Day 97
Monday, 9/25/00
Damascus, Virginia to Iron Mountain Shelter
26.3 miles
Had a rough night! The whole time I was in town my stomach felt kind of strange. I thought I’d just eaten too much… but last night I felt kinda sick, so I got out a barf bucket just in case. Went to sleep for a bit then woke up because I had to puke… all those wasted calories! Slept well after that…
Felt kinda crappy when I woke up. Packed up, went to the Sidetrack Café. The guy fixed me a free breakfast! Well, he offered to. I just had some OJ and a roll.
Raining… went to P.O. to send some stuff home. Started hiking around 9:00. Felt terrible. Felt like I was gonna puke and it was raining…
After a few hours I felt better though. The rain was on and off all day. Mostly ON though.
Either I was going super fast, which I didn’t feel like, or the mileages here are exaggerated a bit.
It started pouring about 3:00 and kept up until I got here (at 5:30). I made good time even though I wasn’t feeling good…
New shoes feel good. Of course they’re soaked now though…
Going 24.3 tomorrow to Kincora Hostel where the owner (Bob Peoples) is going to drive me into Boone (for $20)! Less than 24 hours until I see someone I know! Yay!!! Hoave to get there before 5:00… Should be no problem…
5 people at this shelter (+2 dogs).
Day 98
Tuesday, 9/26/00
Iron Mountain Shelter to Dennis Cove Rd. (Kincora Hostel) to Boone, NC
24.3 miles
Continued to rain and blow all night long. Thought a tree would fall on the shelter or something…
Got out of bed about 6:30. The temp had dropped probably into the 30’s and it was foggy. Got my food and ate in bed. Waited for it to get light before I started packing – much later than usual due to fog… On the trail by 7:30. It was freezing! My shoes were soaked and real cold! Wore my raincoat, beanie and gloves most of the day!
Was foggy until about 11:30 or so. Made great time once again. The mileages must be exaggerated, but the elevation profile sure isn’t! Supposed flat spots are all up and down… argh!
Came down leeward side of ridge and it was much warmer. Crossed Watuaga dam…
Climbed up Pond Mountain (<4,000’) about a 2.5 mile climb. Steep descent into the Laurel Creek gorge. Very pretty! Nice area for swimming if it wasn’t so cold… Passed Laurel Creek falls. REALLY pretty! Steep climb out of there. Leveled off before Dennis Cove Rd, where I went to “Kincora Hostel”. There by 4:15, took a shower and got a ride to Boone. Found Courtney working. Ate some food. Went to grocery store. Tried to find Courtney’s house. Walked about 2 miles uphill… gave up and walked back to town.
Waiting for Courtney to finish up work so she can give me a ride. Quite cold out…
Day 99
Wednesday, 9/27/00
Boone, NC
0 miles
Courtney was busy all day, so I just wandered around town… Met her and a bunch of her friends at some place. It was “open mike” night and the bands were terrible! Stayed there until about 11:30. I went home (Courtney’s pad), everyone else went to get drunk… It was Courtney’s 21st birthday…
Day 100!
Thursday, 9/28/00
Boone, NC
0 miles
More of the same. Courtney didn’t feel well enough to hang out much… eventually she recovered though. Did the recycling and went to the carwash with her. It was fun enough I guess. I bought “A Walk in the Woods”. I think I’m the only person on the AT who hasn’t read it. Bill Bryson’s book had come out this summer, and lots of folks were on the trail (non-thru-hikers) because of its influence.
Went out to dinner with her and her boyfriend. It was fun and good food too!
Watched a video later…
I didn’t seem to enjoy myself when I took days off in town. I guess I haven’t changed too much…
Day 101!
Friday, 9/29/00
Dennis Cove Rd to Apple House Shelter
20.1 miles
Woke up before 7:00. Packed up and left with Courtney for the trail. Foggy drive there… Got to trail about 8:30. Took some pictures and said my goodbye to Courtney and returned to the trail… I wonder if I’ll ever see her again… I saw her again in Boothbay in the summer of 2003, but I haven’t since then…
Anyway, felt great to be hiking again! Weather was perfect! The woods were very pretty too! Lots of ups and downs. The hills are getting noticeably steeper…
Saw some weekenders… Got a great view of the Roan Highlands (what I go over tomorrow).
Near Highway 19E there was a cooler with beer, soda, and Little Debbies!!! Had a few LD’s and a beer. I love trail magic!
Got here about 4:00… reading my book…
Day 102
Saturday, 9/30/00
Apple House Shelter to Clyde Smith Shelter
20.6 miles
Wow! What a day! Slept great last night. Woke around 7:00, on trail by 8:00.
Long, 5 mile climb up Hump Mountain. The top half was treeless but covered with clouds… this area is called the Roan Highlands. Lots of up and down, mostly up… About ¾ up actually. Clouds eventually cleared off. Perfect weather! Lots of “bald” mountains. Views were great. Made good time! Near Carvers Gap, there were lots of day hikers. One gave me an apple, that was it (guess I’d been spoiled lately). Climbed up Roan High Knob (6,285’). That’s only 3 feet shorter than Mt. Washington! There’s the highest shelter on the AT there too. Long, steep descent from there, then up and over Little Rock Knob (great views) to here. Here alone… I’m loving this book!
Even though I tried to give myself generous rations, I’ll have to stock up in Erwin, TN. Can’t stop eating!
I forgot to mention I got an email in Boone from Czarina (NY to GA). She said there’s some guy that started on June 28th that’s trying to catch me and be first to Springer. I’ve decided to enjoy my final few weeks on the trail and not worry about it. He won’t be first anyway, RD, OP, and DD (I abbreviated their names in the journal, the only I remember is Optimus Prime) are all planning to be done on the 7th! If this guy “Morphine” caught me tonight, he’d have a week to go 300+ miles. Not likely… And he never even caught up to me. Don’t know if he finished or not…
Besides, the ATC doesn’t publish who finishes first or fastest, so why bother? Who’s gonna care anyway it’d be forgotten by next year…
Going over a mountain tomorrow which is supposed to be like Maine because of the fir/spruce trees. That will be nice and sentimental… To Erwin tomorrow!
Day 103
Sunday, 10/1/00
Clyde Smith Shelter to Curley Maple Shelter
20.9 miles
Wow, I can’t believe it’s already October! I went well over 600 miles last month! To date, I’ve gone 1,824.6 miles. That means only 342.5 miles to go! Less than 3 weeks! I’m reading “A Walk in the Woods” and he’s in Maine. It’s getting me all sentimental…
Anyway, another nice day! Not as scenic as yesterday though. Unaka Mountain (5,180’) had fir and spruce trees on top so it looked, felt and smelled a lot like the Maine woods… minus the moose poop, roots, and rocks…
In the woods again going up and down all day… That’s the AT. Came to a bald called “Beauty Spot”. What an appropriate name! You could see for miles…
Walked through a “bear sanctuary” area. This is where they bring the problem bears from the Smokes. Great…
Got here at 3:15! I was going to spend the night in Erwin, but I’m low on money, so I decided to stay here. It’s 4 miles downhill to town… Need food! Read a lot… almost done with the book.
To town for food then out again… alone again…
Day 104
Monday, 10/2/00
Curley Maple Shelter to No Business Knob Shelter
10.5 miles
Easy day! Hiked the 4 miles to town in less than an hour! Went to Uncle Johnny’s Hostel. He lets patrons use bikes for free! It’s 4 miles to town. Had to wait for an hour for him to show up, but it was worth it. Took a crappy old Schwinn. The seat was WAY too low and the wheels were hopelessly out of true. But it got me to town! Tooke me a while to find an ATM… bought what should be more than enough food to get me to Hot Springs, NC. I think I’ll get there Thursday afternoon. Hope my package is there (containing some warmer clothes).
Got back from town about 1:00. I hate wasting time, but I gotta eat! Long climb out of Nolichucky Gorge. Almost stepped on a very well camouflaged Copperhead snake. Fortunately, I saw him in time and ripped his head off. That should add some flavor to my ramen. (There I go with the snake decapitation again… in case you forgot, I’m only joking!).
Pretty flat until I got here. So fast, I was surprised when I came around the corner and saw the shelter! It was before 3:00. Could and probably should have pushed on. But, I don’t want to beat my package to Hot Springs…
Quite a bit warmer today. Feels more like the south than it has so far…
Three 20-mile days ahead and I’ll be in Hot Springs!
More nice balds to go over tomorrow!
NOTE: Since leaving Damascus, none of the shelters have had privies (outhouses)! Why!? The trail is well-maintained, but the shelters kind of suck. This one is very dark…
Day 105
Tuesday 10/3/00
No Business Knob Shelter to Hogback Ridge Shelter
20.7 miles
Woke up several times last night. Must be because I went to bed so early (6:00). There wasn’t anything else to do… Packed up and hiking by 7:30.
Easy, fast going to Spivey Gap. 2 mile climb out of there… easy. Then down some then a long, pretty tough climb up Little Bald Mountain. It wasn’t little or bald!!! They should rename it “Corndog Mountain” or “Mount Corndog”. That sounds much nicer.
Then, down some more and up Big Bald Mountain. It was big and bald! 360 degree views from an elevation of 5,516 feet. It was great. Got some dayhikers to take my picture up there…
Back in Pennsylvania somewhere, I saw an AT calendar. There was one gorgeous picture of a place called Sam’s Gap. The foliage was all sorts of pretty colors… I had been looking forward to getting there. But, when I got to Sam’s Gap, there was some major road construction. They were building an Interstate bridge and half the valley was torn up. So much for the scenery…
2.5 miles uphill to here. Arrived at 2:30! Probably should have pushed on some. Oh well. 3 section-hikers here now. Maybe I’ll score some more extra food! 2 days until Hot Springs!
I’m feeling lazy. Poofoot and Flatiron are only a day ahead. Haven’t seen them since Damascus…
“Morphine” still hasn’t caught me. I thought this dude was supposed to be fast!
Day 106
Wednesday, 10/4/00
Hogback Shelter to Little Laurel Shelter
21.3 miles
I think I was sharing the shelter last night with Darth Vader! Dude snored so loud! I didn’t get any food from them either…
Woke up around 6:15. Ate and was on the trail by 7:30. Nice easy descent then an easy climb, then a long descent (3+ miles). Then, kind of up and down for a bit to Flint Gap. Tough, steep climb out of there! It was fun though! Climbs that don’t kill me only make me stronger! (Aaaaaarrrrrrrrrr!!!!) Eventually reached the summit of Big Butt Mountain (where do they get these names?). Down a bit to Jerry Cabin Shelter. Went 6.7 miles from there to here in 1 hour 45 minutes! That’s moving pretty quick! Passed 9 section hikers all headed here. Got here at 2:30, again… Coulda, shoulda gone another 8.6 miles but I don’t want to beat that maildrop.
I think I’ll be able to get a bunch of grub from these guys! We’ll see…
Only 19.8 miles to Hot Springs tomorrow…
3 comments:
Glad to see you back at it. I've done the Roan Highlands section before, but we were slackpacking. Someone drove our food and beverages to the campsite near the shelter. I can't remember the name of the shelter but it was a big red barn with a great view.
I think I remember that very barn! Man that was a gorgeous section of trail. Really want to see some of that again...
Hello everyone. I am looking for feedback about the difficulty level of the hike between Little Laurel Shelter and the Flint Mtn. Shelter. I've hiked trails here and there, but I'm going to be doing Hot Springs to Erwin at the end of April and am trying to figure out if I can do Little Laurel to Flint in one day. This will be my first AT hike, so although I'm confident and in decent shape, I don't want to be unrealistic and get into trouble. Any feedback? Thanks Willapa for writing about your journey!
Em
Post a Comment