Date: 2002-04-21
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Unnamed campsite
Miles today: 18.1

Max Patch, 10:30am--I'm eating the last of my fruit snacks before my Hot Springs resupply. I'm just below the summit of Max Patch, the biggest bald I've seen yet. As beautiful as the views are from up here -- I can see the Smokies and forested mountains all around stretching to the horizon -- the walk getting here was in many ways better. Because of the warm weather the flowers are incredible -- greenery everywhere. I saw several groupings of trillium composed of white, yellow, and red varieties covering whole hillsides. Saw bloodroot, showy orchids and lupines today, too -- first time so far for lupines. And many, many others I can only hope to learn later. I flipped through Nick's thru-hikers handbook last night. It's a great book and I plan on getting a copy when I can. It said that in Hot Springs I will eat well -- Duckett House and Elmer's both serve "gourmet vegetarian" meals, and a cafe does, too. Also said Duckett House rates for hikers are $28 or camp for $7, so I will try that before trying Elmers. I'm also going to call the Nolichucky Hostel and see if they'll shuttle me back to Asheville instead of Bluff Mtn Outfitters. Greg said they called him this week trying to pin down info about picking me up from the airport; didn't have the date or right direction or, apparently, a clue.I was going to stay at Walnut Mountain Shelter tonight, but that gives me a long day into Hot Springs -- 13.1 miles, long for half a day! I might try to do ten miles or so from here today. That'll get me over Bluff Mountain and make it an easy 10 miles downhill into town. I'll have to camp where I can, and as I have 1 dinner, 1 tuna, 1 poptart and 1 luna bar left, sounds like a plan. I'll eat the tuna and poptart today for lunch and second snack.Ha! I'm not sure where I am, just that I'm between Big Springs and Garenflo Gap. Hell, this might be Garenflow Gap, I don't know. I pulled in around 4:30pm and saw the old roadbed and decided it'd be a fine spot to camp. The road makes a Y here, I'm on the leg behind where the trail comes down the hill. It's 5:30 now and I've eaten dinner and hung my bags. Not like I have much chance of seeing a bear. After all if I can go through the Smokies and not see one ...? And while I might see some people come through, I doubt anyone will see my camp.About the day: Roaring Fork Shelter was quite nice, and not just because two hikers left some trail magic, either -- coolers with oranges and chocolate-chip cookies, and bags for trash! And I finally got to see an example of the infamous "Mouse loves Wildflower" graffitti Foxfire told me about at Mountain Mommas*. I flew up the hill to Walnut Mountain Shelter, which was crap, and kept going. Nick and I bumped into each other after Walnut Mountain - -he's headed for Deer Park Mountain Shelter (not a very good one, according to Flatfoot) but I'm happy to camp as I am. I am really looking forward to this stop -- most folks are - -for the excitement of a real town, the springs, and food and resupply. Yesterday I noticed my appetite kicked into high gear. Stomach rumbles all the time.*I think she said this happened last year ... some guy ("Mouse") was infatuated with a woman, don't know if it was his girlfriend or unrequited ("Wildflower"), but anyway he plastered the trail with "Mouse loves Wildflower" graffitti. When he showed up in Damascus? Harper's Ferry? and said, "Hi, I'm Mouse and I'm thru-hiking the AT" they told him "Oh, yes, you are through hiking the AT," and busted him for vandalism!