Date: 2004-05-20
From: Near Sam's Gap

To: A Better Day, A Better Mood
Miles today: 12.5

This morning, Stick and Silkie decided to hike back to the road crossing and thumb rides to Erwin. They will resume their hikes after resting up. Hearing this, I felt bad for having urged them to hike onward during yesterday evening. If they had followed their original plan, they would have already been in town.I slept restlessly in the hammock. A Thermarest pad which I lay upon for insulation was sliding about. I need to obtain a better form of insulation for the bottom part of my body where the fabric of the hammock contains no trapped air for warmth. I will also have to obtain in the not so distant future a summer rated sleeping bag. My current sleeping bag, rated for 35 degrees, has been too warm. I have been waking up with a clammy feeling. It seems odd, being too cold on the bottom of the body when the Thermarest shifts, and feeling too warm and clammy on the top of the top part of the body.During the early morning the trail cut across a pasture of wet grass which sagged across the trail. Once again, my feet and socks were wet. This time, I reacted to the wetness with a quiet acceptance. As the saying goes, "No pain, no rain, no Maine."The highlight of the day occurred on the summit of Big Bald Mountain (5,516 feet), which provided views in all directions. The pasture on this summit reminded me of the scene in the movie, The Sound of Music, where the actress Julie Andrews whirls around with her hands outstretched and sings, "The hills are alive, with the sound of... buzzing flies"The pasture on the summit was infested with flies. Even the stiff breeze would not keep them down. I did not relish the thought of spreading peanut butter and honey on my burrito wrap. But then, all of a sudden, the flies seemed to go away. Their disappearance coincided with the arrival of dark clouds overhead. I used the moment to prepare my lunch. When the sun came back out, so did the flies.I lingered for a while on the summit, taking in the glorious views and drying out my footwear, rain tarp, and damp sleeping bag.In the meantime, Inchworm stopped for lunch and moved on. Swedish and Shannon, a couple in their twenties I had not met before, stopped for lunch. Whoa and Moxie showed up.After descending Big Bald Mountain, the trail re-entered the forest and passed through hundreds of wild flowers in full bloom. I stopped and took some photos. Clearly, this was a great day on the Appalachian Trail.I caught up to Inchworm and we stopped to rest. We discussed how easily one's mood can shift from day to day, or even hour to hour, depending on the weather, the terrain, and a host of other factors.I erected my hammock at a camp site near a road crossing at Spivey Gap, which I think is located in Tennessee. The trail has been skirting the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. It is hard to know for sure which state I am hiking in. This campsite was a beauty, surrounded by large pine trees. The stream beside it contained trout. Whoa, Moxie, Inchworm, and Bluebird arrived over the next hour or so. I hauled in a heap of firewood and lit a campfire. It is much easier obtaining firewood at a campsite where there is no shelter present. Around the shelters, the wood sources have largely been picked clean. When it became dark, I prepared to hoist my food bag and Bluebird's food bag over a limb. The limb already held Whoa's and Moxie's food bags. Bluebird wondered out loud if the limb was strong enough for the additional bags. I suggested otherwise. Bluebird gave our bags an initial push and I pulled on the rope.A cracking sound ensued and the large limb crashed to the ground. Oh well. We located another limb.Today was a great day. I wish they could all be as pleasant.