Date: 2011-05-18
From: Carvers Gap

To: Hwy 19E
Miles today: 14.9

We decided to slack pack the next stretch. Waking was sluggish but there was purpose as we were going hiking for sure. Plans were for me to carry all the weight except for everyone carried their own water and cameras. Mouse Hunter got a free ride and carried nothing. Slacker!Back at Carvers Gap it was again fogged in!!! Not as thick as Monday but it was nonetheless. We headed up Round Bald and then up Jane Bald. You couldn't see ANYTHING because of the fog but a white mailbox between the two Balds left information about the goats that were supposed to be grazing these balds. We never did see any goats but it was fun to look for signs of them.At the top of Jane Bald, I took a picture of my Godiva chocolates for my cousin Lance. LOL It was a nice downhill walk to the Stan Murray Shelter. This shelter was small and older and right ON the trail. I'm glad we didn't actually stay here. We had a quick snack and moved on to Overmountain Shelter and lunch. Overmoutain Shelter is a refurbished barn made into a shelter. There is a wonderful loft and an interior area along with a cool outside sleeping area that has a beautiful vista of the valley below. We checked out the whole shelter and settled in for lunch. A group of four kids (mid 20's) arrived also for lunch. They had all done a thru-hike in 2010 and were just at Trail Days in Damascus. They were just out for a day hike as a mini-reunion. Nice group.Then it was off to Little Hump Mountain. This turned out to be a bald with the fog hiding the entire mountain preventing us the hikers from being able to see exactly how high this bald was or any possible views. That was a good thing because it did turn out to be a bit of a hike. Shortly after heading down, Mouse Hunter and I again ran into Backwards Joe and his grand-daughter and their male friend. They too were slack packing in the opposite and SoBo direction.Then it was off to Hump Mountain, again another bald. In between the two mountains was Bradley Gap. The entire Gap was also a bald and we found a lone hiker sitting there, his tent and gear all spread-out on the grass with the wind whipping by and the dense fog dancing around him. He asked if I had any water he could have, that we wasn't going to be able to catch his friends at Doll Flats for the night. I was not comfortable but filled his water bottle and quickly moved on. We never did find his friends at Doll Flat or Apple House Shelter. I have a feeling he was giving me a bunch of lies, but I never saw him again.The climb down to Hwy 19 was long and beautiful. A dense canopy, wonderful rock formations, water falls. My knees started whining, I'd loaned my knee brace to Brianna. We arrived at my rental car that Uncle Al and Aunt Janet had parked for us at Hwy 19E. I later learned that this parking area was NOT safe to leave a vehicle at so we'd gotten lucky. We ate left over Pizza Hut pizza and then headed for Kincora Hiking Hostel via car. The plan was to drop our food there as resupply for the 4-5 days after the Hostel. On our way back to Erwin, TN, Fat Grandma noted that it probably wasn't wise to keep hiking, that we should probably just go home. :-(Brianna and I agreed but noted he should take the night and sleep on his decision. Hiking with his back and leg issues probably wasn't our best plan. Sure wished he'd noted this BEFORE we drove all the way to Kincora and left all our expensive supplies there though. Brianna and Al/Janet were all leaving for Wisconsin in the morning. The plan was for Fat Grandma and I to leave from Hwy 19E and hike to Damascus (~5 days). We all returned in a very sad state to the hotel that night.