Date: 2013-10-11
From: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

Last night, I descended from 4200 feet to 2200 feet, and the temperature change was noticeable - I barely needed my sleeping bag! Being so deep in the gorge, it became light later than normal, and so I wasn't in a hurry to pack up. It was only a mile to the NOC, and after only 15 minutes of hiking, I could see my destination. I am very fond of the Nantahala Outdoor Center because I took a day-long clinic here in February about how to hike the AT - it was my first exposure to a real live thru hiker, and I held onto every word he said. I left with 16 full pages of notes! When I got to the road, I found out that breakfast was only served on weekends and that the outfitter and general store, where I had planned to grab a couple of items to hold me over to Fontana Dam, didn't open until 9. It was only 7:45, so I decided to hitch into Bryson City, which my guidebook told me was 4 miles east.It didn't take long to get a hitch, and when I told the man where I was heading, he didn't blink twice, so I didn't think anything was wrong. It was only after we had driven for 10 minutes that I asked him how much further to Bryson City. "Another 8 miles from the sign up here." 8 miles?! It was a busy road and I figured if I could hitch out, I could hitch back, so I stuck with him. Being so far from the trail felt strange, but the breakfast I had at the Everette Street Diner was completely worth it. The diner was about a mile from the main road I would be taking back to the NOC, and I opted to walk to the road instead of piecing together a mile-long hitch. At the road, the first car that passed picked me up - it was a NOC raft guide! I got to play with her 8-week-old puppy in the back seat while we drove the 14 miles back.I found it extremely difficult to pull myself away from the NOC! Apparently this happens often; I can imagine why. The NOC is situated at the bottom of a gorge, with very long climbs out no matter which way you go! Further, there are two restaurants, an outfitter, a general store that sold beer, people who knew and appreciated the AT, hot showers, and a bunk house. What else does a hiker need?! Given all of the amenities, I was proud for pulling myself away by 10:30 to head up the 3300 foot climb!As I neared the top of the climb, a number of hikers stopped and asked if I was Breitside - they told me my friends were waiting at the top. There was only one thru hiker left who it could be - Righteous! I found him and Jimmy, who I had met before Erwin, at the top. We spent about and hour catching up before saying goodbye for the last time, with both of us heading in opposite directions to complete our thru hikes.It was sad knowing he was the last SOBO thru hiker I knew - everyone I meet in the next couple of days will be new to me, and because we will be heading in opposite directions, we will be able to share a couple of stories, but then will have to go our separate ways. I was thinking this, and also about how much I will miss the trail after I finish early next week, and I found myself close to tears a couple of times as I was walking along.I had intended to make it to Cable Gap Shelter tonight, but given my unexpectedly long hitch into Bryson City and my afternoon with Righteous, plus the 600 feet I gained over half a mile just before Brown Fork Gap Shelter, it seemed like a good place to call it a night. There were a number of people camping around the shelter, notably a grandpa, his children, and all of his grandchildren - what a lucky guy!