Date: 2007-04-27
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: scattered clouds

4/27 5.6 miles, 3.5 hours, $53.07Last night two guys got to the shelter at 9:45pm. They kept us awake while they cooked, talked, and set up their bags. I didn¢t speak to them till morning. Bag Lady woke us up at 6:30am. She shuffled her bags around for over an hour; apparently the only thing she accomplished was to put on her sneakers and gnaw a few bites off of a hard biscuit-ball she must¢ve made at home (if she has a home). I have given up trying to go back to sleep when the 7am¢ers wake me up. It¢s probably best that I get an early start anyways, since I¢m so slow. I was on the trail at 7:45 today (that¢s a record!). I know I was the first one because there were a bunch of spider webs across the trail. I felt so sorry for Wolfman and his wet dogs - they did the same slippery downhill when it was raining and treacherous yesterday afternoon; I had told them it was ¢only¢ six miles to NOC and ¢all¢ downhill. It was an awful down - slower than going up, with plenty of brief but evil ups. There were rocks and tree roots to twist the sore feet and I had to sit on my butt in some places in order to climb down without jumping. The trail was still moist and the rocks were slippery from all the humidity. I slipped on a slanted rock on The Jumpoff just after I took a picture. Luckily my butt was only a few inches from the previous rock I had climbed down from, so I just kinda sat down hard (didn¢t hurt anything). That¢s two falls in 130 miles. The miles took FOREVER because they were so difficult. I was whooped by the time I got to the outdoor center, and a little emotional, too, which happens whenever I rejoin civilization.As I was climbing up the stairs to my bunkhouse, none other than my buddy Potion waves and says ¢hi¢. Even some of the guys who passed me or met me once remembered me. On the other hand, there are sooo many 20-something guys, I can¢t possibly remember all of them. Anyways, Potion has a sinus infection and is going to be here another couple days. He introduced me to two other 50-something guys who might be slowpokes like me - Curly (who wears a tie-dye shirt) and Zorro. I bumped into them later at (where else) the restaurant. At 3pm I had a ribeye, salad, stir-fry veggies and wedges with Collision (compliments of C.); at 7pm I had a fantastic ¢Sherpa Chili¢ with rice, lentils, rye, and white beans. I couldn¢t eat it all - I thought I might barf - so it will be breakfast, too.I am bunking with Plum and Tweezers. When I got to the room, there were two bunkbeds. Plum was on one bottom bunk, and there was a pack and stuff on the other bottom bunk. I started putting my stuff on one of the top bunks as I emptied my pack getting my shower and laundry stuff. When I came back from my shower, my stuff had been moved and someone else¢s stuff was up there. Tweezers came in and said she likes the top bunk. No 'sorry, I moved your stuff' or anything, and she acted like she was half mad at me. Excuuuse me for putting my things on an empty bunk! I never could¢ve done that with somebody else¢s stuff, so I just don¢t understand rude people. Why didn¢t she just take the other top bunk??? After awhile, I began to realize that it was an I.Q. thing, not a manners thing. Until today, all the hikers I¢ve met have been well-traveled and of above average intelligence.I guess the only TV around here is in one of the bars. It would¢ve been nice to have the weather channel. I¢ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way and watch the clouds for the next few days.The room and towel was $17, meals, sodas and tips about $30, laundry $2.50, fuel $1.40, and postcards total about $53.Thankful for: a change of diet and un-stinky clothes.