Date: 2004-05-09
From: Iron Mtn. Gap

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: few clouds

I hardly know where to begin as today was a hard, beautiful, long, rewarding day.After spending yet another night at the Super 8 in Erwin we left the motel at 9 looking for a hitch back to Iron Mtn. Gap. With Saffron and Firecracker by our sides we got a hitch after a short 5 minutes and were doing 60 mph back toward the Trail.We started walking North at around 10 which left us 7 hours to traverse the 14 miles to Carver's Gap where Wayah and Digger would be waiting with our bags. The early going was relatively easy with some beautiful views of the Tennessee and North Carolina valleys. Easy going, however, was not to be the hallmark of the afternoon as we were starting up Roan Mtn, the last 6,000 ft. hurrah Tennessee had to offer.Roan turned out to be a bear of a climb, and embarrasingly we didn't even have our packs on. We were travelling with Ninja whom we'd met up with earlier and the climb with the pack in the 85 degree heat was slowing him and everyone else around.We summited Rover at 4:30 and with only half hour to get down (to meet Wayah and Digger). Firecracker and I were happy that Saffron and Blue had gone ahead. With the other 2 ahead Firecracker and I could linger on top of Rover and enjoy the bag of cookies and oranges left by some Trail Angels.We made it down to the parking lot a little behind schedule but Blue and Saffron were still waiting for Digger and Wayah. They did finally show up after driving around back roads for an hour and although slightly flustered, they were in great spirits after Wayah's appointment with the dermatologist in Johnson City.It turns out that after years of suffering from "psoriosis" the doctor took one look at his feet and proclaimed that he in fact was suffering from accute contact dermatitis and that the scabs on his feet were a reaction to something in the leather or rubber of his boots. He will hopefully know for certain by Monday and then should be back on the Trail shortly.While chatting with Wayah and Digger, happily munching on the Cheetos and Sunny D they had brought, the thunderheads moved in and the lightning began. The skies were fierce and we still had 5 miles to get to Over Mountain. Ninja and Saffron decided to get a lift back up to Roan Mtn. and stay in the shelter, but Blue, Firecracker and I were solid in our resolve to push on.Let me just say that in retrospect hiking up to an exposed bald as a storm brews is not a particularly intelligent thing, but we told Java we would meet her and the idea of backtracking up Roan was unacceptable. We reached the top of the first bald as the storm moved over us and, now quite concerned, we made the decision to veer off the Trail and head for the first cut of trees and wait it out. We set up Firecracker's tarp and huddled beneath the booming thunderstorms and flashing lightening. I must admit I was a little concerned but Blue and Firecracker were excellent calming influences and in the end waiting it out was the right move.The storm pushed on after a while and we were bathed in the most brilliant sunshine and 3 rainbows. I can definitely say it went from the most tense time on the Trail to the most beautiful in the span of 40 minutes.We left the balds and hiked an hour in the dark (first night hike), and made it to Over Mountain at 11 PM.We were exhausted but we were alive and well and are now going to sleep in the huge barn that is Over Mountain.Sorry for the scattered entry but it will make a great told story one day.More laterMuch love to all"T"