is a ghost town during the weekday. It is apparently 18 miles to the next town and I couldn’t find anyone in town who knew and would tell me where Bridge Street or Walnut Street were. These happen to be the two main roads in town. Bridge Street is the only one with a bridge and Walnut is a big road that intersects it at the center of town. I didn’t have Wingfoot’s book with the map, and the ALDHA’s Companion doesn’t have a map. The problems at Franklin, NOC, and now Hot Springs due to not having a simple town map have convinced me to send the Companion stuff home and just rely on the 1997 copy of Wingfoot’s handbook. (He still hasn’t published the 1999 Handbook.) I was given a free copy of the 1997 handbook by Elmer.
Once I found the post office and got my mail drop, I went to eat. The Hot Springs Visitor Welcome Center was closed. The Jesuit Hotel was closed. Gerties was open but the deli was not. That means they had chips, dips, soda, and ice, no meat or cheese or sandwich stuff. The food was about twice the cost of Wawa or 7-11 store prices in NJ. Ricker’s Grocery sold food for a consistent 10 cents cheaper per item than Gerties but they didn’t take any credit cards. The White House Antiques shop was closed. The ATM was closed. The US Forest Service was open and let me drink water for 5 minutes at their water fountain. They had a list of phone numbers to call for services with old area codes still on it.
Bluff Mountain Outfitters were open. Their hiker ‘plastic’ foods were consistently 10 cents cheaper than Ricker’s Grocery, 20 cents cheaper that Gerties, and they took credit cards and listen to “Car Talk” on National Public Radio. I spent a good 1/2 hour buying Lipton soup packets, a pair of Outdoor Research Fleece Windstopper XLarge gloves, and some batteries while listening to the end of “Car Talk.” I love that show!
Once I found Elmer’s, in the middle of all those stores whose employees didn’t know on what street their stores were located, I found my UPS package from Neels Gap, and took a 2 hour HOT BATH! This was the first hot bath since before the start at Springer. There is a big difference between soaking in a hot bath and washing off dirt with a shower. I just climbed in with all my clothes on and threw in dirty laundry leaving my nylon wind pants, blue fleece top, fleece socks, and boots for town clothes. I almost fell asleep from the warm water on my feet and and sore legs. I scrubbed my clothes with soap and wrung out lots of dirty water. Then I drained the tub, filled it with more hot water, and repeated. It must be great to be a dirty sock diving into a washing machine! Now I know why they hide in there and sometimes run away!
When I finished rinsing the grime off my clothes with running hot water, I soaked longer. Finally, I drained the tub, and washed myself with soap and clean, HOT water. Apparently, this took 2 hours. Nobody seemed to care, and they said I could use the tub. I wrung out my clothes, hung them in a rack, put on town clothes, and ate dinner.
I had dinner at the restaurant across from Elmer’s with the Amish Reject. It was $6 for a breaded catfish dinner with cole slaw, fries, rolls, and all I could drink Dr. Pepper. Mmmmm. I was warm, dry, and stuffed.
I talked to Wingfoot on the phone after talking with Elmer, La Tortuga, and a French Canadian thruhiker for a while. We talked a long time and I think that I may have helped delay the publishing of the Handbook by another day. Oops. :)
I then called Jim N and talked for over an hour about the journal, my supplies, local news back home, my schedule, his hiking schedule, 4-5 medical school letters, and my health. I will hopefully reach Damascus, VA by 4/3 or 4/4. He agreed that that time schedule makes sense. He already mailed my Erwin, TN mail drop.
Finally, I called Mike K because he expressed interest in hiking/visiting with me in Virginia. He may do that, but has to work out scheduling with Jim when I call them in Damascus. Mike was at a party with his cell phone, so he called me back and I got the chance to talk to Angellate, Linda T, Rob L, and several other friends who were curious about my thruhike, health, and happiness. It was after 1 AM by the time I got to bed.
At 8:30 AM, Elmer’s cook produced the largest breakfast feast I’ve ever seen! I ate scrambled eggs smothered in cheese with onions, peppers, and other veggies. There were about 2 pounds of pancakes that I devoured. They tasted like banana bread with strawberries and nuts. I covered the pancakes and homemade cereal with apple butter and washed it down with apple juice, honey dew melon, and milk. I was stuffed. Afterward, I took 3 pancakes for lunch.
I had a hot shower after breakfast, interviewed with Jeff M., did my mailings, bought supplies, ate lunch, ate more lunch, stuffed my pack, ate more lunch, then left.
Before I got out of town, I ran into Scoobie and Crash with whom I spent the first 2 nights. They just slack-packed 16 miles back to Hot Springs by hitching a ride to Allen Gap and walking back to town with hip packs. Crash heard my mouse attack story and convinced me to see the clinic. The Hot Springs clinic was closed.
With that, I left the ghost town and did 11 miles before the rain.
Fifteen minutes after starting to write this letter, it started raining
hard. It’s been going for 2 hours now. Time for bed!
9 PM - Today I did 15.3 miles, starting at 8:30 AM from Spring Mountain Shelter, and arriving here at 4:30 PM with a one-hour layover at Little Laurel Shelter. I woke to 50 degrees at 5 AM, ate, packed, and was ready to walk at dawn, but then the rain came back. I decided to coat my dry boots with Seam Gripper before leaving. It had the effect of dipping my boots in rubber cement. They stayed dry all day! They look like slugs attacked them, but the 2-foot-deep slush, the slick muddy areas, the constant drizzle of rain, and the windy gusts of water from the bushes couldn’t get my feet wet. Do I want boots that breathe? Definitely NOT!
I wanted to do a 21-mile day today, but I was soaked at 12:30 when I ate lunch. This made me spend an hour warming up with my fleece clothes and a small fire of burning plastic trash I found in the Little Laurel Shelter. My feet were still warm and dry, though. I decided to hike on in the thin fleece top with rain jacket, goretex hat, and shorts. This was probably the best choice since I am now sleeping in dry gear. My thin fleece top has almost completely dried (sweat) since I got to camp and put on my thick dry fleece top as the under layer. The wind helped a bit as well.
As soon as I got dry and ate dinner (about 5 PM), the rain stopped, sun came out, and it looked like I could have made it to the Flint Mountain Shelter, 5.9 miles away, by 7 PM (sundown). I chose to stay warm, dry, and in my bed.
I talked with two college professors on spring break. They were interested in my hike and Alaska. One is writing a book and found some of my Alaska stories complemented his studies of explorers’ literature. Anyway, we had a good conversation.
At 7 PM, the 4 college students I passed at 10 AM showed up at the shelter. They were cold, wet, and hungry. Fortunately, they seemed prepared so we did little more than move over to make room.
I am now 296.5 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia. I have about 1860 miles to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. I have 132 days before August 1st. This means my remaining days have to average at least 14.1 miles per day in order for me to complete the thruhike in one shot. Every 14.1 miles I do in excess of that average is a day free at the end of July. As of this point, I am not going to let myself have any days of less than 15 miles, including town days. I will try to start doing 20-mile days when I can but this weather has been terrible this year. If it would just stay at -40 degrees, I could walk on the snow. If it would stay at 35 degrees, I could walk on wet/dry leaves and dirt. It’s this 25 then 35 degrees repeating infinite loop that is making the ice, snow, slush, and mud very difficult.
OK, enough whining. I ate well tonight. I’m going to sleep.
9 PM - I’m staying here tonight with “Rainbow Bright” and “Amish Reject.” They’re fun to hang on with so I didn’t feel like doing another 10 miles before dark. Today was a 14.6 mile day. It was cool but sunny today. Temperature never got about 40 degrees. I stopped to eat dinner here at 4:15 PM, took my boots off to dry them, and changed my mind about going further.
I have to pick up a mail drop in Erwin. The post office will be closed by the time I could get from Bald Mountain Shelter (10 miles ahead of us tonight) to the post office. Instead, we will hike to No Business Know Shelter from here. That is 20.6 miles. It’s another 6.3 miles to Erwin and another 3.8 miles to the post office. If we have to hike it, we should be at the post office by noon, assuming we leave by 7 AM.
I might change this plan and try to camp just off the trail before Erwin. By the time I reach town, the PO should be open. I’ll hit the grocery store on the way to MacDonald’s, Hardees, Pizza Hut, etc. It’s so nice to have Wingfoot’s maps! I’m probably going to throw away my ALDHA Companion, even though it’s a 1999 edition.
OK, early morning tomorrow! I had a new dish for dinner tonight:
oatmeal, powdered milk, and hot chocolate. It was so good I mixed
a second batch!@ Tomorrow’s breakfast is rehydrating - Lipton Pasta
& Sauces Zesty Cheddar and Rice-a-roni Broccoli and Cheese.
I may mix some freeze-dried cream of broccoli soup into it.
8 AM - I stayed at “Uncle Johnnies” place - the Nolichucky Hostel. It’s right on the AT, has a very friendly owner, and did me a world of good. I’m leaving this morning in cold (45 degrees), overcast, dry weather. It looks like its going to pour. That’s OK, I ate a box of cookies, bag of Doritos, and half a dozen glazed doughnuts for breakfast. I downed 2 quarts of water and topped it off with a couple of cheap candy bars. 25 mile day today. That will make up for yesterday’s lack of miles.
I feel much better now that the TN Dept of Health doctor said I would be showing symptoms of an infection by now. I am also glad I stuck around for the Tetanus booster shot.
OK, 8 AM exact, time to start walking. The news says it’s supposed to get to 56 degrees and sunny. Probably means cold & rain for the mountains.
BTW, I hitched a ride from “Da Redhead” on the way back from the post office, grocery, and diner. She drove me back to Uncle Johnnies. Thanks Redhead!
Amish Reject and Rainbow Bright and Mich also stayed here last
night. Mich is an Australian chap who has hiked all over the world.
He canoed the Amazon, too. Pretty neat guy. He said his web site
is http://www.michoz.sit.au/.
7 AM - With all the hustle and bustle of the last few days hiking, I didn’t talk much about some of the interesting discoveries and changes going on around me. When I walked through Oglesby Branch from the Spivey Gap, about 7 miles south of Erwin, I smelled a forest that was waking up for spring!
The pines immediately reminded me of Pine Hill Scout Reservation. The slight musty smell of old pine needles decomposing on the forest floor, along with the fresh steamy smell found near several waterfalls, stimulated a great source of nostalgia that drove me to the No business Knob Shelter. I wanted to walk into Erwin that night, but decided to stay with Amish Reject and Rainbow Bright another night.
After leaving Erwin, I encountered some of the most poorly planned and managed trails since the horse paths of the Smokies. Trails ran from gorge to near-peak only to go down the adjacent side to another gorge. While this was somewhat annoying for a hiker who has to climb, dive, climb, dive without summiting or getting any type of view (besides the constant rusty barbed wire fences), it is an environmental nightmare. Several trails were moved recently “for environmental conservation” reasons. What they fail to recognize is that water runs down hill. It created 2 - 3 foot deep ruts and scars all over the landscape. By moving the trails, the scars now cover most of the visible areas of the balds, and cover much of the forested mountains as well. The placement of log steps, water diverts, or gravel, in addition to using switchbacks, could drastically improve the impact of hikers and waterflow off the mountain. End of soapbox lecture.
I really enjoyed yesterday’s downhill skiing adventure. The ice climbing was fun as well. Fortunately the thermometer continued to read about 28 - 30 degrees with 10 mph winds, making the windchill about 10 degrees. This kept the ice nice and crunchy on the way up Roan Mountain. I got nice footholds in the ice with a bit of kicking and climbed up the rocks and ice that made the landscape quite beautiful. The poles helped with balance and traction as well.
On the way down Roan Mountain, the old trails of hikers had turned into grooves of sliding boot marks. I tucked and skied through these boot tracks in a somewhat awkward stepping/sliding motion. Poles kept me upright because my size 13 boots are a bit shorter than my 210 skis. Lots of fun up to the Roan High Knob Shelter.
After descending below 6000 feet, the slop came back. The poor soil conservation neglect, combined with melting snow and Tennessee mud made the trail into a muddy water slide. I fell twice, coating my nylon pants with mud. Fortunately, they dried quickly.
On the second fall, I bent my left Leki hiking pole 45° in the middle segment. I was able to straighten it, but it made me realize just how delicate these poles are. I will have to be more careful and put less faith in their ability to hold my weight, especially in slippery conditions.
I’m planning to stay at the Kincora Hiking Hostel tonight. It is at Dennis Cove, 50.6 miles from Damascus VA. It’s $4 for a bunk and shower, with cooking facility access. It’s only 0.2 miles west of the AT so I won’t be far from an early start tomorrow.
On the 25th, I did 25.1 miles from Erwin to a spot just before the Clyde Smith Shelter. I hiked into this spot about 8:30 PM and made a tarp shelter on the side of the trail. It rained that night so I covered my face with the tarp and woke up at 7:30 AM to the patter of snow. A few more feet up the hill and I reached the shelter by 8 AM>
It looks like a hurricane ripped 20% of the trees out of the ground between Cherry Gap Shelter and Clyde Smith Shelter. Large timber is all over the place, much of it across the trail. I cleared trail as much as I walked around downed trees. It was a very frustrating day of hiking on the 25th, but I did get 25.1 miles of AT finished.
Yesterday I completed 20.6 miles from Clyde Smith Shelter to Apple House Shelter where I stayed with 5 thruhikers and a dog. Rainbow Bright stopped for the night, but Amish Reject did another 5 and tented past a graveyard.
Two of the thruhikers were too out of it to know when they started, etc., but the other two with the dog were nice conversationalists. The dog is a pure-bred German Shepard, very well trained. It slept between them, under the bags, kicking all night long. I told them about my dog, Sandy. It was nice to see a real dog again (small dogs are cute, but they’re not quite as human.) The couple went by “Larry, Curly, and Moe.” I’m not sure which is the dog.
OK, it’s almost 8 AM. Time to eat, pack, and get moving. I’m looking
forward to a stay at the hostel. It’s 25 degrees this morning. Everything
is covered with snow and ice. It looks like an accumulation of 2
- 3 inches from last night’s continuous snowfall.
12:30 AM - I arrived at 8 PM, just after dark, and was greeted by Rainbow bright and Pat Peoples. Pat and Bob are wonderful hosts. Immediately, Pat clued me in and presented the large variety of bunking options. I was offered the use of washer, drier, shower, refrigerator, stove, oven, and all the pleasantries - microwave, radio, fireplace, bathroom, etc. They ask for a $4 donation to help offset costs!
Right after I dropped my pack next to a bed, pat drove me into town, quite a long haul, so I could get ice cream. Since she took me all that distance, I bought a dozen doughnuts, 2 pounds of cookies, some fudge brownies, 3 pounds of cheddar cheese, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, 2 gallons of orange juice, 6 liters of soda, turkey cold cuts, Pringles, and 3 apples. I’m not sure if I’ll finish the soda before tomorrow morning. Someone commented that my hiker hunger has set in. I don’t think it has - I can always remember eating like this. Maybe my perception of things is different, but I know I’m still losing weight.
I spent some time comparing the nutrition labels of candy bars to the Power Bars. It looks to me like Snickers and Baby Ruth have close to the same nutritional value, yet cost one tenth the price. There is some added protein in the Power Bars, but the peanuts in the candy bars take care of the fat, complex carbs, and some of the protein. The disaccharides that Power Bars use are about as effective as the high fructose corn syrup found in candy. I like them, but I’m not sure they’re very cost efficient.
Slim Jims have far too much packaging, far too much water weight, and require a blowtorch to access in the cold weather.
Pasta requires heat to cook properly. I’ve given up on ‘cooking’ any pasta with my Tupperware until the ambient temperature is at lease a steady 50°F. I’m thinking about rigging a solar cooker on the top of my pack for warmer weather. Carrying the water will be a minor inconvenience for the bragging rights of having hot water when I stop at camp, without the weight of gasoline and a stove.
I’m going to give my oatmeal concoction a big thumbs up: 1 lb instant oatmeal, 1 lb brown sugar, 1 qt powdered milk mix. It tastes best if you let the water soak in for a few minutes before eating but I’ve had it dry as well.
Another dish I like is a mix of freeze dried mashed potatoes, cornbread studding, chicken stuffing, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and water. Adding freeze dried turkey or chicken makes this dish complete, but I like it without the meat as well. I want to try adding olive oil to the mix some time.
Right now, I have my laundry in the dryer. Most of my clothes weren’t even worn since Erwin, but the gear that was not washed in Erwin stank! Not to mention the effects of sliding through the mud on your hands, knees, elbows, back, etc. The hurricane alley tree-throwing expedition did a number on some stuff with dirt and tree sap as well.
Bob Peoples, the other owner of Kincora Hiking Hostel, told us about the damaged section of the trail. Apparently, they intend to shut down the whole section and reroute the AT somewhere on the other hills/mountain. The damage was the result of spring flooding, which saturated the ground, followed by a heavy snow that pushed the trees over. The saturated soil could not hold the roots in the ground. Thus, 20 - 30% of the trees are uprooted.
Bob also told me about the nasty trails through the few balds which are cutting deep trenches with hiker traffic and runoff combined. Apparently a major amount of money and volunteer labor was organized to fill these trails with gravel and build steps to retain soil and diffuse the water runoff. Everything was ready except the US Forest Service paperwork. Apparently the bureaucrats held up the paper so the scheduled materials and labor went to use somewhere north of this section. I’m looking forward to seeing the work, but hope the scars on the balds can be mended before more spontaneous side trails evolve. (Hikers tend to walk away from the wind.)
On the health and wellness front, here are my illings (?): The bruise from standing up under the standpipe at the Franklin Grocery is holding its own. I’m afraid the pack pushes on it, aggravating the spot. The abrasion has scarred over nicely, though.
I’m still having nasal irritation. I think it might be from occasionally inhaling sweat on some uphill climbs. The temperature changes may also be affecting this.
My big toes are going numb sooner each day. After about 15 miles, I notice the lack of sensation in these toes. After I stop, I have pain in the joints and eventually, tingling followed by most of the feeling.
My fingertips have been maintaining a constant tingling sensation. I don’t think they are feeling the effects of cold so much as the lack of circulation from gripping the hiking poles for sol long each day. The hot shower I just took tonight felt excruciatingly hot on my fingers when I first let them touch the water, even though the rest of my body felt comfortable with the water temperature. There is no discoloration or other abnormal sings on my hands, so I’m just going to massage them when resting and keep them as warm as possible.
Scooby, Crash, Amish Reject, and Rainbow Bright are here at the hostel tonight. We got a kick out of the inaccurate imprecise profile map of the ATC. The scale they use hardly demonstrates the up and down yo-yo on the trail for the last 60 miles. There is an obvious intent to follow the ridge line, but most of the summits are circumvented by about 50 feet. The trail might as well go around the hills altogether since they are nothing more than a treadmill for masochists.
Only 50.6 miles before I reach Damascus Va. It’s 47.1 miles to the VA/TN border. I can’t wait! Even the locals in TN say that TN is a backward state! So far, I like it. It is these poor trails that have me annoyed.
I wanted to go to Iron Mountain Shelter tomorrow, but the profile map indicates that I will have to climb a total of about 7000 feet and go down about 5000. Very little is level. There is 10,000 feet of climbing, but who knows.
The Vendeventer Shelter is about 17.3 miles from the Dennis Cove point. I’m making about 0.2 from the trail so 17.5 miles tomorrow. I’ll try 24.3 miles, but I already feel a short day coming on.
OK, laundry’s dry, I’m clean, warm, dry, and full of calories.
Time for bed. It’s 2 AM!
12:30 PM - The extra day of rest has been worth it. I was in pain yesterday. I don’t want to overdo it again. Next time the US Forest Service lets a controlled burn get away from them, I’m going to dig a hole and go to sleep. The 33.3 mile day really did harm to my tosies.
The bright side is that I can justify a “zero day” as the thruhikers have been calling it. A zero-day seems to be the ultimate reward on the trail. Much time has been spent discussing zero-days, as far as what we have done with them and what we plan to do with the next. Since this is my first, I’ll have something to contribute. We can all drool over my 3 cheeseburgers, ice cream, junk food, soda, hot showers, and massaging of foots without having them hurled at the ground immediately after the rub.
I had a chance to talk with Yahtzee yesterday. Apparently the flu is going around some of the hikers. I’ll look forward to that, I guess. He was pretty surprised to see me, since they were moving quite fast themselves. I wished him and his latest group of hikers luck as they left yesterday.
I sorted through the two boxes of stuff I forwarded to Damascus from other towns. After repacking today, my pack weighed 32 pounds. That includes all food, clothes (except shorts & boots), and gear. My aluminum stays are with the latest jump box headed for Pearisburg, VA. Just before I left, the postmaster told me I had another box today - cookies and Cadbury eggs from Mom! Thanks Mom!
I’m enjoying a double cheeseburger at dairy King. Probably the best sandwich I’ve had. of course, the next one will probably be the best when I get to Pearisburg. I love real food!
there is one more stop to make before the trail leaves town. There is a grocery, called CJ’s, I think. It has a deli. I might want a hoagie before I leave. That way I’ve seen the recommended eateries, outfitter, and hostel. Damascus is a great town!
Wow! I see “Launch Pad” walking down the street. I figured he was far ahead of me. Looks like he just got to town. He walks about 3 miles an hour over the mountains. One of the fastest endurance hikers I’ve seen. A few people have mentioned my fast pace. It’s kind of neat. Of course my reputation as a mouse kisser has spread far ahead of me on the trail. “Gray Wolf” started jumping up and down when I told him the story. He’s quite a character - nice guy, takes his time, but is very animated when things get boring. I’ll probably stay at the next shelter with him tonight.
The sky has been cloudy all day, so I’d better get moving. 15-20
miles today, depending on weather and how I feel.
8 PM -- The trail leading north from Damascus was gentle enough. A soft mist fell during today’s hike. It was rather pleasant with a slight breeze and about 55 degrees temperature. The real difference in today’s hike was the smell of spring.
I first noticed the smells of pine and musty pine needles back in Tennessee, but now there are sweeter odors drifting in the breeze. The mangrove bushes seem to have a scent, but I’m not sure if it is them or another nearby plant. The moss has its fresh dirt smell - you’d have to try mashing it between your fingers to really know what I mean. The pine trees are starting to ooze sap where blowdowns have broken branches. It’s a Christmas tree scent, but I have to be careful what I touch, to avoid getting the glue on my clothes.
There are three distinct scents that have me baffled. The first was like a citronella candle. I’m not sure what kind of plant makes such a fragrance, but I’m pretty sure it’s not some hiker’s mosquito repellent. There weren’t any other hikers in sight today and there weren’t any bugs flying around. Of course, the citronella smell may have been responsible for the lack of bugs. I have seen 3 bees and 4 mosquitoes in the last three days.
For those wondering about my beesting allergy - yes, I have lots of Benedryl, no I have no epi-pen. The last 2 times I was stung, I had a normal reaction and no hives, swelling, edema, etc. Maybe my body’s memory cells forgot about the bee sting antigens. i always did have trouble memorizing things.
Wow! It’s raining quite hard now. When I stopped for the night, it was still a light mist, but the wind has picked up and the rain is splattering on the metal roof. It’s kind of soothing.
The church at Damascus had a box of used candle stubs for hikers to take. I’m writing by the light of one. It’s much nicer than using a flashlight. I figured out that 2 AA cells will last about 2.5 hours in the mini-mag flashlight. This candle is lighter and seems to be burning slower. The best part about the candle is the ambiance it creates. The nice warm glow occasionally flickers with the wind, but it feels cozy. I wish I took a few more - they had a few dozen in the box.
Third Degree stopped in “The Place” this morning, along with a few other hikers whose trail names I keep forgetting. The whole pack at The Place were switching into ultralight backpacking mode. I saw 6 of the hikers remove their boots, apply high-top sneakers or running shoes, and trade their frame packs for assorted small packs. Climbing packs seemed to be the most popular choice. Third Degree appears to be using his caving bag.
I removed the metal stays from my Osprey Silhouette internal frame pack. I also sent my waterproof pants, second Tupperware container, metal spoon, and the excess food, paper, etc. ahead in a jump box or home.
The postmaster was very nice. She taped my metal stays to my already-paid-for box and charged me 20 cents instead of $3. I plan to send them home, but it would be a real pain if I found out I needed them and had to go two mail drops before getting them back. I’ll send them home with the cameras and stuff when I get to Pearisburg, VA.
OK, ghost story time! I didn’t write this up at Vandeventer Shelter because I was afraid of giving myself nightmares. However, now that I’m safe at Lost Mountain Shelter...all alone...without even a mouse...I’m much less afraid to tell you about my night hikes.
You may recall that I arrived at Vendeventer Shelter at 8:30 PM. That’s about one hour after dark. There was a good moon up high so I could see quite well. The problem is that images are different by moonlight than by sunlight.
I started out with the knowledge that I would be staying at a “haunted” hut. Some whip-poor-will story -- never did hear it. Of course the fire was still hot at 7 AM.
To add to the mood, every 2 feet was a tree branch with a fork that grabbed either my feet or my poles. It was like having goblins trying to pull you into the ground.
In the background you can hear the conversations of people down in the valley. The wind carried bits and pieces of their sentences up to the ridge where I walked and slept. The dogs barking all over town topped off the mood.
I think the first mouse I might have seen would have driven me to the next shelter. However, there were no mice, the fire scared off the goblins and burned the claws they used to grab my feet and poles, and I slept well that night. It’s purely coincidence that I rushed 33.3 miles into Damascus the next day!
I’m alone here at Lost Mountain Shelter. It’s raining. The candle is flickering. I hear mice running around. But I’ll be OK -- really I will.
I bought a couple mouse traps but returned them a few hours later. It’s not so much that I care about the health of the mice. I just realized that I would have to carry used mouse traps. Yuck!
The rain is pinging on the metal roof with much larger drops. It’s kind of melodic; it sounds like those drums made from old metal barrels. Anyway, I’m going to put the rest of the chocolate chip cookies away in the rat pack (bear bag with a can lid on the rope to stop mice from crawling down the rope). Candle is holding up pretty well. It’s 9:45 PM, 50 degrees, raining, windy, and I’m toasty warm in my sleeping bag. I think I’ll inch-worm over to the rope cause I don’t wanna get out of my sleeping bag!
Did it! Before I go to sleep, I had to mention that I had a double
cheeseburger at Cowboy’s and it was better than the one half an hour
earlier. I’m going to dream of cheeseburgers and ice cream. Mmm......