Date: 2016-03-15
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

The four of us in the shelter last night discussed today's destination. A frequent comment was that the AT is somewhat like work in that you have to get up every morning and go get the job done. Then the smiles came across each of our faces as someone said "Great work if you can get it!"Big climbs today - the first totaled 1600 feet and the last one at the end of the day was 1200 feet. Other climbs were mixed in within the day's almost 19 miles.The people we met on the trail made the day though. Sandy was hiking and provided pop tarts and good wishes. She said we made her day; hope she knows she made ours with her enthusiasm about thru-hiking. Then came Yonder, a 2007 thru-hiker, who hiked from Sams Gap with trail magic apple fritters; I got the last one. It's always great to meet thru-hikers and ask them what were there favorite aspects of the AT. Yonder loved Maine and New Hampshire. He said he tells hikers to never quit and instead jump North and hike there before ending a thru-hike. Yonder was pretty convincing that hiking the northern-most states will end all thoughts of not thru-hiking and instead will create the desire for a "flip-flop" which is a continuous hike, just not consistently in the same direction. Then there was the pail of trail magic left right after Sams Gap - I got an orange and a package of Starbursts there. Lastly was Diamond Doug, who thru-hiked in 2000 and now maintains the trail between Big Bald Mountain and Big Bald Mountain Shelter. What a treat to have Diamond Doug point out mountains in every direction; identifying those we've hiked, those we will encounter ahead on the AT, and those that we won't hike now since they aren't on the AT. The pride he takes as being a trail maintainer was evident and his section was spotless. He's been promoted at work and leaves this area in about 4 weeks. We could tell the strain he felt as this was one of his final times being on his section. Special people, each one. Each one unique but connected to this great path that brings so many different people together.And we hiked too. We hiked our butts off today. It was exhausting. Could we have done it without the trail magic? None of us wanted to think about it. The initial climb to Lick Rock was hard. It was nicely graded, but it was a long climb and left us needing to make sure we were replenishing ourselves with food and water. We carry both but the trail magic provided the element of surprise in terms of food and intangible enthusiasm and good spirits. On the way to Lick Rock, the cascading water was incredible - the sight and sounds gave us plenty to take-in as we climbed. The blue blaze was a short distance and the views provided from High Rock felt like another form of trail magic - you're hiking and aware that mountain ridges are beyond the trees that line both sides of the AT and then you arrive at a ledge with an unobstructed view that just stops you in your tracks. The climb up Big Bald Mountain was borderline torture. Don't think we're really ready for such tough climbs at the end of the day but the payoff was worth it. Big Bald Mountain provides views that rival Max Patch. We would've tented there tonight except that our water was inadequate. Except for the shelter water sources, afternoon water sources were barely running or were dry. This Bald Mountain Shelter sleeps 10. It is one of the nicer shelters with a great water source.Lucky to be here with Blues Brother, Sooner Or Later, Going Postal, and a new hiker - Mostly. Mostly thru-hiked in 2007 and intends to do a yo-yo this year. A yo-yo hiker typically begins at Springer Mountain in Georgia, completes the hike in Maine, and then turns around and hikes back to Georgia - I know, incredible.