Date: 2007-04-22
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: clear sky

I'm sitting in a bed of violets and other greens near a creek for the night. I've set up camp a bit away from the shelter and the others for a couple ofreasons. 1) I'm tired of sleeping on hard floors, even with my Thermarest; 2)Tobasco is in the shelter and this guy likes to set mousetraps and torture themice...I asked him not to, but he says it's his right; 3) I need some alone timeand some quiet.Last night this guy arrived at the shelter around 8:30 and was trying to bequiet, but he had to cook, eat, and settle his bed which took him till10:30...and I stayed awake listening to him and being bothered by his light. Iwas so irked. His name was Spence and he started his hike on the first ofApril...He's a flying down the trail. Well this morning on my hike up Roan Mtn,Spence was the first person to catch me (I'm leaving first usually around7:30am). So I stopped to talk with him. What a nice young man! He's 17 and ajunior in high school (home schooled), and he's layed out a plan to hike the ATand finish by August 11th. He's only got 3 zero days planned...his first isn'tuntil May 9th. I hope he burns his schedule and lets the trail talk to him. His folks must be so proud of him...he's just a delight...but I wish he'd get tothe shelters earlier so he's not up so late when others are trying tosleep...hiker midnight is 8pm!Today I had the hardest climb yet.It was a steep 3 mile climb up Roan Mountain. The various forests I wentthrough were just beautiful. There were rocky climbs and fir forests...varydifferent type of terrain. At the top were the partial foundation remains of anold hotel and its rhododendron gardens.Then we crossed several balds before hiking on to the shelter. The shelter hereis an old barn where folks can sleep on the hay loft.Tomorrow is going to be our longest day yet: 17.1... that means I have to get anearly start, keep walking with few breaks and little chatter...it's the talkingto other hikers that eats up my time...that and naps by the side of the trail! I think I forgot to mention yesterday's half hour nap. One day I was hiking upa climb behind Abal and I got so sleepy that I just stopped, took off my pack,and curled up for 15-20 minutes, I think. I had expected Abal to have just goneon - we have that understanding..if I need her to stop I'll give her a shout. When I woke up and finished the climb (feeling quite refreshed, I might add),there she was sitting on a log writing in her journal. She'd thought I'dstopped to make a phone call!I mentioned our shouts. Among the three of us, we each have our individualcalls to connect with each other. Willing yodels, and quite well, I might add. You should see him when he shifts it into high gear and moves off in the morningyodling into the woods...it's a sight to behold. Abal has a call that's all herown. And I use my mother's "Eww ooP" that she used to call us kids into thehouse! It's really helpful out here becais we can call out and find out if oneof the others is near when we can't see them.It's going on 9 pm and I should try to be hiking by 7 to get those 17 miles doneby 7 tomorrow night...so, goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.Step lightly