Date: 2009-05-13
From: Spring on Iron Mountain

To: Damascus
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up at first light, quickly packed up and headed out. Looking forward to the Tennessee Turnpike, the last 30 into Damascus, reputedly easy hiking. The first hill wore me out. The second one finished me off. I HURT. I began to think I was getting the stomach flu, but finally had to admit I was just wore down. Pond Mountain and Iron Mountain had kicked my butt. The hills today were steep, but short. It was all I could do to climb them. I was taking a picture of a part of the the trail that actually resembled a turnpike, when I was passed by an ultra-lighter named Castaway. I caught up with him later, and we talked for awhile. He was completing his triple crown, and was interested in the Florida Trail. Somehow we got talking about working with the handicapped. He spent the last year caring for a developmentally handicapped lady, and has a girl friend that tought Special Ed. I told him I was thinking about dusting off my degree and getting qualified to teach the handicapped. He was wanting to go to nursing school, but didn't know how to pay for it. We mused on how our goals change, and how many new interests we find in ourselves, no matter what our age, as long as we keep active. When we passed the Nick Grindstone monument I stopped, and Castaway kept going. I would not see him again. Nick Grindstone was an old hermit that lived and died on this mountain, and his monument is a lonely marker of a lonely life. Mr Parkay was at the monument talking to two other hikers about the PCT. After talking with Mr Parkay, I continued down the trail, and stopped for water at the next spring. I was still hurting, and kind of lonesome, and missing my family. The more I walked, the more homesick I got, and I finally decided to stop and try to call home when I found a good spot. Right then I rounded a bend and came to a sunny hillside where someone had stacked a rock cairn. I laid down on my pack and had a nice phone conversation with my wife. I added a rock to the cairn when I left. Got to Double Springs Shelter for lunch with Redbeard and Spiceman. Redbeard was going all the way, "only 18.5 to go, man". Spiceman was asking about Trail Days, so I pulled out the schedule I had been carrying, and he copied down some of it. I shared some skittles, and the hikers were quite grateful. Later, coming down the mountain I crossed paths with famous hiker Awol. I told him I had bought his book when it first came out, and it was one of my favorites. He said, "Which one?". He also said there was trail magic at the next road crossing. Sure enough, when I got down to the road there was an old greybeard cooking bean soup on a picnic table. Sitting at the table were Crike and a friend I had seen way back at Curley Maple Gap Shelter. The old man serving beans was a Navy cook, retired in 1973. Says he feeds hikers every year. I climbed back up the trail, stopped at the old McQueens Knob shelter for a break. One of the original log shelters, it only sleeps 4 and has no water. Went on up to Abingdon Gap Shelter, and Crike and friend rolled in right behind me. He had picked up my Indian print bandana, that I have carried for 5 years. I thought it was gone for good. He said, "you would have done the same for me". I had actually done the same thing coming up Iron Mountain the day before for one of Redbeard's buddies. Karma comes quick on the AT. I went ahead and set up camp at the shelter, though it was early. I was tired, figgured to use the extra hours to sleep. Sailor J rolled in behind me, and decided to stop early too, then 2 or three others, followed by Goose and Chewy. It got quiet quick at Abingdon Gap - we were all wore out, and wanting get get an early start on the last 10 to Damascus.