Date: 2018-12-03
From: Sassafras Gap, NC

To: Wayah Shelter, NC
Miles today: 23.4

I slept well and was up and on the trail at 4:29 a.m. The smiling waning crescent moon was shining just above Venus. Today will be my last long day. It was a long mostly graded descent from Sassafras Gap Shelter at 4,330' down to Nantahala River at 1,723'. I reached the river and crossed the bridge at the Nantahala Outdoor Center at 8:15. I was hoping to have breakfast at the River's End Restaurant but it did not open until 11. Across the highway was Wesser General Store. No hot breakfast there but they did have hot coffee. I also purchased donuts and a moon pie. After finishing my breakfast I bought a Coke, two Snickers and two Twizzlers for the trail. I left around 9 a.m. The day was beautiful and mild. Now I had a climb up to Wesser Bald at 4,627'. The trail was excellent. It would climb then level off repeatedly. The views were outstanding. I could look back at the fields on Cheoah Bald where I was yesterday. At the top of Wesser Bald was an observation tower with excellent views all around including the Smoky's. A drop in elevation then a climb up Copper Ridge Bald at 5,080'. The mountain of course had no leaves on the trees. This was no different than when I headed north in the Spring during previous thru hikes. Though in the Spring the ground was full of flowers. "The birds were in the air, there were flowers everywhere. Think of me and I'll be there. We had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun and the mountains that we climbed were just seasons out of time." (Try to get that song out of your mind today). At Cold Springs Shelter about 4 p.m. I saw Old Scout, a white haired and bearded man. I met him in New England somewhere when he was hiking north from Harper's Ferry. After reaching Katahdin he flipped to Harper's Ferry and headed south. He didn't remember me. I told him this is my fourth and final thru hike. He said "For me: one and I'm done. For you: four and no more." I said I like that. My plan was to push to Wayah Shelter. That would be a 23.4 mile day. Then tomorrow I would only have 11 miles to the highway that goes to Franklin. Today would be my last long day. After the 11 tomorrow I only have to do 13.65 mile days to finish on the 12th. The trail continued to be excellent. It was well graded up these mountains. Maybe someday this trail technology could be exported to the northern states and applied to the trails there. The sky was pink above the mountains after sunset. What a beautiful sight. I stopped at one view to take a picture. After I started on the trail again I saw Toot coming up the trail. With him were two young guys I haven't met before. They were S.O.S. and Mantis. We all pushed the last few miles to the shelter. Toot and S.O.S. disappeared into the dusk ahead of me while Mantis stopped to take in the remaining sunset. It was a beautiful evening and I enjoyed pushing the miles on my last long day as well as being with other hikers doing the same. I used my night vision right up until I reached Wayah Shelter at about 6:30. (Wayah means wolf in Cherokee). The other guys were getting water. I got my tent set up, then I got water. The stars were beautiful. There was a cold wind blowing. I returned to my tent a bit cold. After getting in I made Applewood bacon instant mashed potatoes. The potato packages were for emergencies but I used one just to have something warm. A good day, a very good day.