Date: 2018-11-29
From: Peck's Corner Shelter, NC

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 21.0

It indeed was cold last night in the little valley the shelter was located in. My shoes and the water bottles were partially frozen even though they were inside the tent. I got dressed in my sleeping bag then got my stove going. It got to 50 degrees in the tent. Good enough to pack up and head out. I put my Yak Tracks on because of a lot of ice on the trails. Really bad on the access trail up to the AT. On the the AT at 5:02. Already I had to take a shirt off underneath. It seemed warmer after I came out of the valley. Warm air may be pushing in. Temperatures are to increase the next few days. Up on the ridge I could see the colors of a beautiful sunrise developing. Venus was bright as well as the half moon almost directly above me. The trail left the east side of the narrow ridge and followed the west side. I was unable to see the sun actually coming up. On the west side the winds hit me but weren't nearly as brutally cold as yesterday. Snow here and there but nothing slowing me. I passed Charlie's Bunion and headed to Icewater Spring Shelter. There I treated water and took my long johns off. The sun warmed my wet feet as I tried to wring out my socks. It was a beautiful sunny day. When I got back on the trail I now expected to see people since I was near Newfound Gap. Shortly I saw day hikers coming up the trail. Before I got to the gap I saw 25+ people. One family talked a little with me and asked about my trip. When the young father with his one year old on his back said "Congratulations" right away I about cried as I realized how close to finishing I am. I headed out but before the gap I had to take my jacket off. The young father and a teen boy ahead of the others walked to the gap with me. We talked all the way down. He and his wife dream of doing the trail someday. I thanked them then headed towards the crosswalk across the highway. But then I saw trash receptacles and got rid of some extra weight. The young father's father (or father-in-law) came over and talked with me. He asked all kinds of questions about my journeys. The parking lot was busy due to the great views there. I crossed the highway and disappeared into the woods. Shortly I passed a couple and they asked about my trip. When I told them they said they had to get a picture of me which they did. A while later I heard voices. It was two guys and a girl from Rochester, NY coming up behind me fast. I thought they were thru hikers because of their speed. They weren't but are future thru hikers, perhaps in the spring. They had plenty of questions too. The one guy shook my hand as well as the girl then I, for fun, showed them the thru hiker shake hitting fist to fist. We all shook hands the thru hiker way. They said they were out just for a few days. I continued taking a few hours to get up to the top of Clingman's Dome the highest point on the AT at 6,643'. The weather had changed and now the sky was cloudy. I kept an eye on the clouds as I went over Clingman's Dome at 4:30. Just beyond Clingman's Dome I went under 200 miles to the finish. The wind had picked up and it started to sprinkle. I was planning to go to Siler's Bald Shelter but decided to stop at Double Springs Gap Shelter instead due to the rain and it was getting dark. I arrived at the stone shelter about 6 pm. I walked down into the dark foggy woods looking for the spring using my headlamp but found nothing. I went across the trail in the opposite direction and down a steep trail. I found water good enough to suit me. It wasn't a spring but instead water coming down over rocks. It was slow filling my bottles but I was happy to find water. At the shelter I put my tent up behind the tarp. Like other shelters in the park there is a tarp to block the wind. Since my tent is too high for the bunk area I just set up in front of it. No one around and I want to be warm. Though not bad out now I am at 5,507' and it's raining. The two guys and the girl I met said rain the next two days. That kind of bummed me out. I want to get to Franklin sometime Tuesday. I'll have to push through the rain. Right now all I hear is the rain on the steel roof. I just had a hot chocolate in which I dropped Andes chocolate mints, all courtesy of Heartrock. Yes, I know that sound delicious and it was.