Date: 2014-05-24
From: US 58,Feathercamp Branch

To: Elk Garden Parking Lot
Miles today: 18.1

Sometimes looking a profile map of what you're planning on hiking can be a bit misleading and looking a lot easier than it really it is, even with out a full pack on the back.    We got a late start but didn't think much of it as we only had daypacks with a few bottles of water and some snacks, we had the whole they hiker bravado going on. It's definitely a weird feeling hiking the trail with essentially nothing on your back, I felt naked. I also put away the Met hat for the day and wore a bandana, it's too hit out and the Mets are playing dreadful, something's just never change. I also tripped over a lot more branches today than I have total throughout the whole trip, I guess my stride is that much different when I have a full pack on. We all had really quick paces for the first miles and were even running for portions down the trail, every precaution and safety measure I've taken over the last month and a half was thrown out the window. After some miles, we all were separated and I put in my headphones and hiked down the trial enjoying the scenery and the weather. I didn't have my guide book with me so it was difficult to gauge how far along I was on the trail, only things I knew was I had to get be at the parking lot at five as that's where Delaware's dad was picking us up.    At one point the Appalachian Trail and Creeper Trail are one and it was a beautiful day out so it was interesting dodging hike riders flying down the trail in the opposite direction. I saw a thru hiker taking a break and asked him to look at his guide book, it was about 1 o'clock and we still had about 10 miles to go with a long,big uphill up Whitetop Mountain, I didn't have a good feeling about this.   For the remainder of the hike we stayed together for the most part. Gadget and I would take the lead, I was hoping one of us could breakaway and maybe get to the parking lot somewhat on time and let Delaware's dad know that the rest of the group was going to be late, yet again cellphone service was nonexistent.   Whitetop Mountain was a hard climb even without a pack and we slowly made our way to top. On the way up, I had a phone signal and set up a maildrop with my dad, so I was multitasking and felt good about it. When we got to the top of Whitetop Mountain it was around 4:45 and we still had two and a half miles left. The views were breathtaking though so even though we were tired and bit stressed, we had to take a view minutes to take in the view. After we relaxed and took some pictures, it was go time and thankfully the rest of the miles were downhill so we got to the parking lot at 5:30. Delaware's dad waiting there talking to another thru hiker so he didn't seem pissed,think he was more relieved than anything.   The drive to the cabin is a beautiful ones with the mountains in the background and farms below them with cows in the pasture. The final stretch to get to the cabin is to go down this narrow gravel road with woods in one side and a farm on the other. First off, there's a peacock that just wanders the road and flashed his too at us once. Next there's a dog on the farm who chases the car the whole way down the driveway and the when the fence ends his journey, there are wild turkeys that take the baton and run along the car and fly over the fence into the woods, finally we're at the cabin.   It was another relaxing night of eating and just hanging out. Tomorrow we're doing a slight resupply and doing a short hike, about 10 miles. We're hiking the Grayson Highland which I've been looking forward to as there's wild ponies in the park and you can go up to them and pet them, should be another interesting day on the trail.