Date: 2007-04-02
From: Tellico Gap, NC

To: Rufus Morgan Shelter, NC
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Yesterday's rest did wonders for body repair after the long day before. Wedidn't know which shuttle time to be ready for, so we were ready by 9:00 a.m.I went to the office to ask Dave (the wonderful gentleman who oversees theBudget Inn) about getting back to Tellico Gap. He told us that Ron told himthat the "arranged" shuttle actually went back up there yesterday and that wasthe only arranged one, so we would have to wait till Ron got back to find outhow we were going to get out there. We didn't know yesterday's shuttle was the "official" one, but hey, you gotta beflexible. (I will admit flexibility isn't my strong suite sometimes, so I amhappy to embrace an opportunity to practice it and prove to myself that it isfutile to get uptight about yet another petty thing). Ron came to our room and told us a person @ the other motel was getting a rideto the NOC, and we could hop onto that shuttle, but the guy would be setting aprice for us to pay, and it would probably be around 11:30 or so before he washere.Nicole made a really good point, in that this "later than we prefered" start maybe happening so our knees could get a bit more rest. We have also had manyshuttles where the driver would not accept payment, so although not an anticipated expense, it is not an unreasonable one by anystretch of the imagination.Today I am feeling a little antsy. Towns do this to me for some reason. Whereas it is really nice to have plumbing, showers, and shelter from theelements, I also feel the affects of "the real world" creeping back into myhead. On the trail, it is simple. There are no logistics of rides or store hours orgroup decisions to be made. You get up, pack up, eat, get water, hike, find andmake camp, eat, sleep, and repeat the next day. I am actually a bit shocked athow much more at peace I already feel in the woods versus in towns. I know I will feel better once I just get out there and start hiking again. Ialso wonder how much of my emotional state today has to do with physiologicalconditions, such as the lack of endorphins and a good work out for a day. I'mno doctor, but I do believe your physical, emotional, and psychological selvesare totally connected. I've wanted for simplicity for years, and the trailgives that to me. Towns complicate for me.Nicole and I sat there and sat there, and come to find out, the guy that wassupposed to shuttle us back did a no show. So, about 12:30, Ron shows up withWes, whom we had met @ the Hiker Hostel and who needed to get to the NOC, and wehad our ride back to Tellico Gap.Ron Haven is full of historical information as well as gossip and hilariousstories about himself ( like how he used to take counterfeit $ into Canada andMexico when he was a kid, and use it to buy hamburgers so he could get thechange back).We got to our destination, and Nicole and I paid $15.00 each (which honestlyprobably wouldn't even cover the gas in the van), and we sat here for a moment. Seems we are both having issues with car sickness lately. We both thought wewere going to puke! LOLWe got to hiking @ 1:30 p.m, WAY later than we wanted. We wanted to try a 10.4mile day and get a few miles past the NOC, but as you can tell it just didn'twork out that way.As I suspected, I started feeling better as soon as I got to hiking. A gloriousday @ 75 degrees, sun, and puffy white clouds in the sky.We had 1 major climb, up to Wesser Bald. Our packs felt like they weighed 1,000lbs. Typical when leaving town all stocked up.So I passed Nicole, who was rearranging her pack so it would feel better, andnext thing I knw, I hear this weird bark and some low growling. I don't seeanything though.I cautiously move up the trail, and all of a sudden I see what appears to be adog or wolf laying right on the trail. Of course, the first thing I do is starttaking pictures. A few seconds later, Nicole shows up and I told her I thinkthere are 2 wolves on the trail.See, I used to help care for wolves at an exotic wildlife sanctuary, and I knowwhat they look like, but this animal had both dog and wolf qualities. I decidedto climb up the hill to get a better view. Come to find out, there were 3 ofthem!About this time, anoher hiker shows up, and I tell him there ae wolves on thetrail. He takes one look and goes, "Oh, those are a dog\wolf mix that have beenfollowing hikers around. One of them has a collar."Sure enough, the small one had a red collar (which I couldn't see beause it waslaying down.So we finally hike past them they were a bit skittish, but I have o idea whothey belong to. We continue headig around the switchback, and next thig I know, all 3 of themare following me! Like I am their pack leader or something. We figured if we got to the NOC, which is a big tourist area, maybe someonewould know who they belonged to.We finally get to the top of Wesser Bald (with dogs following) around 2:30 p.m.,and there is another fire tower! Man was the view spectacular. We could seeFontana Dam, our next resupply point 4 days away. There were puffy white cloudsin a clear blue sky, and it was mountains and valleys as far as you could see.We took pics, and I shot a movie clip, 360 degrees around. I also calledRachael and asked her to post a thread on Whiteblaze about the 3 lost dogs. We decided to move on, but the dogs did not follow us now. I really hope theyfind their way soon. I don't deal well with the thought of an animal beinglost.Well, now it was a short dip and then the infamous down into the NOC (nantahalaOutdoor Center). It has a reputation of being brutal, and it is a 5 miledescent that goes from 4300 ft to about 1500 ft. I'll admit, there were some crazy places where I had to butt scoot down thesehuge rocks, but overall, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Wetook it really slow as not to injure our already sore knees. We also took a few shoes\socks off breaks. If there was one word for todaythough, it was clutsy. Both Nicole and I were doing stupid things like, I triedreally hard to let he cap from her water bag roll off the mountainside. Shethen picked up the water bag and managed to lose her grp, sending half it downmy leg. We knew we'd best be careful today.We knew at 5:00 p.m. there was no way we'd be able to go 10.4 miles, so themission became making it to Rufus Morgan Shelter.We FINALLY got there @ 7:30 p.m. It has a fantastic area for tenting and ofcourse, I have a great hang tonight. We are here with Shane, Shalome, andRockmanWe did chores, and then I got all the comic relief I could ever want. Nicolejust could not get the bear bag rope over this one branch. Every throw made melaugh harder and harder. I tried too and came really close, but no cigar. She finally moved to another tree and after working up a sweat and briging me totears from laughing, she got it!I, at the time, was eating dinner. Seems I didn't rinse out my cooking pot wellenough from washing it in the motel. I had Beef and Hand Soap Flavored Ramenfor dinner, mmmmmm.So here I hang, using my bag as a quilt. It is 62 degrees inside my hammock @10:00 p.m. I'm spent,so it is off to sleep for me.Oh, on a sad note, my frind, Bert, who I met at the Budget, will probably beending his hike. He has an injury that will not allow his quad (on his rightleg) support the body, so he has been falling a lot because it jst gives out.I really hated to see this happen to him. He was a huge pleasure to talk to. Iwish you the best Bert!Well, my eyes are closing, so I best end this. Gotta climb out of the NOCtomorrow, which is very steep. I have a great hang tonight, and all is well. ~Certain