Date: 2003-04-30
From: Allen Gap

To: Hot Springs, N.C.
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: few clouds

start Allen Gap destination Hot Springs,NC Just about the time I think I will have nothing to write about,the day's hike,I am surprized by the events which take place. Again, today I am awaken by the sounds of civilization. Cars,loud trucks with no mufflers,horns and lawnmowers. Breakfast today at Elmer's is whole wheat biscuits, gravy,more of that great cereal,scrambled eggs and yellow seasoned grits. Juice and hot tea complete our meal. Since I have my pack and two boxes of stuff I need to mail on Thursday, Strider helps me get it all down the street to the motel. It still seems like I am sending more food back than I am keeping. We get in our shuttle at 9:00 am. There will be two shuttles to handle all the hikers who are slack packing. Today, I also say good bye to Maledrop. He is going back home, a thing called a job forces him off the trail for now. That and the fact that he lives to eat. I am really glad the shuttle is ready to leave, I have become attached to him and will miss him. The day is beautiful today...The weather forecast was revised from last night's 70% chance of rain to 40%. I am optimistic and because I can't fit both pieces of my rain gear in my pack,I just take 50% of it. The top I roll up and wrap around my wasit. Don't even ask me why I didn't wrap the bottoms and take them also. I would wonder that myself later in the day. We are hiking south from Allen's Gap back to Hot Springs mainly because of the difficult terrain. Going north it is all uphill, so it is easier to hike downhill. My knees do not agree with that, but what do I know?? The hike is great for several hours,and I stop to snack once. I am not carrying my water filter, I have a liter of water to last all day. I ration it out by hours and drinks to make it last all day. I am hiking along, carrying on stilted conversations with fellow hikers.I do not notice the thunderclouds overhead. At least, not until it starts to rain. I unwrap my raintop and put it on. It is just beginning to sprinkle. I am hopeful that it is only a light shower. So much for hope. Within minutes the lightning starts followed by thunder way too close. I know you are supposed to get away from trees in a thunder storm, but out here there is no place to go to get away from the trees. I hope the rubber handles on my hiking poles will act as an insulator should I get struck. It is a long shot I know, but what else do I have? Pretty soon bb size hale starts falling out of the sky. This is way too cool I think. I am walking around in a thunder storm! Something no one ever wants to do whether from fear or saneness. It is not too long before the bb size hale turns into small pea size hale. The lightning is closer as well as the thunder. Then the hale turns chick pea size. It really hurts as it pelts me on the head. I am dry from the waist up, and I question my saneness at deciding not to bring along the bottom of my rain gear. After all I bought them to stay dry. It must have been a blond moment. I hike on and in no time my boots are filled with rain,mud and dirt. I stop during a slack break in the rain to eat my bagel. Another deluge forces me on. I pass a big blue clump of something on the trail. It is a hiker squatted down trying not to get struck by lightning. He peers out and says "I can't beleive you are hking in a thunder storm with aluminum poles." in my mind I say to myself "I can't beleive I am hiking in a thunderstorm with half a set of rain gear" I take a break and take off my shoes to wring the water out of my socks. I put on the dry sock liners I have in my pack and put the socks back on. My feet are dry for a minute.This will hopefully wardoff blisters that you get by hiking in wet boots. I count the seconds between the lightning and thunder, and after a while, the storm seems to be moving away. The rest of the hike, which is five hours is spent hiking in a drizzel. I am glad to see the Broad River come in sight below the town. It seems to take forever to get there. At several points this morning I run into hiker friends who are hiking north. Some trail angel had left two can cokes and a nalgene bottle of tea along the trail at a crossing. Rumbler, being the gentleman that is is, told Footslogger and Jersey to take the cokes and he would take the bottle. It turns out the bottle is evidently filled with urine. Cruel trick by someone with a warped sense of humor. The cold drinks are left there. Back in town I get a warm shower. It feels great to be dry. My legs and feet are tired, but I still have to walk to dinner and back. Pushing Up Daisies wants to go to the Mountain Magnoia Inn. I don't mind since my choices once again are burgers or pizza. As before my dinner is great. I get the steak, lemon rice, steamed asparagus, and a lusious garlic and chiken creme soup. Back at the motel I run a long bath to soak, and try to finish reading my book. I have read so much of it I do not want to leave it. It is still raining but no thunder and lightning.I am glad I hiked today, I know I have so many days of rain and I have one of those rainy days behind me. bumpkin