Date: 2005-10-04
From: Rt. 19E, TN

To: Carver's Gap, TN
Miles today: 13.7

13.7 miles todayKincora HostelHampton, Tn.Carver's Gap, Tn on the trail I have been around so many people lately that by the time I get to bed, I'm too tired to journal. I started writing my journal last night, but fell asleep after a few paragraphs. I woke up at 3am and finished writing the journal and answering some emails. I got back to sleep at 5am and slept until 6. Bob was taking me to the trailhead and leaving here at 8am, so I packed what I needed for the short walk today. I was very excited because the weather was forcast to be clear. I have this "Curse of Hump Mountain" thing going. I've climbed Hump 4 times and it's the only mountain on the A.T. that I've not had a view from. In fact, I've had some of the worst weather I've ever been in up there. I had some coffee and a few donuts before Bob and I left. We took a load of trash to the dump and then stopped and got more coffee and more donuts before heading up to Carver's Gap. We sat there for about 15 minutes eating and talking before I decided to start walking at 9:15am. I climbed over Round Bald, down to Engine Gap, over Jane Bald and on to where the trail splits and goes left away from Grassy Ridge. I had emailed Grey Fox before I left this morning telling him what time to pick me up at Rt 19E. If I would have had more time, I would have walked up to Grassy Ridge again. It's beautiful up there, just ask my friend Grassy Ridge who got her trail name from Bob Peoples when he found out she missed the turn at the junction and walked up to Grassy Ridge thinking she was on the A.T. Hello Grassy Ridge, I was thinking of you today. Ha!!! :-))) I got to Stan Murray Shelter and signed the register and hiked on. The weather was cooperating so far. It was a beautiful day and I was going over Hump Mountain!! That sounds so strange for me to say...beautiful day and Hump Mountain in the same sentence. I climbed up to Elk Hollow Ridge, then down to Yellow Mountain Gap where Overmountain Shelter is located. I kept walking by the shelter. When I got up a ways on the next climb, I turned around and saw Overmountain Shelter. It's a red barn in a very nice valley. I took a couple pictures and then kept climbing. I got to the summit of Little Hump Mountain and I kept stopping to take pictures of Hump Mountain. I was having a great day and kept stopping to take even more pictures. I didn't have any pictures of Hump Mountain before now. I walked down to Bradley Gap and started climbing Hump!! I got more pictures on the way up. I was so excited about the day I was having, that I forgot about the longhorn cattle that live up there. I started looking all over for them, but didn't see any. I kept climbing and looking around. I knew all the rocks near the trail and I knew the wood fences, but I actually got to see where they were in relation to everything else. I got to the summit and broke "The Curse of Hump Mountain." I got on some big rocks just over the summit and sat down, took my shoes and socks off, ate lunch and was enjoying all the views. I stayed there for an hour watching a few birds flying around, then a couple of hawks flew by. It was completely quiet except for the light breeze that was blowing. It was worth the wait to see all of that. I finally decided I better get back to walking so I'm not late for Grey Fox. I was feeling soooooo lazy. The sun had drained all my energy and it took about 15 minutes to start feeling like I could walk again. I kept looking for the longhorn's, but today wasn't my day to see those buggers. I kept walking and passed Tug Boat and Big Orange heading south. We talked a while and they told me where they were heading, so I could give Bewildered the message. I hiked on knowing I wouldn't see Tug Boat again this year on the trail. Too bad because he's a good guy. I got to Doll Flats and in a short while, I was giving Bewildered the message. He seemed pleased to know he was finally going to catch up with his hiking partner again. I kept going and just before I got to Apple House Shelter, I ran into Straw. He had stayed at Kincora the first night I was there. He told me that Grey Fox's car was at the trailhead, but no one was there. I hiked on to the trailhead and saw the car with a note and a banana sitting on the hood. The note said he was taking Big Orange's car to Carvers Gap and planning on running back to his car. That would be a 14 mile run over the same trail I just walked in 5 hours. I was out of water, so I took my shoes off and layed on the hood of his car and fell asleep for an hour. I woke up and saw a girl that had walked by me going down the trail. I guess I was sleeping soundly not to have heard her go by. About 5pm, I heard a vehicle pull in behind me. I turned around just in time to watch Grey Fox getting out. He was very thirsty and pretty excited. As he was running by Doll Flats, some dogs started chasing him and nipping at his feet, so he turned and ran downhill to get away from them. He said he ended up running about 16 miles, but he survived the dogs. We stopped for drinks, Subway and then headed home to Kincora. We got back to Kincora and Slowpoke, Dually, Drip Catcher and another guy were there. The gave us some left over pizza and we sat and talked until Grey Fox had to leave. Grey Fox slacked me for 6 days and was tireless. Thanks Grey Fox, that was awesome trail magic!!!! :-))) As Chief would say; "I am now on vacation." I won't be walking anymore trail miles until the 13th. I'm heading up to The Gathering in Hanover, NH on thursday. Tomorrow, Chief is coming over and we're helping Bob split wood. I'm really looking forward to seeing friends at The Gathering, but it's going to be strange not walking for a week.