Date: 2013-05-01
From: Sams Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 24.1
Weather: clear sky

First of May!! Hard to believe, one month into the trail, wow. Jay shuttles us back to Sam's gap. A sign at the gap says there will be big trail magic event here later which we will miss. Pass the turn style and up the hill we go, cool in early morning sun. Mama Goose leads the way at a fast pace. We talk as we ascend through the morning dew and muddy trail. She went to school and worked in the Chicago area in the past. A veteran from Dessert Storm. I learned she ran the Chicago marathon fast enough to qualify for the Boston marathon. We follow as she is nearly running up the climb, up into the clouds, now skies are gray and windy as we reach the summit of Big Bald Mountain. No views outward, only mist. Much colder and windier at the 5500 ft high summit, after snapping some pics, we descend the other side of the mountain below cloud level to Spivy Gap. On the road is trail magic!! Me meet Rob Bird, former owner of the Bird Cage Hostel in Dalton, MA and last year thru hiker Napalm. He told me he lost 50 pounds during his hike. Having his strength increasingly zapped and being mentally hazy while hiking, Rob found him stumbling near a road side, at first thinking he was drunk. It became obvious Napalm was ill, Rob took him to the hospital it was determined he had Lyme disease, transmitted by a small tick lodged on his scrotum. After some time and treatment was able to return and finish his thru hike. Today they met up, took a van here to the gap with all sorts of goodies: hot dogs, burgers, sodas, beer, krispy kremes, fruits, boiled eggs, home made pastries and more. A dozen hikers huddle around the back of the van enjoying the generous food, drink, and each others company. Glad to have met Rob and Napalm. Us hikers are really fortunate to have support from not only friends and family but also the kind-hearted local communities who know we are up in the mountains and go out of their way to help us and care for our well being. Its also inspiring to meet former thru-hikers who experience setbacks along the way and have the determination to continue on, when it would've been easy enough to quit and go home. This really made my day, so thankful these guys took time out and returned to the trail to show their support. Move on with a full stomach, sunny now as we shoot through the forest, along the mountainside. I pull ahead and am alone most of the way. A few miles before Erwin are views of the town and train tracks going over the river. I catch up to Pundit as he is taking photos. Long winding descent, finally reach the road and back to Uncle Johnny's. I buy a Gatorade and join Roadrunner at the front porch. Dorothy is there as is Icarus and Dutchy. After getting cleaned up, we hop on the shuttle into town. On the way we run into famous trail angel Miss Janet in her decked out van, shuttling some hikers, asking if we seen some hiker. On the way to town. We stop into Little Ceasars to pick up their $5 ready to go pizzas, unfortunately they ran out so we wait in the lobby as they put in a new batch. Green Blaze is at the grocery, will be returning to the trail later. Back at the hostel, quickly learn that getting 2 pizzas is way too much, sell the other one to a guy in the cabin next to my tent. It was Indy and Pony Bear, who i would hike with later down the trail. Didn't recognize Indy without his hat. Asking Mama Goose to get me a 2 liter of soda at the grocery was a good investment, cost only a quarter more than getting a can here. Hawk and I start a load of laundry, washer finishes but we have to wait for dryer to become available. Late by the time we finish.