Journal

09.23.04
Location: Full Goose Shelter - 276.5 Miles to Katahdin!

The word of the day is MAINE!! But i'll get back to that later. The Whites came and went rather quickly. The weather was good to us the first few days, providing warm temps and far views from Franconia Ridge, an above treeline ridgewalk of several miles. As we approached Lake of the Clouds Hut and Mt Washington, the clouds and rain moved in, along with colder temps and wind. At the Lake of the Clouds Hut, Kiwi and i caught up to Mickey and Mallory, Butterfingers and Wideload, and Blackfoot, who we had not seen since the Delaware Water Gap. They had gotten all the "Work for Stay" so Harry, Lightweight Joe, Franco, Benny, Kiwi and i were forced to pay to sleep in the small dirty basement room called "The Dungeon." (Work for Stay is when you do an hour or two of work for a Hut, and in return, get to sleep on the dining room floor and eat leftovers, if any.) The next morning we climbed to the summit of Mt. Washington in the rain. While we were eating at the summit, the clouds began to clear a bit and we could see mountain peaks poking up through the clouds. That night we did 'work for stay' at the Madison Hut in the Presidential Range. During the Q+A session between the guests and the hut "Croo," Wideload stood to ask a question. He proposed to Butterfingers who gladly accepted. It was a cold night in the unheated hut and we awoke to rime ice (frozen, wind blown fog) covering the stunted pines outside. The Croo was closing the hut that day but offered another nights stay if we helped them close. We accepted. Part of my work was to hike down the mountain with Mickey and Millipede, get one of the Croo's cars, drive to town, get beer and liquor, then pack it all up to the hut. It was a steep eight mile round trip on our zero day, but we accepted the mission and suceeded. A party ensued later that night up on Mt Madison.

So now we (Mickey, Mallory, Blackfoot, Butterfingers, Wideload, Franco, Benny, Pokey, and Gabby) are sitting at the Full Goose Shelter in MAINE! That's right, today we FINALLY made it to Maine!! For months when asked where we were headed we would respond, "Maine!" Now we're here and have lost direction. How will we respond when asked where we're going? Perhaps, "into the cold" will be the right answer. Anyway, it is good to finally be in our final state. Tomorrow we enter the Mahoosuc Notch, considered by many to be the most difficult mile on the trail. I am looking forward to it, i like climbing around, over, and under all these boulders, it's fun, at least that's what i keep telling myself.
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09.13.04
Location: New Hampshire

So I've decided to try this journaling thing again. Other than being told that I looked "hobo-ish" and like a Mongol in the same day, walking has been rather uneventful.The trees still look like trees (luckily they haven’t started speaking to me yet) and there are still rocks littering the trail. I have been hiking with Kiwi and the two of us have gotten drenched in a recent hurricane’s remnants. We have been doing quite a lot of night hiking these days, although not by choice. We seem to have much difficulty getting out of our warm sleeping bags on these cold New England mornings. The early sunsets are not helping the problem. We were proud this morning to have gotten out of the shelter at nine. It was the start of a good day. First, we went under the 400 miles left mark. We also entered the White Mountains and climbed above the tree line for our first time. There were spectacular views, but it was cold and windy and the sun was setting so we rushed to the closest shelter, arriving in the dark but without using our headlamps. This may not have been the smartest action, but to us, it meant that we were not really night hiking so we were happy. Good night.
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08.21.04
Location: Kent, CT
Total Miles: 1400 some

Well I've fallen way behind in my entries and i'm not even going to try catching up on them this time. Right now Kiwi and i are in Pomfret, CT at my parents' house. Tomorrow we will return to the trail in Kent, CT. I'll make a few comments on the last few states.

Pennsylvania
Soon after my last entry the infamous rocks of Pennsylvania began appearing, tearing up our feet in the process. The rock scramble out of Lehigh Gap is an interesting place. This old Zinc mining site is now a superfund site, bare of life and soil but abundant in odd smells. Gradually the vegetation began to reappear and Underhill and watched our first porcupine climb up into a tree. Many snakes inhabit the many rocks of PA. At a outcropping called the Pinnacle, we found seven copperheads. Timber Rattlers popped up regularly on the side of the trail. As we approached the Delaware Water Gap and the end of PA, many commented on their surprise to be excited to enter New Jersey.

New Jersey
New Jersey quickly became a favorite state among many hikers. Our first day out of the Delaware Water Gap turned out to be one of the best to many of the hikers in our group. A front full of nice cool Canadian air moved in the day before providing us with great temps and some of the best visibility we've had on the entire hike. We were all very excited to have a glider buzz us (close to ten times) as we sat on top of the first NJ "summit." From there, Knuckles, Underhill, Swedish, Ottie, Kiwi, Char, and i hiked into the Mohican Outdoor Center where we found ourselves crashing a wedding. After setting up camp and eating dinner we wandered around to the other side of the pond where we had heard music and people. A wedding reception with a great bluegrass band and homebrew was in progress and we were glad to find out that we were invited (some even considered us celebrities). It was one of the best times had on the trail. A few slow days later we found ourselves in Vernon, a town i used to live in. We stayed in a great church hostel relaxing and watching movies. Snatchy and Monk were there, unfortunately due to an injury to Snatchy's leg. They had to return home but will be back to finish up at some point. On the second day in Vernon, Underhill's parents came into town to return Mika (Underhill's dog), and drove us all out to Campmor, a outfitting superstore. There i bought a tent to replace my hammock. I enjoyed using the hammock but miss being on solid ground, plus it's going to be getting cold at night soon.

New York
New York was very wet. It was nice to be back in some older forests again, but apparently there was some hurricane that caused lots of precipitation to fall. The trails (and in some places the entire sides of mountains) turned into raging rivers. Though my feet regretted it at the end of the day, it was kind of fun to walk through all the rushing water.

Connecticut
So now i'm about 12 miles into Connecticut. Zinc and Kiwi came back to my parents' place where Kiwi and I have taken two zero days (i think they should be called power up days). Zinc left on a plane for his home and school this morning. He plans to return to finish the trail next summer. Kiwi and i have no good excuses and must finish up now. It's going to be difficult as i seem to have developed a weight problem. I purchased a new, larger pack to accommodate my cold weather gear. After filling it up with all of my gear, 5 or 6 days of food and 2 liters of water, the pack weighs 48 lbs, about twice as much as i have normally been carrying. At least i'll stay warm... Wait, it's August...
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07.23.04

Day 95
Starting Location: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Ending Location: Boiling Springs, PA
Today's Miles: 19.4
Total Miles: 1107.1

The only place we are allowed to camp on this section of trail is a buggy spot in between some cornfields and a VERY active railroad track on the outskirts of Boiling Springs, PA. Underhill, Knuckles and I went into town for dinner where we found Blackfoot. Knuckles says that the town is like the town in the movie, "The Truman Show". When we left the restaurant we discovered that hikers had taken over the town while we ate. The hikers here, who I can remember, are: D-bone, Munchkin, Smack, Lamby, Peanut, Tombstone, Butterfingers, Wideload, Strider, Jacob, Goofy and Terrapin.
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07.22.04

Day 94
Starting Location: Quarry Gap Shelters
Ending Location: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Today's Miles: 17.4
Total Miles: 1087.7

At five this morning we woke up. The group of noisy kids was running around banging pots and doing other noisy things. I guess it was worth it for the "trout" found later. Tonight we are staying at a hostel at the halfway point of our hike. Some people attempt to eat a half-gallon of ice cream here. We decided not to partake in the tradition at the recommendation of Jacob and Strider who had both finished their ice cream as we walked up.
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07.21.04

Day 93
Starting Location: Deer Lick Shelters
Ending Location: Quarry Gap Shelters
Today's Miles: 15.8
Total Miles: 1070.3

Good day today as the miles went quickly. Plus, we were able to get food and soda at a park just before the shelter. About a mile before I got into camp I saw a large bird down a side trail and went to investigate. I followed it for a while before I got close enough to see that there were two very large owls and a baby. The shelter tonight is very nice with potted plants and a spring right out front. There is an Outward Bound group camping out and another group just came in. They are being very loud and clumsy. We plan to wake up early (5:30) and be loud.
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07.20.04

Day 92
Starting Location: Ensign Cowall Chelter
Ending Location: Deer Lick Shelters
Today's Miles: 14.1
Total Miles: 1054.5

I had to switch back to using my clogs today as the boots don't seem to be working out. Knuckles offered a trade of her sandals for my clogs so I'll be giving them a try. The shelters here come in pairs... two smaller shelters rather than one larger. One is for snorers, one for non. Knuckle and Underhill are here as are Lil Munchkin and Kaya. Mika is taking a break for PA. Speaking of PA, we crossed the Mason-Dixon line into the state today. West Virginia and Maryland went by quickly.
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07.19.04

Day 91
Starting Location: Dahlgren Campground
Ending Location: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Today's Miles: 13.9
Total Miles: 1040.4

I had my original boots sent back to me at Harpers Ferry and now my feet hurt. It was a long day. When I got to the shelter I found Lil Munchkin with her dog, Kaya, and met Moose and Rover (SOBO). I've been eating non-stop since I got here and now it's time for some sleep.
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07.18.04

Day 90
Starting Location: Harpers Ferry, WV
Ending Location: Dahlgren Backpack Campground
Today's Miles: 17.9
Total Miles: 1026.9

What a surprise to walk into this campground and see Slider (Amos) sitting at the picnic table. We both stared at each other as I walked up, dumbfounded looks on both our faces. He had gone home for a few days and then did a section in PA. Now he's back doing this section that he had skipped, and will jump north again in a few days. We met our first thru-hiking Southbounder(SOBO) this evening. His name is Engine and has lots of stories about killing mice. He also told a story about visiting DC. He had all his gear with him and was mistaken for a terrorist. His pack is called the "Bomb Pack" and says so on the side. Apparently the people in the black vans took this literally. They also thought he was wearing body armor because he had his kneepads on. Well, time for bed. Oh, this is supposed to be where the "Blair Witch Project" was filmed.
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07.17.04

Day 89
Zero in Asburn, VA

Paul and Kitty are feeding us very well. We have decided to stay another night and hit the trail tomorrow morning.
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07.16.04

Day 88
Starting Location: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Ending Location: Harpers Ferry, WV
Today's Miles: 8.8
Total Miles: 1008.6

We made it into Harpers Ferry today. This is the considered by many to be the psychological halfway point of the hike. At the Appalachian Trail Conference Headquarters we each had our picture taken by a grumpy old man. After filling our stomachs I contacted my friends Paul and Kitty. Paul came to pick me up for the night along with Underhill, Knuckles, and Mika.
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07.15.04

Day 87
Starting Location: Sam Moore Shelter
Ending Location: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.2
Total Miles: 999.8

1000 Miles! Almost there . . .
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07.14.04

Day 86
Starting Location: Dick's Dome Shelter
Ending Location: Sam Moore Shelter
Today's Miles: 16.9
Total Miles: 985.7

There are pieces of wood or mushrooms glowing in the dark around the shelter. Millipedes are crawling around in vast quantities, as are daddy-long-legs. Knuckles thought she heard a UFO earlier.
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07.13.04

Day 85
Starting Location: Front Royal, VA
Ending Location: Dick Dome's Shelter
Today's Miles: 15.1
Total Miles: 969.8

I am hammocking over a creek tonight. Underhill and Knuckles, and Flash and Rosie are here in an oddly shaped shelter.
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07.12.04

Day 84
Starting Location: Front Royal, VA
Ending Location: Front Royal, VA
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 954.7

Unexpected zero today.
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07.11.04

Day 83
Starting Location: Gravel Springs Hut
Ending Location: Front Royal, VA
Today's Miles: 13.4
Total Miles: 954.7

I saw two bears today, neither of which was very shy. One paralleled me off in the woods as I walked down the trail. I was lucky and got some pictures. Soon after I kicked a rattlesnake's rattle. I stepped about an inch from its head. It didn't seem to be annoyed until I started taking pictures. Soon after I kicked a rattlesnake's rattle. I stepped about an inch from its head. It didn't seem to be annoyed until I started taking pictures. Soon after I found myself at the Terrapin Hostel. The hostel was not supposed to be on the trail so I became a bit confused. Apparently I had taken the wrong trail half a mile back. That was the first of the five extra mils I walked today. I also walked into town rather than hitching. Tonight I am in a motel in Front Royal with Underhill and Knuckles, and Swedish and Odie.
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07.10.04

Day 82
Starting Location: Pass Mountain Hut
Ending Location: Gravel Springs Hut
Today's Miles: 13.1
Total Miles: 941.3

A nice short day today with a lunch-break at one of Shenandoah's Waysides. This shelter is near Skyline Drive so there are a lot of day and weekend hikers out.
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07.09.04

Day 81
Starting Location: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Ending Location: Pass Mountain Hut
Today's Miles: 26.8
Total Miles: 928.2

I caught up to Underhill, Knuckles and Mika (the dog) while somehow passing Moxi and Whoa. Steven, now called Bypass, got harassed and given a warning ticket by the rangers for not having Dozes on a leash. There's a big crowd here tonight.
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07.08.04

Day 80
Starting Location: Pinefield Hut
Ending Location: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Today's Miles: 20.6
Total Miles: 901.4

I am way behind in my journal and can't remember what happened this day.
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07.07.04

Day 79
Starting Location: Blackrock Hut
Ending Location: Pinefield Hut
Today's Miles: 13.2
Total Miles: 880.8

I stopped at the shelter here and ate a big, late lunch. That made me sleepy and I ended up falling asleep. Then it started pouring. Now I am here for the night at the first shelter I ever stayed in. Back on the trail. If Mountain Goat hadn't been around, I'd probably be stuck in town right now. We're at a new, large shelter tonight and it's quite full. There is a raging creek out front. We dropped off Scorch in Waynesboro on our way back to the trail. There I was surprised to find Moxie and Whoa. Hopefully we'll meet up on the trail soon.
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07.06.04

Day 78
Starting Location: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Ending Location: Blackrock Hut
Today's Miles: 25
Total Miles: 867.6

I thought the trail was supposed to be easy once you got to Shenandoah National Park. I guess it was but it was a long and painful day. The tendon I hurt a few days ago is getting worse again, and somehow I developed a large blister on my big toe, and for no apparent reason. Scorch and Wipeout are here at the shelter tonight along with a SOBO (southbounder) and some UVA kids out for a week. There are many stars out tonight. I think this is actually the first time I've been able to look at the stars since starting.
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07.05.04

Day 77
Starting Location: Reeds Gap
Ending Location: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.4
Total Miles: 842.6

No entry.
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07.04.04

Day 76
Starting Location: Zero in Charlottesville

Happy Fourth of July from the IRS. Apparently they never received my return. I'm now looking forward to doing taxes on the trail. At least they are already prepared.
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07.03.04

Day 75
Starting Location: The Priest Shelter
Ending Location: Reeds Gap (Charlottesville)
Today's Miles: 15.3
Total Miles: 828.2

Thought I was going to have to be rescued at the Tye River this morning after the descent from the Priest. Several hundred milligrams of Vitamin I got me over the Three Ridges and to Reed's Gap where Scorch, Mountain Goat and I were picked up by some friends and a previous thru-hiker. We will spend the next two nights in Charlottesville for the Fourth of July. Hopefully I will not get stuck in town again since I have tricked these other hikers into joining me.
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07.02.04

Day 74
Starting Location: Buena Vista, NC
Ending Location: The Priest Shelter
Today's Miles: 20.9
Total Miles: 812.9

No Entry
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07.01.04

Day 73
Starting Location: Punch Bowl Shelter
Ending Location: Buena Vista, VA
Today's Miles: 10.9
Total Miles: 792.0

After standing in the sun with no water for an hour and forty-five minutes while unsuccessfully trying to hitch a ride, I decided to spend a night in town. I finally got a ride from a local who seemed to live just to shuttle hikers. He had just dropped off some other hikers back at the trail. I got myself a motel room, and after a shower headed to the Subway next door. I was surprised to see four packs sitting out front. It was Monk and Snatchy who were at the shelter last night and Mountain Goat and Scorch, whom I had not previously met. They returned to the trail after eating. Later, back in my room, I heard a knocking at the door. It was Atlas. I hadn't met him before but the others had given him my room number so we are now splitting the room. Turns out he lived in Charlottesville for a few months a couple years ago. He also knows Chicken Feet and Flanders, the hikers who helped me decide to do the trail this year, though he was not aware that they had hiked the trail. There have been many unusual coincidences since I've returned to the trail.
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06.30.04

Day 72
Starting Location: Thunder Hill Shelter
Ending Location: Punch Bowl Shelter
Today's Miles: 25.1
Total Miles: 781.1

My longest day yet, I KNOW. Well, my feet and legs definitely know . . . This morning I plopped myself down in the middle of the trail and ate wild blueberries. I plan to do this more often. I ate lunch before crossing the James River and soon after leaving had an encounter with a bear. When it noticed me, it ran off. I crossed the James on a long footbridge and was soon greeted by some horrendous climbs. It was like being back in Georgia. I met Mop and Spirit who are back out on the trail after a year (got off due to illness). They were about out of water so I gave them half of what I had left. Later at camp, their stove wouldn't work so I let them use the rest of my fuel. The shelter here is next to a small pond full of bullfrogs. There is also a loud group of kids here. On top of all the noise are fighter jets flying around. Did something happen?
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06.29.04

Day 71
Starting Location: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Ending Location: Thunder Hill Shelter
Today's Miles: 23.6
Total Miles: 756.0

My longest day yet, I think. Well, my feet and legs definitely think so . . . I stepped on a snake today. It was a small black one with its front half stuck under a rock. After I stepped on it, I kicked it (lightly) to see if it was alive. It moved so I think it will be all right. I was very glad to finally find this shelter tonight. Baloo and Little Engine are here and Daddy-O is supposedly camped out in back of the shelter, though I haven't seen him. I saw some more trees today, and some rocks as well. Oh, I have entered the land of the lizards. They are everywhere.

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06.28.04

Day 70
Starting Location: Fullhardt Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Today's Miles: 13.5
Total Miles: 732.4

I woke up around 5:40 this morning, ate breakfast and began packing up. Somehow I fell back to sleep in the packing process. I woke up a few hours later and began to head out just as someone walked in. Though we didn't recognize each other, the hiker happened to be Baloo, one of the guys with whom I started at Springer. We hadn't seen each other since that first night. The two of us are here at Bobblets Gap Shelter tonight. I had wanted to do several more miles but discovered that I need a little while to regain the strength in my legs and knees after all those days off. The crowd as thinned out a lot in the time I was away.

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06.27.04

Day 69
Starting Location: US 220, Daleville, VA
Ending Location: Fullhardt Knob Shelter
Today's Miles: 5
Total Miles: 718.9

Wow! What a vacation! Ten zero days. I think people were starting to wonder if I was really going to return to the trail. It's good to be back. On Friday I received an email from Screamin' Steven. He had made it into Waynesboro, had rented a car, and had driven into Charlottesville on Saturday for a zero. We both returned to the trail this afternoon. It will be a while before I catch up to him and the others.

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06.16.04

Day 58
Starting Location: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Ending Location: Daleville, VA
Today's Miles: 9.4
Total Miles: 713.9

Arrived in Daleville around noon today. Steven had gotten a motel room where i washed up and made some calls. Now i'm in Charlottesville. We'll be going to a wedding in Richmond this weekend and then i willl try to escape back to the woods.

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06.15.04

Day 57
Starting Location: VA 624 (Four Pines Hostel)
Ending Location: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Today's Miles: 16.1
Total Miles: 704.5

Nice views through the fog from McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.

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06.14.04

Day 56
Starting Location: Niday Shelter
Ending Location: VA 624 (Four Pines Hostel)
Today's Miles: 15.9
Total Miles: 688.4

Nothing of much interest happened today. We've ended up at the Four Pines Hostel near Catawba, VA. There are 15 - 20 hikers sleeping on the floor of this 3-car garage, a few tented out, and another church group outside. I tried to set up my hammock as a bivy sac outside but didn't have enough stakes. That and it began storming. Oh, it also got run over by an ATV.

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06.13.04

Day 55
Starting Location: Laurel Creek Shelter
Ending Location: Niday Shelter
Today's Miles: 12.4
Total Miles: 672.5

Another church group is with us tonight reminding me of the groups of marines in the Smokies. Today was supposed to be a big day but when i arrived at 1 i was cold and wet and there was a fire already burning. It was nice to sit around and eat all afternoon.

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06.12.04

Day 54
Starting Location: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Ending Location: Laurel Creek Shelter
Today's Miles: 18.5
Total Miles: 660.1

Couldn't really walk when i woke up this morning as my knee was bruised from walking into a pointy root on a fallen tree stump yesterday. I need to start looking at what's coming up on the trail. The pain gradually diminished as i hobbled down the trail. There is a church group at the shelter here tonight with us (Screamin Steven, Coughdrop, Gordy, Trail Dawg, Karma (SOBO), and Ursus the Bear (SOBO). Gordy is trying out my hammock tonight and i am trying out her thermarest.

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06.11.04

Day 53
Starting Location: Pearisburg, VA
Ending Location: Pine Swamp Shelter
Today's Miles: 19.6
Total Miles: 641.6

All of us in the shelter tonight, Screamin Steven, Coughdrop, Trail Dawg, and Gordy, slipped and fell on rocks today. We also walked down a freeway for about 3/4 mile before realizing that we weren't on the trail.

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06.10.04

Day 52
Starting Location: Pearisburg, VA
Ending Location: Pearisburg, VA
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 622.0

No entry

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06.09.04

Day 51
Starting Location: Wapiti Shelter
Ending Location: Pearisburg, VA
Today's Miles: 16.2
Total Miles: 622.0

No entry

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06.08.04

Day 50
Starting Location: Jenny Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Wapiti Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.2
Total Miles: 605.8

I walked into a tree today banging my head hard.

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06.07.04

Day 49
Starting Location: Unknown Stealth Camp
Ending Location: Jenny Knob Shelter
Today's Miles: 15.1
Total Miles: 591.6

Hitched into Bland, VA (renamed Spicy, VA by Steven) to resupply this morning. The car that pulled over gave us a scare when we noticed the words "US Government" written on the side. We didn't run and safetly made it in and out of town. At the IGA i bought 3 apples, 3 ears of corn, an onion, a bell pepper, 2 sweet potatoes, some garlic, some beef, and some V-8. I put everything in a sack tied to the end of my walking stick to carry over my shoulder. While walking to the shelter we ran into and hiked with Doc Knarly. He's now given me the trail surname Hotei after a samurai by the name who is depicted in a painting carrying food in a similar manner.
-Ate well tonight.

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06.06.04

Day 48
Starting Location: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Unknown Stealth Camp
Today's Miles: 18.5
Total Miles: 576.5

Today brought several slippery water crossings making for some interesting times. Coughdrop, Yoga Monkey, Walrus and i arrived at the planned campsite but pushed on as it was within view of a road and didn't look like a wise place to stay. Coughdrop and i arrived at a decent site at the top of the mountain but decided to push a little further, leaving a note for Screamin Steven telling him where we planned to be. This turned out to be a mistake as we had not checked the topo maps and the next several miles turned out to be a ridge walk. Eventually we found a small rock outcropping with a spot for Steven's tent and set up there. There was a great view of the sunset framed by the surrounding pines. We just hope that it doesn't storm tonight.

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06.05.04

Day 47
Starting Location: Davis Path Shelter
Ending Location: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Today's Miles: 20.2
Total Miles: 558.0

No rain today! Still a very wet and muddy day however. Summer's section hike ended today. It was a long day so i'm going to sleep. I have a view of the sunset from my spot in the shelter.

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06.04.04

Day 46
Starting Location: Partnership Shelter
Ending Location: Davis Path Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.3
Total Miles: 537.8

Poured all night and did not stop in the morning or afternoon or evening. My clogs have NO traction in the mud. Coughdrop seems to find this very amusing. Using ninja balance techniques i was able to manage saves on all but one fall, which i admit, must have looked quite humorous. Despite all the water and mud, spirits remained high. Somehow we spent a good two hours hanging out at an Exxon station today.

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06.03.04

Day 45
Starting Location: Dickey Gap / Troutdale, VA
Ending Location: Partnership Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.5
Total Miles: 523.5

Pizza! That's right, we had pizza delivered to the shelter tonight. There is also a sink with running water and a hot shower here. I couldn't wear my shoes today due to a mysterious pain, but my clogs performed well. They may become my footwear of choice.

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06.02.04

Day 44
Starting Location: Wise Shelter
Ending Location: Dickey Gap / Troutdale, VA
Today's Miles: 16.1
Total Miles: 509.0

More great weather today though it still managed to storm after we get into town. I feel that there has been some precipitation every day since we were in Gatlinburg, TN in the Smokies. That's how it seems at least. Coughdrop, Summer, and I have come into Troutdale to resupply and are staying at a church hostel. Screamin had food and moved on to the next shelter. I believe that my food bag now weighs more than my pack. Something isn't right.

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06.01.04

Day 43
Starting Location: Lost Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Wise Shelter
Today's Miles: 17.3
Total Miles: 492.9

Finally some great weather for hiking today. And some of the best scenery yet. Hiked with Coughdrop and Summer up Mt. Roger and into the Grayson Highlands where we pet some "wild" ponies. I was glad to have taken the short day yesterday and have great weather for this section of the hike. At one point we had to pass through the "Fat Man Squeeze Tunnel" where i about got stuck. While squeezing through i got my pack pressed up on one rock and my head pressed down by another leaving me in an oddly contorted position. After dropping my poles and freeing myself we slowly made our way to the shelter. The people here tonight are Summer, Coughdrop, Screamin Steven, Cliff Dancer, Tippy, Bluesky, and M&M.
...We just had a small crisis. Mouse nesting material, complete with droppings began falling in large quantities onto Coughdrop's and my head. We have rigged up the hammock fly over us for protection and threw in some rocks to keep the the wind from blowing the rain fly up and launching its collection onto everybody.
NOTE: In the middle of the night a gust of wind blew the fly up and the rocks fell on me, waking everyone up in the shelter.

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05.31.04

Day 42
Starting Location: Saunders Shelter
Ending Location: Lost Mountain Shelter
Today's Miles: 6.4
Total Miles: 475.6

Arrived at Lost Mountain Shelter for lunch today and never left. I was feeling drained of energy all morning and decided it would be best to rest and eat the rest of the day. Carter arrived who is beginning a two week hike and Ken who is headed south for a few days. Summer, a section hiker showed up while we were taking a nap followed by Coughdrop. Rained all afternoon but we got a great fire going afterward.

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05.30.04

Day 41
Starting Location: Damascus, VA ("The Place")
Ending Location: Saunders Shelter
Today's Miles: 9.4
Total Miles: 469.2

It was hard to leave town today but i did, and now i'm here at a shelter full of scouts. So far i'm quite pleased with the new pack and shoes.

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05.29.04

Day 40
Starting Location: Damascus, VA ("The Place")
Ending Location: Damascus, VA ("The Place")
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 459.8

Thanks to Jen, Ryan, and mom for the treats i found waiting for me at the post office. I'll probably have a sugar high for the rest of the hike now. After checking the P.O., i stopped at the outfitter to see what they could do about my disintigrating pack. They stabbed it with a knife and cut it apart. I left with a new "Racer X" by Dana Designs. It's basically a dry bag held to a minimal frame with compression straps. I had almost purchased this pack at the start of the trip and think it will work out well. I spent several more hours at the outfitter trying to find shoes. Apparently my feet are weird. We did find a pair of Montrail trail runners that should at least be an improvement over my boots. Freebird showed up this afternoon and now Samurai is here as well. Never found Coughdrop and Second Wind who i thought would be around somewhere.

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05.28.04

Day 39
Starting Location: Double Springs Shelter
Ending Location: Damascus, VA ("The Place")
Today's Miles: 18.3
Total Miles: 459.8

"Yes Santa there is a Virginia!" I'll be staying at "The Place" tonight and tomorrow. "The Place" is a church run hostel located in Damascus, VA. The hike today was easy though painful. Last night, while i battled the racoon, Steven showed up. The coon never came back.

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05.27.04

Day 38
Starting Location: Vandeventer Shelter
Ending Location: Double Springs Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.8
Total Miles: 441.5

We woke up to pouring rain on the metal roof several times last night and this morning. We decided to sleep in and hope for it to pass. Around 11 we decided it was time to get going. The rain had let up but the sky signaled a dreary day. As i was packing, Buick showed up and then Steven. Steven managed to avoid being drenched as he was smart and set up his tarp tent when the storm approached. Yola said that she thought she may have heard an emu this morning. Apparently there are some escaped emus roaming around these parts and somehow surviving. Today's hiking was rather flat and easy except for crossing all the downed trees from the storm. The debris reminded me of the overnight to the Mau-Hau Trail and Three Ridges on the AT a day or two after Hurricane Isabel. When i arrived at the shelter here i immediately began trying to build a fire with all the wet wood. After a very long time i got one going and now it's huge. I was hoping it would keep the bothersome racoon away that i had read about in the register here. Apparently it is not working as i now see two glowing eyes staring in my direction. It may be a long night battling this racoon. I am prepared with several throwing rocks, my two trekking poles, a broom and two big shovels. It's just me, the racoon and the mice at the shelter tonite. Should be fun. Tomorrow i arrive in Virginia!

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05.26.04

Day 37
Starting Location: Dennis Cove Road
Ending Location: Vandeventer Shelter
Today's Miles: 17.5
Total Miles: 426.7

Today was not a good day. My left leg fell apart. I hope it's fixed and ready for a big day when I wake up tomorrow. About four miles before the shelter, a violent storm moved over me. At first it was not too bad, just light rain and thunder in the distance. I had to get more water on the way and stopped at a small trickle of a stream running across the trail. I had to dig a hole to collect the water then suck it up into my drinking tube and empty it into the container. The process took at least 30 minutes. I started walking and found the source of the trickle about 20 ft away. It was a nice spring with a decent sized pool. Grr... As I continued, the sky became darker and darker. The wind picked up and thunder was constant. It got so dark that I was about to put my headlamp on when all of a sudden everything got very bright. There was a clap of thunder from very close by, then buckets of water started falling. Branches were breaking everywhere and flying around. Couldn't see very well with debris and water pelting my face. I had to run down off the ridge for some cover. I soon resumed walking and after too much time found this shelter. Yola is here and managed to beat the storm to the shelter. I met her last night at Kincora. We are wondering weather or not Steven and Fishin' Fred are going to make it. Hope they are dry (not likely) and warm.

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05.25.04

Day 36
Starting Location: Mountaineer Falls
Ending Location: Dennis Cove Road (Kincora Hostel)
Today's Miles: 14.8
Total Miles: 409.2

Steven and I found three snakes today; one was a rattler. I almost stepped on all three. Now we are at here at Kincora Hostel, run by Bob and Pat Peoples. Samurai, Kato and Zipoff showed up in Zipoff's truck. They have been slacking since Erwin. Several others, who I had not met before, are here tonight with us. Not many random thoughts worth mentioning these days, although I had a dream about root beer floats last night.

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05.24.04

Day 35
Starting Location: Overmountain Shelter
Ending Location: Mountaineer Falls
Today's Miles: 17.0
Total Miles: 393.9

A baby mouse stumbled out from under my sleeping bag as I woke up this morning. Steven almost squashed it. We climbed several huge balds today in wind that threatened to blow us off the mountain. The tall grasses flowed like ocean waves while Texas Longhorns stared menacingly at us. Later we stopped at Jones Falls for a break. People are calling it a "rooster tail" falls because the water splashes off the rocks at the top in the shape of a rooster's tail. We've set up camp near Mountaineer Falls that is not nearly as impressive as Jones Falls. This location seems to have quite an active nightlife. Hope the bear bags survive.

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05.23.04

Day 34
Starting Location: Roan High Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Overmountain Shelter
Today's Miles: 6.5
Total Miles: 376.9

Today's hike was short and easy with lots of scenic views, mostly of fog and clouds. We left the shelter after ten this morning. I think that's my latest start yet when not starting from town. A thunderstorm passed through as we were all going to sleep last night. I was glad I had decided not to sleep in the hammock. The air was cold at the top of the mountain this morning but quickly warmed as we hiked. As we began to climb Round Bald we stumbled upon the Garland Five as well as some trail magic. Someone had left a case of soda. Screamin' and I got the last two. We hiked to the top and saw some great views of the next bald before the fog thickened. It began to rain and continued on and off for the rest of the afternoon. Around two or three we arrived at the Overmountain Shelter. I decided this place was too good to pass up. The shelter is a large red barn which has been converted to a shelter. Our guidebook claims that the barn was used as a backdrop in the movie "Winter People". There is about a 180-degree view here. A An open meadow with wild flowers and small pine forests are in front of us and extend down into a valley running to the south. We are nestled between two ridges with views to the south and east; the sunrise should be amazing. We can hear coyotes in the distance. Now the clouds are dissipating and stars are coming out. The Garland Five are here with Potato Boy and me tonight. We built a big fire with the kids. Moths are circling my headlamp now so I'm going to turn it off and watch the stars for a while.

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05.22.04

Day 33
Starting Location: Iron Mountain Gap
Ending Location: Roan High Knob Shelter
Today's Miles: 12.5
Total Miles: 370.4

Another great breakfast at Miss Janet's this morning. Got on the trail around noon and found Screamin' Tater (Steven) at the first shelter taking a rest. We got back on the trail and found two dolls at a road crossing. On the opposite side of the road we found another on which someone had written, "Len, hold me." I suspect it may have been the doings of Coughdrop and Second Wind, as they have been writing messages to Len in the dirt. After the road we had a very tiring climb up to Roan High Bluff. I was hoping to find Maine at the top of the mountain but had no such luck. The shelter up there will have to do. It is the highest shelter on the trail at 6285'. The Garland Five family is here sharing this very nice shelter, which even has a working door. It has been thundering around us all day and looks like another storm is drawing near. Maybe it will drive the bugs away. They are becoming more and more horrendous.

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05.21.04

Day 32
Starting Location: Iron Mountain Gap
Ending Location: Nolichucky River (Erwin, TN)
Today's Miles: 19.0
Total Miles: 357.9

I cheated today . . . "slackpacked" or "freedom packed" 19 miles. I was dropped off at Iron Mountain Gap with a daypack (water, snacks and some emergency gear) and walked/jogged south. Six hours later I was back in Erwin for another night at Miss Janet's. The huge breakfast Miss Janet fixed was the best yet on the trail. I am looking forward to tomorrow's feast. As for the hike today, there was a beautiful forest of red spruce on the summit of Unaka Mountain; it looked like a scene out of a fantasy book. Pine needles blanketed the forest floor in some areas, tall green grasses in others. Even with the white blazes on the trees it was easy to become disoriented among all the tall evergreens. Before entering the forest I met the Garland Five, a family with three young children thru-hiking the trail. I also met Freebird who was hiking with them at the time. Back at Miss Janet's, Kato and Zipoff had arrived. Kato, by the way, is 78 years old. Moxie, Whoa, Knuckles, and Underhill have also arrived in town but are staying elsewhere tonight.

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05.20.04

Day 31
Starting Location: No Business Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Nolichucky River, Erwin, TN (Miss Janet's)
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 332.6

Celebrating one month on the trail at Miss Janet's Hostel in Erwin, TN. Had a very easy six-mile hike down the mountain in Erwin. Right on the trail was Uncle Johnny's Hostel, which I have heard some bad things about. They seemed like good people though so I bought some food there. One of the women working there, named Weebles, had started hiking the AT a few months ago. She stayed at Uncle Johnny's and she never left. She's been working there for a month now. Uncle Johnny drove me to the grocery store and from there I walked a few miles to Miss Janet's. Sitting on the front porch was Samurai. He had been bitten or stung by a bug at trail days and his foot began to hurt and change color after he started hiking. He hitched into Miss Janet's and will probably head out with us tomorrow. (He has already hiked this section of the trail as well as several other states.) When I arrived, I was also surprised to see Stick and Silky. Apparently they, and most of their stuff, got soaked in a downpour so they also hitched in from the south. Len and Cowboy arrived later, and Steven beat me here. The hostel here is great, but dangerous; it makes you want to stay indefinitely. There is a big screen TV and lots of movies, including some homemade AT videos, which were interesting to watch. As nice as it is here though, the trail is calling and I'm already wondering how I'll adapt to living in the "front country" after being in the "backcountry" for so long.

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05.19.04

Day 30
Starting Location: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Ending Location: No Business Knob Shelter
Today's Miles: 20.6
Total Miles: 332.6

It's getting more and more difficult to wake up in the morning these days, probably because it's been warmer in the mornings. Got going at 8:45 the last two days. I reached the summit of Big Bald around noon today. There were great 360-degree views of fog at first, but then it lifted enough to see some nearby meadows. Stopped in the Big Bald Shelter shortly thereafter for lunch. It began to pour while I ate and let up while I packed up to leave. Later in the day I crossed Rte 19. I had heard stories of fishhooks hung from tree branches in this section of the trail but only saw some evidence of minor vandalism to signs. Around Rte 19 I was pleasantly surprised to run into Grey Beard and Len. Unfortunately Len is having problems with his knees and back. They are both here at the shelter tonight along with 2C, Steven and Cowboy. Right now we're sitting around a nice fire of wet wood. Tomorrow will be an easy day into Erwin, TN and Miss Janet's Hostel.

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05.18.04

Day 29
Starting Location: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Ending Location: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.7
Total Miles: 312.

Felt good most of today, although my left foot was tingly and numb. I realized that we've had at least a sprinkling of rain every day since Gatlinburg and the forecast is calling for scattered showers for the next ten days. I also noticed today that these annoying biting gnats that like to fly into your ears, only fly into my left ear. Cowboy has noticed the same thing. Steven, Kato, and Zipoff are here tonight along with three section hikers.

Random thought of the day (copied from the shelter register): There are two theories for catching skunks. Neither works.

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05.17.04

Day 28
Starting Location: Rich Mountain Fire Tower
Ending Location: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Today's Miles: 18.2
Total Miles: 297.3

Almost stepped on two snakes today; one big, one small. Met Kato and Zipoff at the shelter here tonight. Also here is Steven and a group out for a few days.

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05.16.04

Day 27
Starting Location: Damascus, VA/ Hot Springs, NC
Ending Location: Rich Mountain Fire Tower
Today's Miles: 8.2
Total Miles: 279.1

Took a shuttle back to Hot Springs early this morning. At the Laundromat, we set out all our gear to dry. It began pouring just after we got packed up. We waited for people to finish up some chores then hit the trail around 2:30. We made it to the Rich Mountain Fire Tower and found a campsite where we met Cowboy. So it's Cowboy, Screamin' Steven, Silky, Jill and Stick here tonight. Had a good dinner of Lipton's Cheddar Broccoli mixed with split pea soup and fresh onion.

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05.15.04

Day 26
Starting Location: Damascus
Ending Location: Damascus
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 270.9

Spent most of today wandering around. At 2pm we participated in the parade. All the hikers walk in a parade through town and the townspeople line the streets, arming themselves with hoses, squirt guns, and water balloons. Most of the hikers are armed as well and the whole thing turns into a huge water fight with thousands of people. I think the fire department won.

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05.14.04

Day 25
Starting Location: Hot Springs, NC
Ending Location: Damascus, VA
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 270.9

Took our shuttle up to Damascus this morning. Our driver was an MP in Vietnam. He stopped to free a dragonfly from the windshield wipers of the van. He dropped us off at "Tent City" in Damascus. I had to set up in a bunch of poison ivy and thorny bushes, but it beat the field of mud everyone else was in. We went into town to wander through the vendors' tents and find food. Later we enjoyed a huge bonfire and a drum circle. There were some fire dancers doing poi (twirling fire around on chains). It was quite a change to see so many people in one place.

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05.13.04

Day 24
Starting Location: Hot Springs, NC
Ending Location: Hot Springs, NC
Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 270.9

I woke up this morning and ate a great organic vegetarian breakfast prepared by Elmer's crew. Everyone is staying here one more night and going to Damascus tomorrow for Trail Days. Elmer's was full so I got ready to go back out to the woods. Then I saw Screamin' Steven the Potato Boy, Silky, Jill, and Stick and was offered floor space in their motel room. I accepted. Moxie, Whoa, Samurai and Gilligan are in a room next to us. Brandon and Grey Beard are at the motel as well. I think there are more of us in town than locals. We all went back to the Paddler's Pub for a birthday dinner for Underhill. During dinner I was persuaded to take the next two days off to go to Trail Days. So tomorrow I go to Damascus.

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05.12.04

Day 23
Starting Location: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Hot Springs, NC
Today's Miles: 13.1
Total Miles: 270.9

Arrived at Hot Springs, NC this afternoon after a walk in pouring rain. On the way I almost stepped on a large rat snake (about 5 ft. long). In Hot Springs I got a room at Elmer's hostel, The Sunnybank Inn. The house, built in the 1800's, is full of antique furniture and has a library, music room, and kitchen available. The first thing I did in "town" (the town is about two blocks long) was buy myself a root beer float and some ice cream. Then I stopped in the outfitter and spent too much money. When I returned to Elmer's I found Smurf, Len, Coughdrop, Second Wind, Knuckles and JP (Underhill) there. We went to eat at the Paddler's Pub and then called it a night.

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05.11.04

Day 22
Starting Location: Ground Creek Shelter
Ending Location: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Today's Miles: 13.1
Total Miles: 257.8

The oatmeal in the morning is becoming quite old and bland. The same is true with just about all the food I've been eating. What I really would like is a root beer float. I'm going to try to find/make some in Hot Springs tomorrow.

I got off to a very slow start this morning. All of my muscles were stiff and did not want to move. Consuming Vitamin I and stretching during a break on Max Patch helped. Max Patch was a great place for a break with 360-degree views. It's a large area kept bald by controlled burns and mowing and was originally the site of a homestead.

Despite the slow beginning, today's hike went by rather quickly. Len, Smurf, Grey Beard and I were all happy to find the shelter, as we were not certain it still existed. It was built in 1938 and is not shown on the maps or signs. It is in our data books though, and Smurf remembered there being one here last year. Thunder was heard soon after we arrived at the shelter but the storm just grazed us.

While eating dinner, I spotted a turkey a little way down a hill. Len grabbed a piece of firewood to use as a club and stalked it for about 15-20 minutes. He even made turkey calls and got quite close. But in the end, no turkey dinner. We've had a nice fire going all night to keep the bugs away and sat around for a while talking. Some funny stories about the Marines came up. One person found a Marine curled up sleeping in the middle of the trail. Also, some of the Marines started hiking south, rather than north.

Well, it's late, (It's dark.) I'm sleepy. I don't remember any good random thoughts from today. . .

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05.10.04

Day 21
Starting Location: Cosby Knob Shelter
Ending Location: Ground hog Creek Shelter
Today's Miles: 17.6
Total Miles: 244.7

Today was an interesting day. We all seem to be having more trouble waking up as early as we did toward the beginning of the trip. I think it's due both to the warmer temperatures and to us being more accustomed to sleeping outdoors and in close proximity to new people. So we got off to a late start under a clear blue sky. About all of the eight or so miles to Davenport Gap (border of Smoky Mountain National Park) was an easy downhill. We killed that off quite quickly, even with many snack breaks. At one point I stopped at an overlook to wait for some of the others to catch up. The spot was not visible as you approached so I was planning to rustle some of the bushes and say. "Roar! I'm a bear!" I waited and no one came, even though they had just been behind me a few minutes earlier. Then I remembered a side trail a little ways back. Turns out I had taken the side trail rather than the AT. Serves me right. I caught up with the others and found out that Second Wind and Cough Drop had spotted a bear just after leaving the shelter. The rest of us all missed it. We arrived at Davenport Gap around noon. Our exit from the Smokies was rather anti-climatic but I think we are all happy that horses are not allowed on the trail from here on. Travis, Moxie, Samurai, and Whoa went down the road to Mountain Moma's to celebrate with cheeseburgers while the rest of us watched their packs I left the Gap by myself and walked along a cascading brook for about a mile. At one point the stream converged and entered a hollowed out log. The water exited from the other end in a 10-foot waterfall. Eventually the stream entered the Pigeon River where I ran into Second Wind and Cough Drop having lunch. A kayaker and canoer were out enjoying the rapids and stopped in for a snack. Travis soon showed up and the four of us headed north. A mile later the other three headed for the Standing Bear Hostel. Travis is staying there tonight. Sounds like his hike will end this week at Hot Springs. He was not planning to go to Maine, although he did not have a particular destination. Hopefully we will see him again in Hot Springs or before.

There was a big climb after passing the hostel and it was hot and humid. I soon ran out of water and fortunately found a stream where a large salamander was sitting in the rushing water. After doing a poor job of navigating the slippery rocks and getting tangled in a mass of spider webs, I again had that "blood of the mountain". Around then there came the sound of yet another storm in the distance. It was soon over me and I just kept going up and up, surrounded by tall trees. Before hitting the ridgeline, I came across a small ravine or gully thing, headed in to wait out the worst of the storm. It's a good thing I did because shortly after, the trail crossed a field for about half a mile at the top of the mountain. I made it to the full shelter rather late and ate a horrible dinner of mashed potatoes and cheese. I am starting to become tired of all the same food over and over and will have to start trying some new things. Bear bagging did not work very well for me tonight either. Three branches I tried all broke. Hopefully the fourth holds, and hopefully the branches above my hammock are strong and healthy. I am now in the hammock and water drops are falling from the branches above. I think I've now figured out how to set up this thing for the rain (knock on wood). I'm wondering where everyone else ended up tonight. They must be stealth camping or at the hostel. Here at the shelter tonight are Smurf, Len and six or seven other new people, most whose names I didn't catch. But I think some are Spider, Brother, Sara and Brittney. Now for today's random thoughts while hiking: I began wondering how many cats the Fontana Dam could hold back. This thought caused me to guesstimate the density of a cat and its volume. I don't think I'm going to go any further with this one.

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05.09.04

Day 20
Staring Location: Newfound Gap
Ending Location: Pecks Corner Shelter
Today's Miles: 10.4
Total Miles: 214.2

Woke up this morning after a good night's sleep to the sun rising over a mountain and the sound of approaching thunder. The storm missed us but the clouds still looked menacing from time to time. Everyone met up at the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter for some lunch and snacks. Soon after leaving, thunder was again heard in the distance and dark clouds were spotted. Looked like I was in for another race along the ridge. . . and race it was! Travis and I did the supposed 7.7 miles to the Cosby Knob Shelter in two hours. We still got soaked. Along the way we passed the debris of a crashed F-16 jet. Even with the storm, there were some great views into large valleys below. Actually, most of the time we were at the edge of the storm, so when we looked to our right, we would see dark clouds and rain, and to our left we would see blue skies and a sunny valley. The echoing of thunder between the mountains added to the experience. No rainbows though. Travis and I got into the shelter around four this afternoon and were greeted by Jill, Silky, and Stick, all headed north. Two Southbounders arrived shortly after followed by the rest of the crew from last night. By the time I finished my dinner of ramen and Lipton's Cajun Rice, the storm had passed. So now we are dry, full and ready for bed but it is still early with not much to do but catch up on journals. Tomorrow we leave the Smokies. It has been fun but I think most of us are ready to be out of here.

Now for something new. From now on, I will try to write down some of the random thoughts that go through my head while hiking.

Today's Random Thoughts: 1. For about 15 minutes I pondered over catching a rattlesnake with my hiking stick. I thought it would be cool if I could get the snake to bite the stick and then maybe its fangs could get stuck in the wood. Then, with the snake hanging from the end of my stick, I would walk to the shelter. I even practiced holding the stick out away from me as though a snake were on the end of it. So you know, these thoughts originated from part of a dream I had last night where a rattlesnake was somehow stuck to the end of my hiking pole. 2. This is not really a random thought but a comment or observation. Many of the people I've sheltered with the last few nights seem extremely familiar. It's almost a deja-vu thing, though I suspect it's more that they remind me of other people I've known. What is really weird about it is that their voices, physical appearances and personalities all match up. Do any of you have twins you haven't told me about?

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05.08.04

Day 19
Staring Location: Newfound Gap
Ending Location: Pecks Corner Shelter
Today's Miles: 10.4
Total Miles: 214.2

The views today were very impressive. We stopped at Charlie's Bunion, an interesting rock formation, for some quick photos before being scared away by approaching thunder. From there it was a seven-mile race against the storms to the next shelter. We won! It is now pouring out and I need to go hang my bear bag. There are some new faces in the shelter tonight. The names I can remember are Whoa!, Samurai, Knuckles and Moxie. JP, Travis, Second Wind and Shannon are also here. When I arrived there were two weekend hikers in the shelter. After awhile they pulled out their badges and guns and told us that they were actually rangers and since it looked like we were all being responsible, they were going to move on to the next shelter. They said one of the storm cells we were running from had just dumped three inches of rain in another section of the park.

Tonight's dinner consisted of Lipton's Taco Rice with tuna mixed in. Tonight I used sterno to cook rather than my stove. I will try to make a windscreen /pot stand from the sterno container when it's all used up.

The trip into Gatlinburg yesterday definitely made me appreciate being out in the woods. I think I'm beginning to feel more at home in the woods than in towns.

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05.07.04

Day 18
Starting Location: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Ending Location: Newfound Gap
Today's Miles: 10.8
Total Miles: 203.8

We are now in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Travis, Smurf and I are splitting a room here and making good use of the pool. Lump's friend, Josh, drove us into town. It was a very exciting ride. The trunk did not work so the three of us were squished in the back of a compact car with our packs smashed into our faces. Lump is no longer with us as he is taking the weekend off to see his girlfriend. He is doing a flip-flop so will be heading south from Maine in a few months. Hopefully we'll see him then.

Today's hike gave us some good views from Rocky Top and Clingman's Dome. Clingman's Dome is the highest elevation on the trail at 6643 feet.
Time to celebrate with a beer at the microbrewery. Oh, I must mention how fortunate we have been to have perfect weather . . . a rare thing here in the Smokies. Just two days ago it was snowing here.

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05.06.04

Day 17
Starting Location: Spence Field Shelter
Ending Location: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Today's Miles: 13.5
Total Miles: 193

Spending another night with the Marines, though only half of them made it. It's funny to see all these Marines complaining and barely able to stand. Actually the ones who made it here seem to be handling it pretty well, but there have been some humorous entries in the shelter registers. The Marines out here are communications units. They set up antennae every night to make contact with other units. They don't seem to be very good at this assignment, as they have had no luck in the last two nights. We've also discovered that MRE (meal ready to eat) heater packets explode in fire.

So tonight it's four Marines, Lump, Smurf, Second Wind, Boston, Shannon (Cough Drop) Travis (Gilligan), Len, Mountain Squid and myself. Smurf has been telling us about a microbrewery in Gatlinburg with 33.8 oz brews. We may all take an unexpected town stop tomorrow. I need to re-supply my Snicker bars anyway. I think Lump needs to re-supply some cheese and perhaps invest in some more advanced mousetraps. The last two nights he has set up two mousetraps baited with cheese. The first night the traps were both set off by morning, but no dead mice and no cheese. Mice: 2. Lump: 0. Tonight we watched as a mouse ran around investigating the traps. There was also a "friendly" trap set by the rangers. The mouse got caught in the "friendly' trap but Travis opened the door a tiny bit to try to see inside and the mouse poked it's head out. It was stuck like that for a little while until Travis opened the door wider to let him out. Just afterwards we noticed that the cheese was gone from the other traps but they had not been set off. Mice: 4, Lump: 0. Those are some smart mice.

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05.05.04

Day 16
Starting Location: Campsite 113 (Birch Spring Gap)
Ending Location: Spence Field Shelter
Today's Miles: 10.8
Total Miles: 179.5

None of us has any energy today, probably because our packs are loaded with so much food. I called it a short day and the Pennsylvanians pushed on. The shelter is in a great spot with open fields of tall grass and blooming cherry (we think) trees. Lump is here and so is Shady Smurf, who I met at Low Gap. We all went up to the field on top of the ridge to watch a big red sun set behind the blossoming trees. Eight Marines are also sharing the shelter with us and Grey Wolf and Angel (Roger and Annie---started on Springer with me) are tarping outside. Apparently there are 64 Marines split into groups of eight trying to hike the AT through the Smokies. Many of them do not look like happy hikers.

I forgot to mention that I had my first two falls today. The trail was muddy and slippery.

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05.04.04

Day 15
Starting Location: NC 28
Ending Location: Campsite113 @ Birch Spring Gap
Today's Miles: 7.0
Total Miles: 168.7

We ate a huge buffet breakfast at the inn this morning then headed to the outfitter. I bought a nice fleece sleeping bag liner so hopefully I'll stay a little warmer at night now. After the outfitter's, we went to the post office to pick up our mail drops. One of two of the Pennsylvanian's boxes arrived as we were there. It was on its way to the "wrong place". The other box had already been sent to the wrong place but will be forwarded to our next town stop at Hot Springs. After my mail drop and the trip to the outfitter, my pack gained about 13 pounds and not all the straps will close. I think it's heavier than when I started. About an ounce or two of new weight is from a stuffed caterpillar that is now tied to my pack. It makes a "boing, boing' sound when you push on it and will be good for the rainy days.

We started hiking early in the afternoon. Checked out the "Fontana Hilton" Shelter that has restrooms and free hot showers right there. Shortly after, we crossed the Fontana Dam, which is much larger than I had expected: 480 feet tall. After the dam was a big climb up Shuckstack Mountain. At the top we climbed a rickety tower with wooden steps that were rotting away. The handrails were missing from some places as well. I did not stay up there very long.

I will be hammocking at a campsite tonight with the Pennsylvanians. My mom wants me to say what I eat and how I cook so . . . I usually have oatmeal mixed with hot chocolate mix for breakfast, have candy bars throughout the day, and have a dinner of two or three Lipton meals (usually rice based). I mix in tuna, salmon or chicken from foil packets every few nights. To cook I use an alcohol stove I made from V-8 cans. It weighs only two tenths of an ounce. It burns denatured alcohol, which so far, has been easy to find at town stops. To save fuel I transfer the pot to a "pot cozy" after the water boils. The pot cozy is basically bubble wrap coated in foil to act as insulation; it allows the food to simmer.

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05.03.04

Day 14
Starting Location: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Ending Location: N.C. 28; Fontana Dam, NC
Today's Miles: 20.7
Total Miles: 161.7

It was really, really cold last night. When we woke up, or rather gathered the courage to emerge from our sleeping bags, we looked up at the sky and to our surprise, it was blue! Not a cloud in sight. Then we looked down below us into the valley. There was a sea of white. I think this was a first for me; I've seen fog obscuring the land below before, but never fully formed clouds. I was able to take many photos from the top of Cheoah Bald, and because we were above the clouds, visibility was excellent. The air was crisp and invigorating, though still COLD. As we hiked on, either the sky clouded over, or we walked down below the clouds. For a while we were pelted by frozen rain. I definitely prefer the frozen variety of rain as it just bounces off of you. Around mid-day, we passed some people who told us that it was predicted to be well below freezing tonight, and that was for the lower elevations. The Pennsylvanians and I began dreaming of nice heated rooms at Fontana and pushed hard to make the necessary miles. So now we are here in a great room for only $10. I hurt a lot. Don't know how far I'll make it tomorrow. Right now I don't feel I'll be able to move for the next few days as I am quite stuffed from the buffet we ravaged tonight. While doing laundry we met "Ponderer", a flip-flopper headed south. Now the Pennsylvanians (who refer to themselves as Pennsylvania Dutch) are having a mail drop crisis. We all are supposed to have mail drops waiting here for us, but they just discovered that theirs was sent to the wrong place and sent late. Well, it's almost eleven and we can't keep our eyes open.

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05.02.04

Day 13
Starting Location: Nantahala River
Ending Location: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Today's Miles: 6.9
Total Miles: 141.0

Great night indoors while it rained and stormed last night. Started the day off with a big breakfast and a final trip into the outfitters for some candy bars. I almost walked out with a new sleeping bag. Travis and I hit the trail around 11 this morning, facing a 3000 ft climb up Swim Bald. And swim we did. We ran into Squid on the way and were the first to the shelter so we were able to claim the prime spots. The shelter is quickly filling up. In addition to Travis and Squid, the others now here are Amos (Slippy), Rufus (Stuby), Leon, Roger and Annie (started on Springer at same time as me), Len (London), Brandon (he's tenting) and someone else. Now we are debating whether or not to try doing 22.5 miles to Fontana Dam tomorrow. I think we will wait to see what the weather brings. Now we've decided it is time for some more food . . Well, done eating and now the food is out hanging in a tree getting soaked. Lump showed up, to some's dismay (he is a VERY loud snorer). It's just a little after six and most are already in their sleeping bags, some have been asleep for hours already. The shelter looks like a Christmas tree with packs and clothing as ornaments. It is now about seven and Lump is already snoring up a storm. For now it is funny. I am quite bored at this moment, so this may be a good time to mention that I now have Superfeet. Yes, I bought new "Superfeet" insoles for my boots at the NOC. So far they seem to be a good improvement. Well, all but Leon and me and some birds seem to be asleep now, and it's still light out. Guess it's time for the earplugs. Hopefully I'll stay warm tonight. At least I'll be dry.

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05.01.04

Day 12
Starting Location: Cold Spring Shelter
Ending Location: Nantahala River (NOC/Nantahala Outdoor Center)
Today's Miles: 11.5
Total Miles: 134.1

Woke up to rain this morning. It is expected to rain for the next three days, I believe. The inside of the hammock was pretty wet but the sleeping bag seemed to have stayed decently dry. I ate my oatmeal quickly and was the first one out of the camp. For some reason I seem to usually be the first one out, probably because I'm cold and want to get moving. As for animals today, there were LOTS of big, slimy slugs. I also met SALLY the SALAMANDER on the trail. We had a short conversation then I moved her off the trail, out of the way of hikers' feet. There would have been some great views today had there not been fog. One nice thing about the rain and fog is that it accentuates all the green colors. It also makes things slippery. The climb down to the Nantahala Outdoor Center was quite treacherous in the pouring rain. After I arrived at the NOC, blue sky and sun appeared. I waited around for others to show up. In a little while, the Pennsylvanians showed up, as did Mountain Squid and Travis. Squid, Travis and I split a room so we could dry out and get out of the rain. We ate well tonight as we watched kayakers play in the rapids. Around nine, Steven came in soaking wet. Fortunately he was able to get a room.

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04.30.04

Day 11
Starting Location: Winding Stair Gap
Ending Location: Cold Spring Shelter
Today's Miles: 15.8
Total Miles: 122.6

Got a ride to the trail this morning from Anne and Kathy. They are writing a book about all the people they shuttle. It was foggy and misty all day and didn't rain much more than a sprinkle here and there. The highlight of today's hike was a small bird that seemed to fall out of the grass right in front of me. It then hopped a few feet down the trail and waited for me to catch up. We repeated this act for a hundred feet or so before I decided not to continue it all the way to Maine. I also found a big dead salamander and dodged snails all day. (I know I stepped on at least one.) I arrived at Cold Spring Shelter around 4 and ate lots of food. Len, the British fellow, Mountain Squid, Shannon, Brandon, Second Wind, and Travis are here at the shelter. The Pennsylvanian trio showed up later and camped a little way down the trail. It's good to know that they're still out here and doing well. Len is an expert fire maker and got a great fire going with all the wet wood I gathered. We all sat around and roasted marshmallows. Now it's time for bed. I still haven't figured out a good way to get into my sleeping bag and onto the sleeping mat inside the hammock. Tomorrow we all hit up the NOC.

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04.29.04

Day 10
Zero Day in Franklin, NC

Got some much needed rest today. After waking up I went to the public library to check email, then to the post office to send home some film and journal entries. Tomorrow morning I pick up a shuttle back to the trail.

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04.28.04

Day 9
Starting Location: Carter Gap Shelter
Ending Location: Winding Stair Gap (Franklin, NC)
Today's Miles: 15.9
Total Miles: 106.8
Animal of the Day: Bat

I am now lying in a real bed at the Franklin Motel in Franklin, NC. I will take a zero day here tomorrow so my knees and feet can heal, and will be back on the trail Friday morning. I was feeling surprisingly good today after the big push yesterday. Woke up cold this morning, though I slept pretty well most of the night. While walking today I came across a bat lying upside down on the trail. I poked it and to my surprise, it was alive and began hissing. I found a twig for it to grab onto and moved it into a bush. There was also a really cool tower on top of Albert Mountain (elev. 5220') that you could climb up. Other than the bat and tower, the day was rather uneventful. I made it to Winding Stair Gap and tried hitching a ride for the first time. The second vehicle stopped and once again, I found myself in the bed of a pickup. Got myself a room here for the next two nights and a few beers, a pizza, and some junk food . . . oh, and some apples. Television is just as bad as I remember it being and it is pretty boring compared to the trail. Much more comfortable though.

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04.27.04

Day 8
Starting Location: Plum Orchard Shelter
Ending Location: Carter Gap Shelter
Today's Miles19.8
Total Miles: 90.9
Animal of the Day: Red Toad

Today was cold and windy. It probably would have been great hiking weather if it weren't for the wind-chill. I am also out of Georgia! The border was rather bland. North Carolina looks about the same as Georgia. Bear did do a little dance and kissed the marker nailed to a tree. I stopped for lunch at the first shelter in NC. Bear showed just before I left and he decided to stay there. It did not sound like he was enjoying NC. I nearly decided to stay but I was cold and decided to push on to Standing Indian Shelter. I soon caught up with Tommy and Jay and hiked with them for an hour. As I started up Standing Indian Mountain, I ran into an older man who told me that the shelter had been removed. I started considering pushing on to Carter Gap Shelter, 7.6 miles past Standing Indian Shelter. I arrived at the still standing Standing Indian Shelter but continued on because 1) I had gotten it in my head to push on to Carter Gap, 2) the shelter was empty, 3) it was a windy spot, and 4) there was a big sign saying that a bear has been stealing packs from that location. It was getting late so the last miles were done at a grueling pace. Fortunately I had taken some Vitamin I (Ibuprofen). I made it here before dusk and set up camp. Temperatures will probably drop into the 20's tonight so I set the hammock low to the ground and piled leaves all around and below it. I will be wearing all my clothes (not many) and my raingear (vapor barrier) to bed tonight. About eight people are here tonight including Second Wind (Tray Mountain Shelter), Lump, Len (a British fellow), a guy that likes to blow things up and looks freakishly like the Uni-bomber's sketch (especially with his hoodie) and some others. I am now going to freeze.

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04.26.04

Day 7
Starting Location: Dicks Creek Gap (Blueberry Patch Hostel)
Ending Location: Plum Orchard Shelter
Today's Miles: 4.3
Total Miles: 71.1

Woke up today to a great homemade breakfast. The Blueberry Patch, by the way, is an organic farm. They make the best blueberry syrup ever! After breakfast, Bear and I got a ride back to the trail from Barry Poteat (hostel owner and previous thru-hiker). Yogi decided to take a zero day in Hiawassee, and we assume Steven ended up doing the same as he has not yet shown up at the shelter. It rained all morning and cleared up in the afternoon. On the way to the shelter I met Frenchie, who is doing a 'flip-flop'. He started in Harper's Ferry, WV, and is headed south to Springer Mountain. From there he will go back to Harpers Ferry and start hiking north to Katahdin. Bear and I had all afternoon to kill at the shelter so we decided to test our skills of fire-starting using drenched wood. We were successful but it needed constant attention. Around 4 o'clock, Lump showed up. He seems to be a very interesting character, bringing some extra life to everything. 'Take a Break' showed up a little later. (So named because he is always taking a break whenever anyone sees him.) Tommy and Jay showed up next and made a feast of fresh potatoes, cabbage, carrots, avocados, broccoli, and spearmint (growing all over the place). Now we are settling down in this three-floor shelter known as 'The Hilton'. Someone is already snoring louder than I've ever heard, and Lump is waging war with an army of mice.

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04.25.04

Day 6
Starting Location: Tray Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Dick's Creek Gap (Blueberry Patch Hostel)
Today's Miles: 10.6
Total Miles: 66.8

It was cold when I woke up this morning so I packed up quickly and started walking. My knees were feeling a little better, until on the final climb, something went wrong. I believe this is unrelated to the problems I was having before as I was going uphill, and the pain was in a different location. Anyway, I proceeded like I had a peg leg for the next mile or two. I finally got to Dick's Creek Gap and started down the road to the Blueberry Patch Hostel. I hadn't gone 100 yards before a pickup truck stopped in the middle of the road. I got in the bed (which was full of backpacks) and made it to the hostel in no time. At the hostel I met Steven Yogi who had arrived earlier. We got showers and had our laundry done, then got a ride into the town of Hiawassee. We are definitely in the Bible belt. Yogi is from NYC so the two of us were a little bit nervous walking around, especially after we spotted the confederate flag flying in front of the town hall. We all ate, then re-supplied, then wandered around, then ate again at an AYCE (All You Can Eat). After returning to the hostel, Bear arrived. He had been of the trail for 18 days and is starting again tomorrow. He works in Antarctica for half the year then has five months free to go on crazy trips like hiking the AT and biking through Washington.

A cold front is now moving in and it is raining pretty hard outside. What a great night to be in the hostel! Oh, at dinner I was given the name, 'Magnet', after telling stories of all my animal encounters. These encounters include meeting four bears in one day, a close call with a cougar, a stare off with a buck (all last year), the bear on Springer Mountain, and the skunk. We'll see if the name sticks. (Adam, good job calling that one.)

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04.24.04

Day 5
Starting Location: Low Gap Shelter
Ending Location: Tray Mountain Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.9
Total Miles: 56.2

Before I forget, here are some statistics: Fewer than 1000 people have started the trail so far this year. It is expected that just over 1000 will start.

I started this morning with the intention of a short day. Eli, Travis and I arrived at the Blue Mountain Shelter around noon. I made lunch and decided to push on to the next shelter. I know I shouldn't be doing this because my knees are giving me more and more problems, but I left and walked the 7.6 miles to the next shelter. Here I met Bill, who is attempting a thru-hike, Second Wind, who is going to either Hot Springs or Virginia, and two others out for the weekend. Tomorrow I plan to go to the Blueberry Patch Hostel. . . an easy day, a shower, laundry, and a 'bed'.

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04.23.04

Day 4
Starting Location: Blood Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Low Gap
Today's Miles: 13
Total Miles: 41.3

Last night I woke up in the shelter and heard a mouse rummaging around my pack. I started swatting in its general direction with one hand while I located my headlamp with the other. I turned the lamp on and saw a huge rat staring at me about a foot or two from my face. I froze as I noticed the black and white stripes running down its body. The skunk ran around in circles a few times before departing. I went back to sleep.

Today, after descending Blood Mountain, I stopped at the Walasi-Yi Center (hostel and outfitter) for about four hours. The trail actually goes right through the building. I swapped out some gear and somehow spent a whole lot of money for . . . well, not much. Mountain Squid suggested the trailname Photo, because I am carrying all this camera equipment. We'll see if the name sticks. I got tired of waiting for the Tour de Georgia Race and Lance Armstrong to come through and pushed past the next shelter (1.2 miles off the trail) to the Low Gap Shelter. There I met lots of great people including Shady Smurf, who hiked in 2003 and is hiking to Trail Days in Virginia, Jaz, the only African American trying to thru hike, Big Blood Crow, Eli, and Travis. Jaz shared a flask of Jamaican Rum with everyone (to reduce weight) and we all went to sleep. Owls were calling back and forth all night.

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04.22.04

Day 2
Starting Location: Justus Creek
Ending Location: Blood Mountain Shelter
Today's Miles: 14.7
Total Miles: 28.3

Today was great! Right now I am lying on a huge rock on the top of Blood Mountain waiting for the sun to set. This morning I woke up refreshed, after finally having my first decent sleep since leaving Charlottesville (no trains and no bears). I broke down camp and left around 8:45 with some horrible tasting stream water (because it was treated with iodine). That stuff makes me gag and turns from orange to blue when I cook with it. Water should not do that! Fortunately I found a nice spring at the next shelter about 1.5 miles away. Today I tried to even out my pace and slow way down on the downhill's. This tactic must have helped because my feet felt much better until the last few miles when I started getting careless. I have decided that, at least for now, I like uphill much more than downhill. In fact, I think I was going about twice as fast uphill than going down. Anyway, I was planning on stopping earlier at the Wood's Hole Shelter but continued on because it was a half-mile off the trail. Blood Mountain Shelter was only 1.7 miles away, and mainly I went on because I was hoping there would be a good view from the top of Blood Mountain. I'm glad I decided to continue because there is a great view, and because it's much earlier than I thought so I probably would have gotten bored at Wood's Hole. I am the only one here right now and think most had planned to stop at Wood's Hole because there is no water here. It's 4.461 ft here, the highest I'll get in Georgia. Tomorrow I stop in Neel's Gap to resupply @ Walasi-Y. Lance Armstrong is supposed to be there and they are "supposed" to be grilling food for all the hikers. Well, it's almost time to watch the sunset.
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04.21.04

Day 1
Starting Location: Springer Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Justus Creek
Today's Miles: 13.4
Total Miles: 13.6

Well, let me begin with last night. I was awakened by the sound of sniffing and snorting by my feet. Then CHOMP! And I heard my pack disappearing quickly into the woods. About one minute later he (the bear) returned to steal my Tyvek sheet. Why would a bear ever want Tyvek? So I was a little concerned at this point. All of my money and ID are kept in that pack, plus I need it to carry all my stuff. Anyway, I ended up quite lucky. I found only two bite holes in the pack, three in my AT data book, and four in my rain pants. He destroyed the stuff sac for my rain gear though.

The hike today was good, though tiring and painful by the end. I felt full of energy in the morning (perhaps because a lot of it was downhill). I stopped for lunch at Hawk Mountain Shelter, 7.4 miles in. There, Amos, Rufus, and Leon caught up with me. After having a full stomach, hiking became more taxing (as did the terrain). Also, my feet did not feel like going back into their boots after relaxing in the fresh air. The four of us ended up setting up camp along Justus Creek, a great spot with some small trout swimming around. I set up the hammock right on the bank. I was a little worried about needing to get up every ten minutes with the sound of trickling water so close, but fell asleep right away and slept well the rest of the night.
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04.20.04

Day 0
JStarting Location: Train Station, Gainesville, GA
Ending Location: Springer Mountain Shelter.
Today's Miles: 0.2 (9.0, including Approach Trail)
Total Miles: 0.2

As I got off the train today in Gainesville, GA, I saw three oddly dressed fellows with big backpacks. They were wearing nice shirts and slacks with suspenders, all looking the same and apparently Amish. They're names are Amos, Rufus and Liam, or Leon (not sure). They have the heaviest Pennsylvanian accents I've ever heard, though each of them speaks differently. We all split a cab and got breakfast before heading to the Visitor's Center at Amicalola State Park. From Amicolola I began the 8.9 miles approach trail to the summit of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT. When I reached the summit, the caretaker was waiting to greet me and give some advice for the area. He had heard rumors of a pack being destroyed by a bear at the first shelter the night before. I set up camp at this shelter, Springer Mountain Shelter, with the three Pennsylvanians, Gary, who I met on the approach trail and some one just back from Iraq going by Baboo (?). We ate, put up our bear bags then went up to the summit to see a great sunset and the craziest flock of birds ever. After that they returned to the shelter and I to my hammock for some sleep.
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