Day 47 - Jenny Knob Shelter to Woodshole Hostel

Had a decent night’s sleep, but for some reason I keep waking up around midnight and have trouble getting back to sleep. Now I think it’s in my head to wake up around that time. Need to reprogram my brain.

We got up at 6:30 (early for us) and were out by 7:30 (almost the last ones). At 8:15 the sky opened up, but thankfully it was warm enough to forego the rain gear. The walking was surprisingly easy (yeah!). 

We were expecting a shelter at 10 miles, but it never came. Finally got to the shelter at 12:30 and found it was at 13.6 miles. Ate lunch (tortillas with peanut butter and raisins), and as I was leaving the thunder started and the rain came pouring down. My feet were swimming in my boots. Dave is hiking in sandals due to a blister on one of his heels. But he didn’t complain. 

One tough climb, then pretty smooth sailing the rest of the way to the Woodshole Hostel. Only eight people can sign up for breakfast, and we were too late to get on the list. 

There is a bunkroom upstairs, but no more room, so we’ll be on the porch. Tillie, who runs this place, is very cute. She comes around and meets all the hikers. 

Physically, I'm holding up pretty well, but I do have a few aches and pains – especially in my knees. Took some Motrin (i.e., vitamin I for ibuprofen) tonight. Some people pop them all day. I do feel stronger and will hopefully continue to improve.

It’s still hard for me to not be mile-focused. I always know where we are and how many miles to go before the next checkpoint. And I usually have an idea in mind as to what time we should be reaching our destination. I think it helps me to know how much is left (good or bad). Maybe eventually I’ll be able to put away the watch, but not quite yet.

Looking forward to getting my Walkman, which is being sent to Pearisburg. Wonder if anyone else sent us anything. That would be a nice treat. Stepped on the scale here, and was surprised to find that I’ve gained two pounds since Laurel Creek. Maybe it was wrong, since it showed Dave had gained weight as well.

We enjoyed our night at Woodshole, especially when the thunder and lightning started around 9 and the cows started to moan. There have been a few times out here when I’ve really wished I had a tape recorder instead of (or in addition to) a camera. The cow moans, the Whip-poor-will singing, Tillie ringing the dinner bell…

We bedded down in the eating area of the bunkhouse, and it was a little cramped. The lightning gave me an occasional glimpse of my surroundings, but otherwise it was pitch black. I kept getting disoriented and forgetting which side of me Dave was on.

Day 46 - Laurel Creek Campsite to Jenny Knob Shelter

It was really cold during the night and into the morning (“see your breath” cold). I started off hiking with my shorts, pants, long underwear top, short-sleeve top, long-sleeved shirt, and fleece hat. My hands hurt for the first five or 10 minutes until I was able to get the blood flowing into them. I don’t even remember it being that cold in the Smokies.

The first seven miles to the road were beautiful – mostly a flat, wide trail along the top of a ridge. Did the seven miles in two hours and 15 minutes.

Strange trail-walking thought of the day: What do butterflies eat? Do they sleep? Where do they live?

Didn’t have much trouble at all getting a ride into Bland. Hit the local supermarket to resupply and for something to eat. I had been craving cereal, milk, and bananas ever since Stray Cat told me that’s what he got in Damascus. No ripe bananas, so I chose Banana Nut Crunch cereal. Did serious damage to the box with just two bowls. Then had a Sprite, a few bites of Dave’s potato salad, and half a piece of Patch Monkey’s coconut cake. Ugh. Tummy ache from food overload.

Smittee, Ebb, Charlie, Murph, Duracell, and Patch Monkey

The store was small, but not too small. I guess the checkout lady was using her can of Lysol whenever one of us walked by. Pretty funny.

It’s quite amazing that I’m able to go out in public, day after day, virtually bare faced. My entire makeup kit out here fits into a Ziploc baggie that's definitely less than a pound. Maybe I’ll check it at the produce aisle someday.

Still had 12 miles to do after our town stop. Got a ride back to the trail. The walking wasn’t too tough, but it certainly wasn’t as flat as the topo map indicated. Hard to walk with the hip belt pressing into my sore belly. Really looking forward to our stay in Pearisburg (in a motel room). Long overdue. Lots of people at this shelter, so Dave and I are tenting it.

Dave bought a bag of marshmallows and chocolate sauce at the store and broke it out tonight. Everyone was psyched. Kind of like Patch Monkey’s s'mores on Chestnut Knob.

Day 45 - Chestnut Knob Shelter to Laurel Creek Campsite

The night was good – very happy to be on level ground. Always seem to wake up around midnight and have trouble getting back to sleep. Not sure why. And I’ve rarely had a bad night in a shelter. This is really quite incredible for someone with my sleep history. And the fact that we’ve never slept in the same place two nights in a row (except the Grand Prix Motor Lodge in Gatlinburg).

I woke up at 6:30 and we unzipped the door to check out the sunrise. It didn’t end up being anything spectacular – but it was nice to hang out in our sleeping bags and check out the view for a while before getting up.

 

The first 10 miles were pretty easy, but boy did they go by slow! Not sure why, but we didn’t make good time at all. Very happy to get to the shelter. The weather was perfect for hiking – clear blue skies but cool.

Strange trail-walking thought of the day: Where does weight go when you lose it? Does it melt? Evaporate?

Had only five miles to get to the campground, and they were nice and flat. Charlie and Murph pushed on to make tomorrow less than 19 miles with a town stop.

I really wished I had a good paperback to read last night. It was the perfect opportunity. The boys were playing cards, and I was sitting alone by the fire. I guess I could have done more writing – just didn’t feel like it. It ended up being an OK night. Talked to Moose, an older guy from Vermont, for awhile. The fire felt really good – it was surprisingly cold out. So glad I kept my pants and had the jacket sent.

People started talking about food, and for the first time I really felt like a true hiker – because I was so hungry it almost hurt. Most of the time I think I have it too easy because I am carrying a lot of food and haven’t experienced ravaging hunger pains. I had just enough food for breakfast the next morning, so I guess I’m starting to plan better.

Day 44 - Davis Path Shelter to Chestnut Knob Shelter

Tough getting up, but glad to get out of that body-cramping tent. We had a long day ahead of us, so I wanted to get an early start. Also, it looked like it might rain.

Left at 7:45. The terrain was surprisingly tough for Virginia, lots of steep ups. The rhodys are finally starting to bloom. Hope to get some good pictures when they do.

Strange trail-walking thought of the day: Why do bugs try to fly up your nose and in your ears, mouth, and eyes? Do they think they’re going into a tunnel? Do they think at all?

Had lunch a little over the half-way point of our 21-mile day. Then the sky got dark and the rain started pouring down. There’s nothing like a good soaking to get your feet moving fast! 

Fortunately, it stopped after 10 or 15 minutes. The last 4 ½ miles were really tough ones, but 'no pain, no gain, no Maine,' as the saying goes.

Sometimes I like knowing what the terrain is “supposed to” be like, but that leads to expectations. Expectations of flat trail or an easy day can quickly prove false – leading to disappointment and maybe even anger. Perhaps it’s best to use the maps as a rough guide, but to take the terrain as it comes – good, bad, and all. It is what it is.

Made it to the top of Chestnut Knob, and this is where we’re staying. Beautiful view, great shelter, very windy. Shelter was full, so Dave and I are tenting it. We’ll see how the old Warmlite holds up. Sunrise is supposed to be awesome, so we’ll try to be up by 6:15 to catch it.

Smittee, Murph, Patch Monkey, and Duracell

The tent held up very well, though it was quite cold getting into it.

Day 43 - Partnership Shelter to Davis Path Shelter

Met my goal to be hiking by 7:30. It felt good to be out that early, plus the heat wasn’t as much of an issue. My sense of smell has definitely changed. I remember when we were at Kathy and Skip’s, their guest was wearing perfume, and probably deodorant and hair spray. The smell was so overpowering to me that I couldn’t breathe deeply around her. Of course, I’m sure people have had the same experience around me after a few days without a shower…

Also, I think it’s quite ironic how at home I can have a million pens, bobby pins, and chapsticks and not be able to find any of them – but out on the trail, I started with one pen, one pencil, two bobby pins, and one chapstick – and I still have all of them.

Still not able to take off my watch. It helps me estimate how far I’ve gone and how much trail is left to tread. Will I ever be able to pack it away? Only time will tell (ha ha). I liked hiking by myself this morning. I did a lot of thinking about stuff, which took my mind off the physical act of walking – and the miles seemed to go faster. Also, knowing that a town is within reach gets the feet moving quicker.

Got to Atkins around 1. Walked over some railroad ties with long green grass coming over both sides, and I immediately thought of home – taking the boat down the creek. There’s a gas station and restaurant right on the trail, so we don’t have to do any hitching. Ate lunch at a local restaurant. I got a mushroom cheeseburger and sweet tea with free refills. Yum! I didn’t order a milkshake, though I was thinking about it.

Trying to simplify my eating routine. Murph gave me a bag of her “Murph mix,” honey nut cheerios and M & M’s. That serves as her morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. I was finishing mine just before dinner. It’s good – not too heavy in the stomach and hopefully provides enough energy to get me up the hills.

Only walked 2 ½ miles out of Atkins to the first shelter. It was crowded, so Dave and I tented it. No level spots. Our tent was at a 45 degree angle (heads up, feet down). We both had trouble falling asleep, and I’m sure our position didn’t help. I tried shoving my boots under my Z-rest to keep me from sliding out the back door. 

One thing we’ve noticed of late – the shelters seem to be getting farther and farther apart; and quite a few don’t have any water. Camping options seem limited, too. This makes planning our days much more difficult. Sometimes we are forced into doing a long day because the other option is just too short.

Day 42 - Hurricane Campground to Partnership Shelter

Didn’t get up and out til 9:15, and we still had to walk the extra half-mile back to the trail. Nothing spectacular to look at, so the going was kind of slow.

I guess Stray Cat had left three jello puddings on the trail for Dave, Hummingbird, and myself, but we never saw them! Bumped into Murph and Charlie when we were taking a break in front of one of the shelters. Good to catch up with them. It turns out they were headed for the Partnership Shelter, too.

Made it here by 4:30. Beautiful, new shelter with a shower inside it and a visitor center with soda machine, restroom, and phone about 200 yards away. My first shower since Saturday afternoon (it’s Thursday). 

The highlight of this shelter is the fact that you can order pizza from the pay phone and have it delivered. Of course we ordered, the novelty of it all and everything was our excuse. And my Hawaiian pizza wasn’t even that good.

Ebb, Hummingbird, Longshanks, Duracell, Beano, Honkey, and Murph

It’s getting too dark to write, so I’ll end on this note – I could really use some private time with a mirror and a pair of tweezers.

Day 41 - Thomas Knob Shelter to Hurricane Campground

Took our time getting everything packed up. The sky was still overcast, but it was clear the sun would be shining soon. Saw a herd of deer in the distance, towards the Mt. Rogers summit. We started walking, and it turned into a beautiful day.

The Grayson Highlands look sort of like a bald, but with lots of rocks and evergreen trees scattered here and there – all that, coupled with a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds made the scenery quite magnificent. After coming down a rocky slope, we finally got to see the famous feral ponies we’d heard so much about. 

Only one was wandering close to the trail. He licked my hand (salty with sweat), but wouldn’t let me pat him. I guess Breaking Wind got bitten by one of them. Took our time walking and took a lot of breaks.

Low mileage. Finally made it to the Old Orchard Shelter around 3:30 (a whopping 11 miles). Everyone else was pushing on, so we decided to, too. 

Our plan was to go up and over Iron Mountain and then camp at one of the many flat spots shown on the topo map. Well, one thing I (we) didn’t realize about the topo map is a straight line doesn’t necessarily mean flat ground. This straight line was on the side of the mountain. No level tent sites anywhere. So we kept walking, though it was getting late.

Were a bit worried about Hummingbird, who hikes slower than we do, so we kept leaving notes telling her what our plan was. Saw a grouse (ruffled? Kind of looked like a chicken). It was 7:40, and we finally made it to a sign for the public campground half a mile away. 

We’d heard it was closed, but how can you lock the woods? So we gave it a shot. The campground was really nice, and the only other campers were a school group next to us.

Since there was a problem with the well, the cost to stay was zero! Hummingbird showed up just before dark, and was really thankful for our notes. We ate dinner and hit the hay. Fell asleep surprisingly easily – my feet were so happy to be able to wiggle. Didn’t get up til 7:30 – in no rush after our late night.

Day 40 - Saunders Shelter to Thomas Knob Shelter

Slept well last night. It started out cold, but I ended up being plenty warm in my sleeping bag inside the tent. No rain.

Got up and out by about 8:15. Had to walk the quarter-mile back to the trail, and there was a convenient blue blaze heading to the trail north. Without much debate, we decided to take it. Are we blue blazers now? It was no more than two-tenths of a mile of trail that we missed. And we did walk to the shelter from the trail, then back to the trail from the shelter. No biggie.

A deer ran across the trail just in front of us. Did six miles to the first shelter before taking a break. Even though it was only 11, Dave ate lunch. That, to me, wasn’t a good sign for a relatively high mileage day.

Got to the top of Whitetop and hung out for a bit. The sky was threatening and the air getting colder. Reached some campsites, and it started to sprinkle. Dig, Ebb, and Stray Cat decided to tent it. I was pleasantly surprised that Dave agreed to go on to the shelter on top of Mount Rogers – 6 ½ more miles. The walking wasn’t bad at all.

I prefer the cool air, even drizzle, to walking in the sweltering heat. Oh, on the way to Whitetop, we went through a cow pasture, and a big brown cow chased Stray Cat for about 20 yards or so. Would have made a great picture!

By the time we got to the shelter, it was foggy, drizzly, and getting cold. Dave and I decided to set up shop in the loft. There was a small window with duct-taped plexiglass hanging off. Cold air blowing in. 

Met Patch Monkey, who was nice. Tried to read, but my hands were so cold I eventually gave up.

Slept surprisingly well – even had to take off a few layers during the night. Slept in (til 8, I think) because it was dark in the loft.

Day 39 - Damascus to Saunders Shelter

Didn’t do so well sleeping in the bunk room at The Place. Heart kept racing, though I’m not sure why. Up at 7 and started getting everything together.

Hit the post office, then the dollar store, then the outfitter, then back to The Place to repack the food bags. I was getting impatient, since I had done all my prep work the day before. Ten o’clock, eleven o’clock, noon… we finally got out the door with our packs on.

Dave’s pack was the heaviest it’s ever been, with all his meals and snacks in tow. We had planned to do 16 miles, but by the time we left, 9.4 was seeming like a more realistic option.

So we’re at this shelter with Stray Cat (originally from Braintree), Pappy, Ebb and his friends, Homeless and Unemployed (an older couple who’ve been ahead of us this whole trip). Murph and Charlie, Beano and Stretch are all ahead. Chops is still in Damascus. 

Stray Cat and a bull size each other up

Will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. There’s a shelter 18.6 miles away (hard miles), not many camping options, and a really good chance of rain.

Some things I’ve been thinking about recently on the trail… Who are these nameless, faceless, trail gods who determine the quality of our day, almost as much as Mother Nature herself? What makes them cut a path straight up and over one mountaintop, yet cut low and level around the side of another? What power they have!

While I’m happy with the pictures I’ve taken, I’m mad at myself for some really good ones I’ve missed. Such as the gang at Ian’s cabin in Hot Springs, Hazel cutting Dave’s hair, some town shots of Erwin. Need to take more people pictures, especially people who I think we might not end up hiking with again.

When I started this trip, I think I pictured one continuous chain of mountains from Georgia to Maine, in a straight line and pretty much a single row. It’s amazing how when you get to the top of a mountain and look around, there are mountains and hills for as far as the eye can see. And I never know where we’ve come from or where we’re headed (other than North)… and don’t much care.

Day 38 - Mt. Airy to Damascus

Woke up to the smell of bacon cooking. Skip also cooked sausage, biscuits, and scrambled eggs. Fresh fruit and juice, too.

Then we all got into two cars. Skip first took us to his manmade pond, where he fed his catfish. Then we took a tour of his Modular Wood factory. After that, we went to see their cabin. It was really nice, and will be much nicer when renovated.

Longshanks, Pack-On, Murph, Charlie, Skip, and Kathy

Back to the house for lunch (leftovers), then we headed out for Damascus. Dave and I still had to do laundry. Luckily the outfitter was open, so he got a Platypus and I got an eyedropper for my bleach (instead of using a water filter).

Headed to the local eatery for dinner. Nothing but hikers here. Kid Rock was his usual self. I got a humungous trail burger – only ate half. In a six-bunk room tonight. Pretty tired. Should I change my name to Shortshanks?

Day 37 - Double Springs to Damascus

Got up and out by 7:30, a little later than we had hoped. Eighteen miles to civilization – time to kick it up a notch. But boy, it was already hot that early in the morning.

The miles were relatively easy, but there is no such thing as completely flat. I have to remember that so I don’t get disappointed at the sight of the slightest upcoming climb. Dave started going really fast, and I had to run on the flat parts to keep up. It was getting pretty frustrating, so I asked him to slow down.

 

Anyway, we made it to Damascus, Virginia by 2:30. Six hours for 18 miles -- not bad. Called Kathy and Skip right away. It turns out Wendy was already on her way to pick us up. I bought some new shorts at the outfitter, and hopefully the pack-related rash on my back will go away now. Also got my own headlamp. 

We headed for “The Place,” a huge converted church now used by hikers and bikers for lodging. There are lots of rooms of bunkbeds, a couple showers, a kitchen, and a big yard. All for a $3 donation.

The Place

Charlie and Murph were already here. It was good to see them! We asked them to come with us to Mt. Airy, since there was room for four. Even though they had just taken a zero day, they agreed to come.

Because of traffic, Wendy didn’t pick us up til 4:30, and we didn’t get to the house until after 6. They had a German-Canadian couple already staying with them (business associates). But everyone was very friendly and seemed happy to see us.

Ate lasagna, turkey sandwiches, pasta salad, and salad for dinner. Hung out and talked til 11:30. The bed was so soft, the pillows were so nice, and there was a ceiling fan keeping the room cool but not too cold. Perfect. It did take me a while to fall asleep, but I was incredibly comfortable.

Day 36 - Watauga Shelter to Double Springs

Got up and tried to get an early start, but it didn’t happen. Dave’s hipbelt buckle snapped in half, so we tried using Mick’s cement glue – to no avail. But just tying the belt in a knot seemed to be sufficient.

Did a tough 6.7 miles to the first shelter. My right forearm started cramping up really bad, and I thought it must have something to do with my poles. Then the pain started spreading to my back and shoulder. I suddenly realized how much harder it is to hike when you’re in pain. Made me grateful for the fact that I haven’t suffered from blisters, shinsplits, and other maladies to date.

Got to the shelter and re-adjusted my pack, which seemed to help the situation. We were now entering the stretch of terrain known as the “Damascus death march,” because these fairly flat 33 miles can be hiked in a day. In the heat, though, nothing is that easy. Got to the second shelter, had lunch, and took a short break before pushing on the final eight miles (bringing us to a grand total of 21.7).

Made it to our destination around 7. The shelter was empty, except for a couple from North Carolina tenting nearby. They were very nice, and had lots of questions about thru hiking. The sky got very dark; then came the thunder and the rain. Luckily, we and all our gear stayed dry in the shelter. A very brazen mouse was darting around before nightfall, which wasn’t promising.

Too tired to do any writing, so we crashed around 9:30. During the night, I felt something tugging on my hair – that darn mouse must have been looking for some nesting material. So on went the thick fleece hat.

Day 35 - Laurel Creek Hostel to Watauga Shelter

Got up and had trouble getting motivated, as is our usual situation in town. Got a ride back to the trail at 10.

We’d heard horror stories from the slackpackers about our three-mile climb up Pond Flats. First came to a huge waterfall. The climb itself was hard, but I felt pretty darn good despite the heat. Now I know what Dave is talking about when he says, “I feel great.”

We were rewarded when we got down the other side with a big lake (Lake Watauga). Chops and Pappy were already there, and Whitey and Number One came down with us. 

Sat by a nice beach in the sun, had some lunch and just chilled out. Whitey discovered that yes, an inflatable Thermarest ground pad can be used as a raft.

Longshanks cools off (photo published in Appalachian Trailway News; see Publications of interest link at right)

Hung out til 4, then we all made a group effort to get motivated. Dave, Chops and I only did the extra 1.8 miles to the next shelter and called it quits. Mick was the only one there, so we set up shop inside. Decent night’s sleep.

Mick, Longshanks, and Chops at Watauga Shelter

Day 34 - Campsite #1 to Laurel Creek Hostel

Only had 11.6 miles to do to get to the road, but I had a feeling they’d be tough ones. This terrain is steep ups and steep downs with lots of rhododendrons and boggy creeks or streams at the bottom.

 

Took five solid hours to make it to the road. I was on my own the whole way – didn’t want to hang around waiting for Dave in the morning. I find myself counting or singing stupid songs in my head to break up the monotony – especially on the uphills.

Just before the road was a cooler – semi-trail magic provided by the Laurel Creek Hostel. The fruit punch drink was mighty refreshing. Didn’t know which of the two hostels Dave and Tim would want to go to, so I sat on a log and had lunch while I waited. A cat was walking by on the street, so I called to it and it came up to me. Jumped right on me and was very affectionate. So I just chilled out for about an hour.

Turns out they wanted to go to Laurel Creek, so I was glad I’d waited. It’s a nice place with lots of services. The three of us are staying in the 11-bed bunkhouse. Got a ride in the van into town (Elizabethton) for food shopping. At the supermarket, there was a mirror behind the meat counter. When I looked into it, I didn’t even recognize myself at first!

Bought chicken to grill and a frozen pizza to cook. Will be tough to put all that weight in my backpack again.

Hung out at the hostel, cooking and eating. Talked to Chef for a while, who’s nice. And Kid Rock isn’t as bad as I thought he was going to be. Pretty harmless, though quite a drinker. 

Longshanks and Chops at Laurel Creek

The Outlaws showed up late. Dave, Tim and I ended up having the bunkhouse to ourselves, which was nice. Pack explosions everywhere. Gerber, Trail Dancer, and Mudman came in later, too, after their 29-mile slackpack.

Dave called Kathy and Skip. They are expecting us to arrive in Damascus sometime Saturday afternoon.

Day 33 - Overmountain Shelter to Campsite #1

Left the shelter and immediately started climbing. I thought it would get easier after Roan! Climbed to the top of a beautiful bald, then another one.

In the distance, I could see cows but wasn’t sure if the trail went right past there. It did! 

It was a cloudy, sort of misty day – perfect weather for that location. Longhorn cattle were sprawled out right next to the trail. No fences or anything! That made my day.

Threat of rain, but nothing materialized for a while. Finally got to the road, from which there was access to civilization, if desired. Dave wanted to walk the .5 miles to a convenience store. Chops and I went along. Walked a half-mile before realizing we’d gone the wrong direction.

Back on the trail for another eight hard miles. The sun was beating down on us as we climbed these steep ascents. Walked through some farmland and pastures at the top of one of the hills (as the guidebook called them).

More cows. Started to rain at 5, and we weren’t done yet. Some kick-ass climbs that weren’t listed in any of the books or on the profile maps.

Finally found a campsite at 6 near water. Dave scouted out a great spot under a pine tree with a flat spot for our tent and Tim’s. Also offered some protection for cooking. Rain let up around 9. Good night’s sleep.

Day 32 - Greasy Creek Gap to Overmountain Shelter

Slept great last night, but awoke with a feeling of semi-dread about the climb up and over Roan Mountain. After Steve told us to give that mountain a kick for him (or words to that effect), I was a bit nervous. He’s the fastest hiker I’ve seen.

Left after Tim but before Dave, Beano, and Stretch (Phil) to get a jump on the day. Did quite a bit of climbing over peaks, which seemed odd since Roan was just ahead. I guess each hiking club gets to route its own section of the trail. Was expecting a sign, but didn’t see one – so I actually started climbing Roan without knowing what it was. Maybe that was a good thing.

Tim, aka Chops

About half-way up, I heard a man screaming something about “1,000 feet” and “this f----in pack”. I really thought it was Tim and that he was about to go (or had already gone) over the edge. Started walking after a minute and caught up to a man I hadn’t seen before. It didn’t dawn on me immediately that he’s the one I had heard. Saw Tim and took a break. I left ahead of him and quickly passed Tumbling Tom, who explained that he thought we were a lot higher up the mountain than we actually were.

Parts were pretty vertical, but it was more interesting to climb over rocks and roots than just back and forth switchbacks. Anyway, made it 7 ½ miles to the top of Roan in about four hours – pretty good time. Took a blue-blaze to the highest shelter on the AT – a former fire warden’s cabin. Was expecting a great view – as the woman had promised us the day before – but there was none. The top of the mountain is covered in pine trees. Waited for Dave for a while. Matt came up and said Dave must have missed the blue blaze, so I kept going. Soon came to another series of balds – quite beautiful and reminiscent of Ireland.

Overmountain Shelter from afar

We planned to stay at the shelter that is a converted barn and was used in the filming of “Winter People,” starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. What a spot! Nicest place we’ve stayed yet! The view was just amazing – hopefully the pictures will do it justice. A bunch of us (eight or so) stayed in the loft, while the others were down below or tenting. Lots of people we hadn’t met before were there – Mountain Dew’d, Derby, Bear, Alias and Morning Dove (from Somerville), Chef… also the Outlaws – Sasquatch (16), Torch (14), and Boo (12).

 

I guess they got on the trail at Newfound Gap and were hiking with Breaking Wind for a while. They are home-schooled, and Sas said it took six months to convince their parents to let them go. (Real names are Glory Be to God [both girls] and Ezekiel…). Quite mature kids. Would make a great story if they finish. I guess “the law” is out looking for them; hence the name Outlaws.

Beano, Longshanks, and Chops

Day 31 - Curley Maple Gap to Greasy Creek Gap

Got up and hit the trail late (8:30), which isn’t encouraging when you have a 20-mile day ahead of you. Took a break on a nice bald.

 
Dave kept talking about how great he felt – what am I doing wrong? Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the extra weight in my pack. Dave said having a big breakfast helped him a lot. Anyway, I explained how I struggle on every climb and am having a tough time keeping up with a group of men. He seemed to understand and did slow down for me.

We made the mistake (I think) of stopping for lunch at the 11-mile mark. Took a long break, then had to stop at the next shelter for water.

Oh, met a couple who thru-hiked in ’95. She was saying how few female hikers there were then – didn’t see a single other woman in the Smokies. That’s kind of how I’ve been feeling lately – lone female in a male tribe.

Day 30 - Nolichucky River to Curley Maple Gap

Got up around 8 (late!). Everyone decided to go out to breakfast, and I enjoyed my meal. But then I sort of freaked out -- this not working and spending money and paying the mortgage and the bills thing is pretty stressful -- even if I do still have money in the bank. It’s an issue I’m going to have to work though, I think.

It’s 3:35, and we’re trying to decide whether to stay another night and slackpack 19 miles tomorrow. I’d like to do it -- maybe because I’m afraid of how tough the hiking will be in the heat with my extra heavy backpack. Well, the decision was made to not slackpack and push on. I was not a happy camper.

Oh, in the morning we hitched a ride into town from a man who said he’d come back and check on us in a while. After breakfast, he came back and drove us to the local dollar store (great deals on food -- too bad we’d already loaded up) and an outfitter before taking us back to the hostel.

Then we went to the library. Sent a lengthy email out to everyone. Walked through Erwin for a bit -- nice houses with big porches and beautiful lawns and gardens; friendly people. 

Hitched back to the hostel… decided to push on. Really tough to get motivated. Didn’t leave until 6 because people were waiting to get their fuel from Johnny and check out. I guess he is a bit sleazy, sort of like a used car salesman. Some call him “Johhny Cash,” which is fitting. But it was a nice, clean place; convenient to town; and I’m glad we stayed there. 

Headed out on the trail and came across a campground. Turns out there is an outfitter there (Johnny would have charged $25 for a ride to a different outfitter).

Pushed on with our heavy packs. Hopefully I’ve learned another lesson. Made it to the shelter around 8 and just decided to stay there. The floor slanted down, which makes sleeping difficult when your head is at the bottom.