Date: 2003-06-19
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin, Tennessee
Miles today: 6.3

The last day of my hike for this year. There was lots of heavy rain overnight and I felt very cozy in my sleeping bag, lulled to sleep by the sound. Brian and Sasha began to stir pretty early since they were trying to get to Erwin, re-supply, and then hike on to another shelter, over 20 miles away. I was already awake, but just lay in my sleeping bag listening to the continuing heavy rain. I sat up to talk with them, but did not begin to get ready for the day until they were nearly ready to go. I got their picture standing under the shelter roof, packs on and ready to head out, with the heavy rain still streaming down. They were a very pleasant pair both last evening and this morning. I hope things go well for them as they are trying to go all the way to Maine with this somewhat late start. They have very good attitudes and also seem to work together well and compliment each other as they go about the business of long distance hiking. Good luck to you both! They plodded out onto the trail out front and disappeared into the forest. I did not expect to see them again. I began a long, slow, leisurely preparation for hiking into Erwin. I waited until around 9:00 to eat a hot meal, and packed my gear the last time for this year. I visited with the hikers in the tent area during a break in the rain, and they came up to the shelter to visit me during the next downpour. I had given away all of my excess food, and my pack was very light. I almost did not want to leave, knowing that the end of the hike lay just a few miles ahead. It was hard to believe that what I had planned for so long was ending already. But I was looking forward to seeing Marlene with great anticipation! I hiked along reviewing the experience in my mind. There were some significant climbs plus a section of several small ups and downs right in a row. The weather began to clear about the time that I detected the end of the climbs and the inevitable beginning of a long descent into town and the Nolichucky River gorge. The weather became very pleasant, and the next trail section was pretty easy. Finally I glanced to my right and saw a short section of the river way off in the distance and far, far below. I was on a long ridgeline very high above the Erwin area. The trail followed the irregular edge of the mountain ridge. I got on a repeating cycle of coming out to the steep edge of the ridge, followed by a turn into the deep ravine, back away from the edge and into thick woods to a small stream following the ravine out of the mountains. Each time I would traverse the next section out to the edge, and back into the ravine, I progressed lower down the mountain on the switchbacks, and the in and out route would become longer and longer as I left the high narrow peak and made my way across the ever broadening mountain base. Finally I began to get a view of the river gorge on one side of the edge of the ridge, and a view of the town from the other. I got several pictures. It was very, very pretty. I saw the river as a small narrow stream coming through the deep gorge, and eventually saw white water rafters as little specks spread out across the river. I saw a tiny railroad track and the bridge curving across the river, and a train whistle blew before I saw the train itself. As the train came into view, the engine and cars looked like tiny toys. I eventually could see the entire length of the train as the engine crossed the bridge and made its way along broad open stretches of land going through the town, and the last tiny car came out of the thick forest in the gorge next to the river. The whole town spread out before me and I enjoyed the view from a high perch where, I'm sure, no one could see me. I continued my cycle of hiking out to the edge of the mountain and back into the ravine, each time noticing the longer distance the route took, and the significant progress I was making toward the descent into town, because the buildings and other landmarks were becoming more distinct with each pass. Finally I heard the screams from the white water rafts, as they would navigate some of the more challenging rapids. It was fun to view this all from above and experience a significant part of their rafting trip all from one single location high up on the mountain side with a good view of a long section of the river. I eventually watched many of the rafts hit the beach right below me. It was an awesome view. I continued my descent, and the town came closer and closer. This was an even more scenic approach to the town below than the trip down into Hot Springs. Just a great experience. I finally came out on the paved road. Taking the last few steps made me recall the first few steps after I watched Marlene's van disappear across Fontana Dam, when the whole hike was ahead of me, and I marveled at how quickly this year's adventure came and went. I thought of 175 miles, a short trip when compared to a 2,172 mile thru hike, but an awesome experience for me. I tried to recall some of those miles, remembered all the great hikers, trail maintenance crews, and local people I met along the way, and savored the gift of the things I saw. Few people really experience the remote wilderness that way. I ran through my mind images of individual trees, lonely hillsides, the rocks, streams, and distant ridgelines, the mists blowing across the trail, high mountaintops, the rain, the animals, nights alone in the shelters. The Bible and my times alone with God take on more intimate meaning when my mind lets go of the distractions of everyday life. I recall looking down from a high perch into a valley, realizing that I could survey the scene spread out before me, but someone down in that valley could only see the whole forest when looking my direction, but few individual trees. Going out there is a huge effort and commitment, but the rewards are great and only known to a few. I turned and looked back at the trail as it wound upward out of sight, and I felt a little tingle of loneliness as I realized the memory had already begun to fade. Then I felt another tender tingle of excitement as I remembered that Marlene might be waiting for me just a few yards from there, down at the hostel. I made my way down to Uncle Johnny's and there on the porch were Brian and Sasha. They were trying to find a source for alcohol fuel but were having trouble getting any. Johnny's was temporarily out of denatured alcohol. I gave them the rest of what I had, and it looked like it would last them the three days they had until the next chance to re-supply. They were thankful and it was good to see them one more brief time. Marlene and I had planned to spend the night at the Holiday Inn Express. She had not yet arrived at Uncle Johnny's, so I decided to walk to the hotel. I got directions, and began the two-mile walk there. I arrived about 30 minutes before she did and got checked in. They gave me a free pint of Ben and Jerry¢s, which I enjoyed! However, the hot water was temporarily out of service. I would have liked to clean up before Marlene got there, but she got to experience the smell of a hiker fresh off the trail first hand. What a privilege! She did fine, and the hot water was available a few minutes after she arrived. It was so good to see her. We rested and had a leisurely time of catching up and talking about all that had gone on since she dropped me off. I had guessed correctly when I thought about her experience as she crossed Fontana Dam and left me there. I knew she was hurting. If my hike has to end, it's so good to come back to someone who loves me and shares the intimate details of my life, someone who makes this unusual kind of experience possible, simply by loving me enough to let me do it. My biggest regret is that she can experience what I experienced only if I am able to describe it for her. Words fail me sometimes, but she patiently listens to me and tries to understand why I am drawn out here to spend time in God's creation. When the hike ends and I see her, my heart is full already from the hike itself, then we renew that special relationship that I have temporarily interrupted. You can't know how precious that is. When I read back over my journal entries I wonder if some think I am a big baby as I describe my thoughts of her as I hike along or am holed up all alone in the remote wilderness as night falls. Putting my thoughts down just as they happened is worth the risk of what others may think. It allows me to relive the moments out there as I think back. Pondering the separation makes the reunion all the more intimate. After a rest, we went to eat at a local restaurant (The Elms?) and explored the town. Erwin has a beautiful setting right in the mountains, and we thought it would look very pretty in the winter after a snowfall. We visited Miss Janet's, just to meet her and check things out in case I want to stay there next year when I hike the next section. Miss Janet is very nice and has a nice hostel. She is really into the hiking scene, and I expect she would do whatever it takes to help hikers along their way. We talked, and looked at her pictures, and it was good for Marlene to meet Miss Janet, see the hostel, and get a feel for the experience a hiker has when they drop into town and enjoy the accommodations at a well run, hiker friendly, oasis during a long distance hike. Many of her visitors over the last few years are hikers whose journals I have been reading on trailjournals.com. It was a fun visit. We bummed around town, ate again, and then spent the night. We were up fairly early the next day, and on the road as soon as we were packed and loaded. We stopped for breakfast at a Perkins, a few miles down the road. The trip back to Birmingham was uneventful, and I really enjoyed the time with Marlene, catching up and just being alone together. She is so much a part of my hiking, and I appreciate her willingness to let me wander off into the woods on the trail and keep the home fires burning while I'm out. She's something special. Thank you for visiting my journal. I hope you have enjoyed my story. I may add other entries over time as I ponder the hike this year and remember last year's hike too. If the information I have shared here and in last year's journal has helped you enjoy the trail, then it has been worth it for me. Please sign my guestbook to let me know of your visit. dp