Date: 2006-03-11
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

Before I started this trip I made it clear to everyone that I knew every trail day wouldn't be bliss, that some of them would be miserable. The first half of today was miserable. It was warm and overcast when I woke up. The rain started as I was about to leave camp. I don't mind the rain. I actually like hiking in the rain and fog. I don't like rain that starts and stops randomly. I don't like stopping to put on a sweaty raincoat and stoping again to take it off. Besides that, I was just off my game. I was hiking alone which I like, but I was stumbling and bumbling. I tripped over every rock and couldn't get firm footings. I slipped in the muddy patches and fell twice. The new shoes were slipping on my feet. They also have bad traction. I've been wearing them with only liner socks so they'll fit. They're ok when tied tightly, but no extra padding. I was cursing and grumbling as I walked. I wondered how many days would suck like this one. Things picked up after mile 4 or so. I stopped to tie my shoes tighter and have some food. I started out again with an improved attitude. My steps were more even and footing more firm.As I entered Nantahala National Forest I read a notice from the rangers. There have been reports of a bear stealing packs and unafraid of humans and to use extreme caution. I'm looking forward to seeing bear, but not stumbling across one in fog with 10 feet of visibility. Every big rock and tree stump became a bear to me. I whacked my hiking poles together every time I went around a blind curve. My pack was unbalanced and kept sliping off my right shoulder. I avoided stopping to straighten it out. If I did, I knew the bear would rumble down the slope and onto the trail. Then I kicked myself for acting like Bill Bryson. We universally dislike Bill Bryson on the trail.Bear aside, I was getting into the mood and pace of my hike. I passed Train, the first person I'd seen in a couple of hours. I passed 4 weekend hikers and stopped to talk. When people see you on the trail they always ask about your thru-hike. It's not hard to spot a thru-hiker even this early in the trip. We're pretty dirty dogs who move with speed and purpose. We're also pretty engrossed in trail life. I didn't even know what day it was. I reacted with loud surprise when they told me it's Saturday. I even asked if they were trying to fool me.A while after that I heard two hikers behind me and could just make out their forms through the fog. They were telling dirty jokes and having a great time. I was about to ask for a few to take back to camp when I saw that it was Ajax and Roadrunner. Somehow I was ahead of them. We stopped at Beech Gap for lunch. At noon we were already 9 miles into our day's hike. Moving at a good pace, about 2 mph. Jokes continued. No slouch I got laughs with a few of mine. Soon the rest of the group started turning up. Even though I'd started out behind with all my pains and complaints, I'd passed them at Standing Indian Shelter when they stopped for a snack. I took the lead and we burned up the last 3 miles to Carter Gap.There are 2 shelters here, a dilapidated one built in 1959 and a nice one built in 1998. After finding 3 people already in the new one, we decided the 6 of us would all fit in the old one with the duct taped roof and loose floor boards. We're sleeping inside tonight because tent space is limited and noone feels like carrying heavy wet tents tomorrow.Hikers filled the newer place, around 10 of them. The trail's getting full. Bush Whacker turned up and so did Helium. I went over to chat and get any trail news.When we first arrived at camp we were pretty beat having done 12.5 miles in 6 hours including a lunch break. General exhausted lethrgy sets in. Shaking off aches and pains and slowly setting up camp and doing chores. Roadrunner doing his usual thing which was running around gathering wood and prepping the night's fire. Even with everything soaked he can start one.Milk Dud talked about his philosophy of hiking with pain. We all do it and get through it. We know we will be doing it for more than 2000 more miles, but you accept it. It becomes a day to day fact and normal. I always complain about the amount of trash we pick up on the trail. Someone had left a whole load of garbage under a rock in our fire ring. Milk Dud said that for us thru-hikers, he considers the trail to be our home, and that he hates that people are so disrespectful in our home. Universal agreement.Tiring day. Everyone to bed early.