Date: 2014-04-13
From: double spring gap shelter

To: pecks corner shelter
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: clear sky

setting off in the morning fairly early for clingmans dome we had little hope of seeing the amazing views from the highest point on the AT. We could see the mountain had its head in the clouds. The nice thing was that clingmans dome has a visitor center with a small store that has coffee, mmmmm coffee. We got to the lookout tower about 8:15, clumb up to see fog for miles in every direction bit it was nice because they have little pictures to tell us what we would have seen had we been able to see anything. 4 others were there so i asked if they knew the hours of the visitor center, they said it opened early, great. We left our packs at the top and headed down a half mile to get coffee. On the way down passed an old fella coming up that said the store opened at 9, that would be fine, roughly a fifteen minute wait. No big deal. Oh the little sign in the window had such bad news, the store would not open on this day till 10. We stole toilet paper from the rest room and headed back to the trail. National parks that charge you $20 to walk thru should at least have double ply toilet paper so i would only have to steal half as much. We made our way down off the other side of the mountain and down out of the fog on a very rocky trail. Seemed much like my Adk with thick pine forest on both sides. At one point i passed thru an anti wild pig area, they had fence up and a grid style ramp to cross over. It was very green in this area with lots of little flowers, very spring like. We had seen no pigs but had seen where they had been digging and can really turn up some ground. At newfound gap there was mass humanity that kind of made me a little on edge, cars everywhere, and people everywhere out for the nice weather. Thank god for Teepee tom and his trail magic. Crispy cream donuts. He went southbound a couple years ago and is giving back. Nice guy that actually lives in a teepee and does blacksmith work. We had planned on eating lunch there at the gap but just too many people with sweaters over their shoulders and khaki pants so we pushed on for lunch further down the trail. As we headed out of the parking lot people were getting their picture taken with a sign for the AT saying mt katahdin 1970 miles. I thought to myself. Hmmm under 2000 that doesnt seem so far away anymore, happy days. After a long climb up out of the gap we ate at icewater spring shelter. Tuna packets and tortilla bread have made for nice lunchtime sandwiches. Next time at a real eating establishment i need to borrow some condiment packets to jazz this lunch up a little. We took a half hour to loung in the sun before pushing on to our final destination. With many nice views, especially off charlies bunion, the final 7.4 miles of the day seemed to take forever. Funny how some miles last on and on for days. We got to the shelter with only a couple spots left so first thing first, roll out the sleeping bags to claim a spot. As i was cooking dinner i chatted with an older fella about the typical. Where ya been, where ya going, how ya like it, where ya from? He answered all and the last answer was, from a little town in ny. I asked what little town. He say to me, ever hear of cooperstown? I said 'the cooperstown with the baseball hall of fame, the fenimore art museum, and the farmers museum, yup i live about 40 minutes from there.' Crazy what a small world sometimes. They guy on the other side of me is from syracuse, aint it something? After being in bed for a while and actually sleeping a couple guys came in to the shelter about midnight looking for a place to stay. There was no more room on the bunks so they slept on the floor. Pretty wierd, never heard why they got in so late but nobody was happy with how loud they were and that they flashed their lights all over while setting up. Courtesy would have been setting up a tent or just pulling out your sleeping bag and climbing in. You should be able to do that without a light.