Date: 2004-06-07
From: Davenport Gap, TN

To: Max Patch Camping area
Miles today: 16.5

My Monday morning began early at Mountain Moma's. After a zero day Sunday, I was ready for the trail. I took a quick shower, enjoying the hot water, then dressed and ready for breakfast. I enjoyed my eggs, bacon, toast, jelly and lots of cups of coffee. By 9 AM I was packed and ready for Mountain Moma to drive me back to where I had left the trail at Davenport Gap.   During the drive, she told me the last big bunch of thru-hikers had been to her place on May 20th. They were all way ahead of me. Now there are only a few hikers every now and then coming through. Then she let me out at the state line where Tennessee and North Carolina meet and the AT crosses the road and heads back into the woods.    About 10:10 AM I came out of the woods again onto asphalt pavement. To the right is the Waterville community. To the left is the AT which follows the road across a bridge over the Pidgeon River. Then the road goes under Interstate 40. Many times I have driven down I 40 and looked at the AT at this point and hoped one day I would be hiking the trail. Today is my day! Also, hearing the traffic on I 40, I could only think that I will hike hard all day and cover 16.5 miles. The traffic on I 40 will cover 16 miles in about 15 minutes or less. Soon, I was on the other side of I 40 and climbing the steps back into the woods. I 40 is at 1,455' elevation. The first long climb is up Snowbird Mountain, which tops out at 4,265'. It is a tough, long climb.   On the way up, I met 2 women and 2 men section hiking. They were taking 5 days to cover what I planned to do in 2 days, from Davenport Gapt to Hot Springs. Also, I saw the four kids from Alaska again. Getting near the top of Snowbird, the trail was in excellent shape. It looked like someone had trimmed both sides of the trail with a weedeater. Near the top, I heard the beep, beep of a back up alarm and over in the woods could see 2 trucks driving up to the top. At the top there was a tall cone shapped FAA VOR tower. What a sight to see! But now, I had clumbed up Snowbird and that was behind me. About 4 PM I reached Groundhog Creek Shelter and decided to keep going for Max Patch. Off and on rain was falling.   During the afternoon I had found great, fresh, cool water at a spring in the wood just off the trail. It was a race to see if I could fill my water bottles before the mosquitoes ate me up. I finally got them filled and was in good shape to camp out tonight if I could make it to Max Patch.    I did! About 8 PM I made it to the top of Max Patch. A light rain was falling and it looked like a real storm was building up rapidly. I passed a family picking wild strawberries on the top and I would have loved to join them. But, I was very tired and needed to make camp before the storm hit. They had driven up a road to a parking area near the top and had a short walk to the area where the strawberries were. Max Patch is normally a beautiful sight to see. It is about 450 acres of clearing on the top of a mountain. Vistas are wonderful. But all I could see was a storm blowing in.    Finally, I reached the woods and found a campsite. It was about 8:30 and it is much darker in the woods than it had been on the mountain top. I needed my light which I always carry in a mesh bag which is usually easy to find. Not this time. I could not find it. I also, put my toothbrush and tooth paste in it and I remembered brushing my teeth after breakfast at Mountain Moma's and I placed the bag on a bench in the restroom. I was sure I had left the bag there. I was sick. One last time, I made a search of my back pack and sure enough it was there. Now I had light. I could make camp and see to cook supper. By that time it was completely dark and I was ready for the sleeping bag. A gentle rain was falling most of the night and it was a good place to sleep.