Date: 2006-04-18
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: broken clouds

Bama called this morning - cell phone towers are as scarce as chickens at a fox family reunion. She was on her way to Max Patch Mountain yesterday morning when I last heard from her. The way had been pretty tough hiking, but Bama said flowers were everywhere. While she was head down and puffing up the hills, she could look at the ground and see carpets of tiny blue, yellow and pink wildflowers.Josey (now called Outlaw), Fish, Good Time Charlie, one Day and Oyster got Curtis at Standing Bear to drive them to Max Patch so they could slack pack back to Standing Bear for a second night instead of going on to Roaring Fork. As Bama and the others went up the trail, they were met by the slack pack group coming down from Max Patch and Oyster shared soft drinks and Outlaw gave Bama a Snickers bar. Even thru-hikers give Trail Magic to each other.When she got to Max Patch, it was threatening rain, so a few of them stopped to put on their rain suits. They got only a few drops, but the wind came up and nearly blew them off the trail (50 mph?)- it was weird. Then it cleared up and Bama said the 360 degree view from Max Patch was maybe the most awesome she has seen yet.At the Roaring Fork Shelter, there was Bama, Comfortably Numb, Oly, Piper, Trusty, Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour and a newcomer, Butterfly. She is a marathon runner from Crested Butte, Montana and was running the AT, averaging 25-30 miles a day!! Wow!Peter Rabbit and Rusch Hour had decided the night before to tent on a bald about two miles north of the group at Standing Bear. Since they were in the open, they were careful with their bear bag storage up a tree. Well, all was fine until they tried to get the bags down and the rope broke, leaving their bags and food hanging up in the tree. With some backwoods engineering, they duct taped three hiking poles together and then taped a knife to one end to cut the bags loose. At Roaring Fork Shelter, they had the whole group in hysterics, retelling how they had to finally retrieve the food. Bama finally had a shelter mouse event at Roaring Fork. She usually sleeps with her toboggan over her hair (mice like to get in hair), others do the same and some sleep with their arms and hands inside their sleeping bag. She was sleeping OK when about 3:00 am she awakened to hear something rummaging around near her pack. For the first time, she had left her toilet paper out of her pack (and shelter mice love toilet paper because of its excellent nest building qualities). Thinking the mice had gotten into her pack or worse, food bag, she slapped at the pack with a shirt to drive off the interloper only to have it start scratching around again. This went on about ten times until Bama was afraid it was waking the others. She finally went back to sleep. By morning, she was glad to find there was no major damage to her pack or food. The mouse was in Buttyfly's pack eating a energy bar she had forgotten to put in her food bag Bama left the Roaring Fork Shelter at about 7:30 this morning. The weather is cooler - which is a relief and the weather has held clear. Bama has 15.7 miles to go today to get to Deer Park Mountain Shelter. But Bama said if she feels like it this afternoon, may decide to hike the remaining 3.2 miles into Hot Springs.Another wonderful day on the AT.Update: Bama stopped at Walnut Mountain Shelter for a snack and was making good time. Later, she arrived at the Deer Park Shelter, which was her scheduled stop for the day. It was an old shelter, small and not very inviting. She found a note from Oly, Peter Rabbit and Rusch Hour saying they had decided to hike on down to Hot Springs to tent camp in the campground. That was all the encouragement she needed to leave and finish up the day with almost 19 miles - so far her longest day. This will mean a hot shower and no mice. She left a note for the others behind her to "Come on down!" Tomorrow night she will have a bunk at Elmer's Sunnybank Inn.Update: Bama got into Hot Springs late about 5pm. She decided against the campground last night when she learned many others were getting out the way of incoming thunderstorms. Peter Rabbit and Rusch Hour yelled at her from the upper balcony of Elmer¢s Sunnybank Inn, but was no room there, so she got a room at the Cody House a block up the street. Cheesewhiz, FDR and Keystone were there and offered her a cold beer. What a day! She took a long, hot shower and kicked back for a while.Bama had dinner with Butterfly, Outlaw, Good Time Charlie, Walker, Fish and Southern Comfort at the Paddler's Pub, a little pricy, but the beer, cheeseburger and fries were wonderful - and filling. BTW, Hot Springs is not only an AT mecca, it is where thousands of kayakers and canoeists come to do the French Broad and the whitewater. Oly, Peter Rabbit and Rusch Hour came by and stopped to chat. Rusch Hour knew Walker so they talked awhile. Walker is quitting the trail and trying to find a way home (New Jersey?). About 8:30 BAma was ready for bed, so Walker came along with her to find room at the Cody House. Everyone else was at the campground partying, but her party time was over!Bill