Date: 2016-03-28
From: Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I was so thankful to be indoors - not just in a shelter but indoors - last night. I woke up at one point and the storm was raging and the drops on the roof were thunderous. The bunk room has no windows so I was able to sleep later than usual, about 7:45. Then Oat and I turned on the light and began getting our things together. He's been having foot problems and is taking a zero today. Unfortunately, he needs new shoes and unlike at other hostels, going into town is extremely difficult. He is probably going to be here a few days. CeeCee offered to make us all free grits, and I readily accepted. She put butter and salt and pepper on them. It was wonderful to start with a hot breakfast. I also forced myself to eat a pop tart and clif bar. I find that I am not very hungry at all in the mornings, but I know that the more I eat in the morning the better time I'll have. Ghost headed out a few minutes before me. I got all my things together and got a big hug from CeeCee (for someone so concerned about getting norovirus, she hugs a lot). She's kinda crazy. She wished me "a splendid butterfly day. No rain, because butterflies can't fly in the rain." I headed out and struggled up the woods road back up to Greasy Creek Gap. The miles after the gap were all very easy up and over Little Rock Knob. I passed ghost, who Was planning to stay at Roan High Knob shelter. I then found myself at Hughes Gap, had a snack, and started up the long hike up Roan High Knob. The fog had been clinging around the mountains all morning and it disappeared in front of me as I was climbing. The trail switchbacked over a single ridge probably about 40 times, it wasn't hard climbing but it was really long. Finally, I came out under blue skies at the site of the former Cloudland Resort, above 6000 feet for the last time until New Hampshire. The wind was blowing and made me pretty cold. I walked the short distance over to Roan High Knob Shelter. It was a bluebird day, but the wind was rushing and it was freezing. At the shelter were the crew I'd met at Uncle Johnny's, frost, rain man, seal tree, Doctor trails and Blaze. They'd come up from an earlier shelter and were also headed to the Barn, aka Overmountain Shelter, just over 7 miles away. I ate my lunch as they headed out and then headed down the mountain.I passed a day hiking couple and she asked me if I was a thru hiker. When I said yes, she dug around in her bag and pulled out a Reese's Egg and wished me a happy Easter! This was very funny to me as I had just been talking about Reese's Eggs with Ali last night. I made my way down to Carvers Gap, where the trees gave way to a giant grassy bald area. I made my way starting up Round Bald, and soon was greeted with just about the most spectacular view I've ever seen. The Roan Highlands are just a huge ridge of earth plunked down among other mountain ridges, but the Roan Highlands dwarf their surroundings. It was clear as could be and I could see forever away to the north and south. The Balds are just otherworldly, astounding places to hike. I took my time over the couple of mountains, knowing that it would be a long time before I would be back, and this was a special place. There were a number of groups of day hikers here, but they all hung around the summit of Round Bald. Past that, it was me and the mountains. Soon enough I was descending off of them down towards yellow mountain gap and Overmountain Shelter. Then I heard a little "pop." A piece of the front toe cap on my right boot debonded quite a long time ago, and there's been no change since. But it must've snagged something because the entire thing just kind of fell off, and my boot was suddenly a few layers of gore Tex and a loose piece of plastic. I tried to hike on it a little, but I felt like I was just doing more damage to the boot, so I took it off and put on my right croc, and hiked unevenly for the last 2.5 miles of the day. My parents were soon on the case, and I should have another pair of boots waiting for me at Kincora hostel when I get there on Wednesday afternoon. Soon enough I found myself at the side trail to Overmountain, which led down to a grassy knoll with a spectacular view and the giant red barn I've seen so many times in pictures. It's just a gorgeous place for a shelter, and this barn is no ordinary shelter, with bunks for about 10 on the lower floor and then a loft that could easily hold 20 hikers. The gang from Roan High Knob was here, as were five hikers who did the PCT last year out for a short reunion hike. I threw my stuff upstairs and hung around before cooking dinner. I really like the company of frost and rain man. Seal tree and Blaze had a long conversation about politics that bordered on conspiracy theories. Me frost and rain man all stayed quiet and then commiserated when blaze and seal tree left. I made myself some hot fruit punch because we could all tell the night to come was going to be a cooold one.