Date: 2009-05-21
From: UNCLE JOHNNYS

To: CHERRY GAP SHELTER
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: scattered clouds

BEAR ALERT! LEFT UNCLE JOHNNYS NOT IN A VERY GOOD MOOD. ACTUALLY LEFT IN A HURRY. DIDNT SLEEP AT ALL. GOT THERE BETWEEN 6 OR 7 PM. WENT INTO TOWN ON A PIECE OF CRAP BICYCLE. MOST THE TIRES ON THE BIKES WERE FLAT. WHEN I REALIZED THERE WAS SOMETHING OPEN 24 HOURS. I DECIDED TO RIDE INTO TOWN ABOUT 3 AM OR SO. STOPPED IN AT HOLIDAY INN TO INQUIRER. ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD SELL ME AN APPLE THAT WAS IN A BASKET ON THE COUNTER. SHE SAID NO. I'LL GIVE YOU ONE. THANKS. TOLD ME TO TAKE THE INDUSTRIAL PARK ROAD AND HEAD TO THE BIKE PATH. WHAT A CRAP BIKE. GOT TO THE 24 HOUR GAS STATION AND ASKED A POLICE OFFICER FILLING HIS TANK FULL OF GAS. I THINK HE WAS SHOCKED SEEING ME IN A BACALAVA AND MY HEADLAMP. INQUIRED ABOUT THE LOCATION OF A WAFFLE HOUSE. HE WAS TAKEN BACK AT MY APPEARENCE. HE SAID IT WAS RIGHT THERE. GUESS ITS A HUDDLE HOUSE AND NOT A WAFFLE HOUSE EVEN THO IT IS THE SAME THING. ATE A CHICKEN FRIED STEAK AND EGGS MEAL AND A WAFFLE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM. EVERY THING WENT DOWN HILL FROM THERE OR SHOULD I SAY DOWN. THE LADY AT THE HUDDLE HOUSE TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL OUT IN TOWN. SHE SAID THERE WERE SOME SHADDY CHARACTERS OUT THERE. LEFT THE HUDDLE HOUSE AND WENT NEXT DOOR TO PURCHASE BATTERIES. THE CLERK TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL OUT THERE AND I SAID YOUR THE SECOND PERSON TO TELL ME THAT. HE SAID JUST BE CAREFUL. ASKED A GUY IN A PICKUP TRUCK IF HE COULD GIVE ME A RIDE TO UNCLE JOHNNYS AND HE SAID NO IN A RUDE WAY AND SAID HE WAS IN A HURRY TO GO FISHING. DECIDED TO BIKE TO MAIN STREET. PROBLEM IS THE TRAIN WAS BLOCKING MY WAY WHILE SWITCHING CARS. AFTER A HALF HOUR OR SO I WAS ABOUT TO LAY DOWN NEXT TO THE TRACKS. FINALLY IM ACROSS THE TRACKS. SAW THE WALGREENS ACROSS THE TRACKS AND WANTED TO KNOW WHEN THEY OPEN. AS I BICYCLED ACROSS THE PARKING LOT THE CHAIN CAME OFF AND OVER THE HANDBARS I WENT. NOW IM MAD AS HELL. AFTER REALIZING I ABOUT KILLED MYSELF I PUT THE CHAIN BACK ON AND IT KEPT COMING OFF CONSTANTLY. WENT DOWN MAINSTREET AND TRIED TO GET BACK TO UNCLE JOHNNYS. TURNS OUT IT DOESNT GO THROUGH SO NOW IM KINDA LOST. BACKTRACKED ALL THE WAY TO THE HUDDLE HOUSE. THEN WENT LOOKING FOR THE BIKE PATH ONLY TO FIND MYSELF GOING THE WRONG WAY ON THE HIGHWAY. THATS WHEN I CAME ACROSS A POLICE OFFICER PULLING OVER TO DO SOME RADAR. HE WAS SHOCKED TO SEE ME BIKE ACROSS THE HIGHWAY TO HIM. TOLD HIM IM LOST WHERES THE BIKE PATH. HE SAID YOUR NOT SUPPOSE TO BE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. TOLD ME WHICH WAY TO GO. BACK TRACKING AGAIN I PEDALED THAT PIECE OF CRAP BACK THE WAY I CAME. I FOUND THE BIKEPATH AND DOWN THE BIKE PATH I GO ONCE AGAIN. GOT LOST AND WAVED AT A OLD GUY TO ROLL DOWN HIS WINDOW SO I COULD ASK HIM DIRECTIONS AND HE JUST WAVED AND KEPT GOING. NOW I HATE ERWIN TENNESSEE. THE ONLY REASON I RODE INTO ERWIN WAS TO EAT AND RESUPPLY SO I COULD BE OFF EARLY AND GET TWO SHELTERS AWAY. THE SHUTTLE DIDNT GO ON A RESUPPLY ROUT TILL 12:30 BREAKFAST AT 9:30. IVE ALREADY PLUNDERED THE HIKERS BOX AND GRABBED THE MINUTE RICE, TWO BAKING PANS, TWO OTHER PANS, SOME PROTEIN POWDER, SOME KIND OF CRACKERS OF SOME SORT, SOME COOKIES AND DRIED FRUIT. GOT ME A COLEMAN STOVE AND A CANISTER OF FUEL THAT WAS IN THERE AS WELL. THEY WORKED. DIDNT EVEN SLEEP A MINUTE. GOT INTO UNCLE JOHNNYS AND WANTED TO LEAVE THE MOMENT I GOT THERE. NO ONE WAS THERE TO CHECK OUT. THEY WERENT OPEN. BANGED ON THE DOOR AND SAID IF THEY DONT ANSWER IM LEAVING WITHOUT PAYING. GAVE SNAKER 7 BUCKS TO GIVE THEM FOR THE GATORADE, SOME LAUNDRY DETERGENT, AND 4 SNICKERS BARS. TOLD HIM IM NOT PAYING 15 BUCKS FOR THE BUNK BECAUSE I DIDNT SLEEP IN IT. HE SAID RELAX FLETCH, GIVE HIM A MINUTE, YOUR ON THE TRAIL, HAVE FUN. I DONT WANT TO WAIT, SO OFF I WENT. GUESS I HEARD THEY WERENT HAPPY ABOUT THAT. BUT I WAS UPSET AND GOT SOME MILES IN. FUNNY THING HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY. AFTER SEEING BROOKIES IN THE NICE STREAMS AT THE NOLICHUCKY RIVER VALLEY. I WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD CATCH ONE WITH A POP CAN TOP AND A MAKE SHIFT POLE BUT DECIDED NOT TO. GOT TO THE SHELTER AND WHILE SITTING THERE I PLUNDERED ONCE AGAIN. A DECK OF CARDS, A TENNIS BALL, SOME PAPER FOR STARTING FIRES. MET SHEPPARD WHO CAME FROM BEAUTY SPOT AND TOLD ME ABOUT THE RAGING PARTY UP TOP WHERE SOMEONE DELIVERED CASES OF BEERS AND 40 DOUBLE CHEESEBURGERS. I WAS A DAY TOO LATE FOR THE CHEESEBURGERS. FRIENDLY GUY. SNAKER SHOWED UP. CHATTED AND OFF HE WENT. AFTER ABOUT A HALF HOUR OF CHATTING WITH SHEPPARD I WAS OFF TO CATCH SNAKER. A RETIRED MATH TEACHER. GREAT GUY. FUNNY AS CAN BE. I STARTED TO RUN DOWN THE TRAIL TO CATCH HIM. SAW A NO ROCK, SLIGHTLY UPHILL STRETCH AND STARTED TO RUN ONLY TO FALL FLAT ON MY FACE. KODAK MOMENT ONCE AGAIN. AFTER A GOOD LAUGH I GOT UP AND OFF I WENT. STOPPED FOR A WATER BREAK AND REALIZED THE TENNIS BALL IS GONE. DANG IT. THE GROUP OF FOUR GUYS I PASSED BY ALONG THE WAY HAD FOUND OUT I WAS FLETCH AND SAID I WAS A CELEBERTY ON THE TRAIL AND I TOLD THEM I DONT KNOW WHY I GET ALL THE ACCOLADES AND OFF I WENT. WHAT HAVE I DONE. SINCE I DIDNT SLEEP I HIKED A WAYS AND DECIDED TO TAKE A BREAK TO DRY MY SHIRT AND FOUND SOME SUN. AFTER FALLING ASLEEP I WAS WOKEN UP BY SOMEONE CRUISING ON BY. ASKED HIM IF HE HAD THE TIME HE SAID NOPE AND I SAID I'LL GET IT OFF MY RADIO. DECIDED TO HEAD OFF AND GUESS WHAT. THE TENNIS BALL WAS SITTING BESIDE ME. THOSE FOUR GUYS MUST OF SAW THE TENNIS BALL IN MY PACK BY MY WATER BOTTLE. THERE THEY WERE AT THE TOP OF BEAUTY SPOT. STOPPED AND CHATTED AND SOME OTHER GUY SITTING THERE OFFERED ME A SMOKE. NO THANKS. ONE OF THE FOUR GUYS ASKED IF I GOT MY TENNIS BALL BACK AND I SAID THANKS. OFF I WENT. STOPPED AT THE BEAUTY SPOT GAP TO GET SOME WATER AT A WATERING HOLE. MET A GUY AND HIS KIDS FILTERING WATER AND HAD A PLEASANT CONVERSATION AND WHEN THE KIDS SAW ME DRINK RIGHT OUT OF IT THEY LOOKED SHOCKED. TOLD THEM I HAVENT FILTERED WATER AT ALL ALONG THE WAY. THEY WERE SURPRISED. DECIDED TO GET WATER INSTEAD OF RISKING IT NOT BEING RIGHT UP THE TRAIL. LOOKS LIKE WATER OVER UNAKA MOUNTAIN MAY BE SCARCE. LOADED UP THREE LITERS. WHAT A HIKE. WATER WAS SCARCE AND I CONSERVED. BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN AND TOUGH CLIMB. GUESS I DIDNT REALIZE I CLIMBED THE WHOLE THING WHEN I THOUGHT I HAD A THOUSAND FOOT CLIMB AHEAD. GOT TO LOW GAP AND HAD A MILE TO GO. A LOCAL GUY CAMPING FOR THE NIGHT THERE AND I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION. THE GUID BOOK SAID THAT BOTH THE SHELTER AND THE GAP WHERE THE SAME ELEVATION. HE TOLD ME I HAD TO HIKE UP A SMALL KNOB YET. OH BOY IM BEAT. OK ITS ONLY FIVE PM SO I CAN MAKE IT NO PROBLEM. ONE LAST STRETCH. GOT TO THE CHERRY GAP SHELTER WHERE SNAKER WAS. PLUNDER HOW FAR WAS SITTING THERE AFTER INJURING A MUSCLE IN HIS LEG. SURPRISED TO SEE HIM AS I MET HIM AT THE SPRING MOUNTAIN SHELTER. HE WAS FAST BUT NOW HOBBLED. THOSE FOUR GUYS SHOWED UP FOR DINNER AND WERE HILLARIOUS. GUESS THEY WERE OUT OF TP AND AND I THREW THEM A SMALL ROLL I HAD. THEY SAID IT WAS WORTH THE STICK OF BEEF JERKY THEY GAVE ME AND I LOVED IT BEING I DIDNT RESUPPLY IN ERWIN LIKE I NEEDED. THEY ATE AND THEN HIKED OFF. SNAKER TENTED AND PLUNDER HOW FAR AND I STAYED IN THE SHELTER. THE TWO KIDS THAT STAYED AT THE HOG BACK SHELTER WITH ME SHOWED UP LATE. THEY TENTED BY SNAKER AND THEN THEY CAME DOWN TO THE FIRE I STARTED AND ATE. THEY COULDNT BELIEVE I DID 27 MILES THE NIGHT BEFORE. GUESS THEIR MAIL DROP WAS LATE AND IT COST THEM A LOT TO RESUPPLY. THEY ALL HUNG THEIR FOOD. PLUNDER AND I DIDNT. NEXT THING I KNEW PLUNDER WAS WAKING ME UP AT MIDNIGHT TELLING ME A BEAR WAS NEXT TO THE SHELTER AND DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I JUMPED UP AND GRABBED MY MACHETE AND MY LIGHTS. PLUNDER GRABBED A SHOVEL THAT WAS LEFT NEXT TO THE SHELTER. THERE HE IS CIRCLING AROUND. A BIG ONE ABOUT 300 POUNDS EYES GLOWING IN THE NIGHT. I WENT OUT THERE AND HOLLERED AND BANGED MY MACHETE. HE LOOKED AT ME AND THEN I GRABBED MY PANS AND BANGED THEM TOGETHER. HE DECIDED IT WASNT WORTH IT AND AFTER LOOKING AROUND FOR HIM I ONLY SAW A RACCOON EATING THE FLOUR TORTILLAS SOMEONE THREW OUT LIKE FRISBEES OUT BACK. I DO REMEMBER THE TORTILLAS LOOKED GOOD AND I WAS TEMPTED TO EAT THEM WHEN I WAS OUT LOOKING FOR FIREWOOD. I GRABBED MY STUFF AND STUFFED IT IN THE SHELTER TO AVOID THE BEAR GETTING MY PACK. THE BEAR WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME TO GET TO IT. STAYED UP ABOUT A HALF HOUR TO MAKE SURE THE COAST WAS CLEAR. WENT BACK TO BED. PLUNDER HOW FAR COULDNT SLEEP FOR A COUPLE HOURS AFTER THAT. WE SURVIVED. I SHOULD OF GOT A PICTURE. OK, MAYBE NEXT TIME.