Date: 2004-04-03
From: Wallace Gap, NC

To: Bartram Trail Campsite
Miles today: 11.3

We managed to pull a lot of miles despite the late start at 12:00. I shared a room at the Haven Hotel with a witty former school teacher named Joanne who calls herself a "sample thru-hiker". She is hiking the sections that interest her only. Very friendly, she told me that she hiked the John Muir trail with her family when the kids were young. Her seven year old got a kick out of peeing off the cliffs, she recalled with a laugh.Joanne had been holding up in the hotel for four days checking out the sleepy town of Franklin, NC. "There isn't much more I can do in this town. I found a fabric store yesterday!" She was desparate to get out once the sun came out that morning. I had left the room to check on my friends and breakfast. When I returned to the room, she was gone and on her way.Pirate joined Vagrant, Saltlick and me for breakfast at a local diner. He's a legendary thru-hiker and a pleasure to meet. I believe this is his twelth time hiking the AT."You should write a book," I suggested."No way," he said. "My friend wrote a book and has no time to hike anymore.""Is that Wingfoot?" I asked."Wingfoot didn't write that book. He just bought the rights to it." he remarked. Interesting. I still think it is the best source.I was having some difficulty with the southern culture. The waitress asked if I wanted gravy or hashbrowns. I wanted to know what the gravy was for so I ordered it. Pretty tasty but still don't understand the concept.Despite the sun shining, Pirate considered staying another day because there was a Three Stooges Marathon on TV. You can't help liking Pirate's fine manners and artful suggestions regarding the Trail.We had to load our three packs into a "piece of shit" compact car, hold it closed with bungee cord before heading to Wallace Gap. It filled with fumes in the backseat where I sat. The driver was one of the housekeepers. When he pulled up to Wallace Gap, the car kept slipping forward down the hill as we pulled our packs out.We hiked the three miles to Winding Stair Gap where we met Walksalot and Eric, now called Hotrocks, who were waiting to take a zero day. Hotrocks used fire heated rocks to warm his sleeping bag.Speeking of names...it is official--I'm Lonesome Dove. I gave up on the other suggestions. It took awhile to accept it until Saltlick told me he was partial to it."Okay," I said with resignation. "I'll keep it.""Good. Now I won't have to change it in my journal."The temps were good for hiking. I walked with Vagrant and Saltlick to Siler Bald for lunch and the most beautiful panoramic view to date. As far as we could see were the rippling green hills of the Appalachias--puts the Rockies to shame. You can't say the East Coast doesn't have it.As long as the three of us were together, we hiked to a remote campsite four miles further. Up up up at a steady pace to another bald, although this one had trees still. The snow reappeared.The campgrounds are wet and spooky. Dark clouds rolled in and were blown away again to reveal the near full moon. Vagrant made a vallient effort to start a fire with no luck. The temperature dropped to the 30's. If you looked into the trees, you would see things.After dinner we crawled into our tents for bed. Daylights Savings starts tonight. I already changed my watch but what difference does it make?