Date: 2012-03-29
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

So DO IT and I tented away from each other last night. I got to camp before him and did my usual routine, where I basically dump my pack upside down and throw junk everywhere. Then DO IT comes along and starts complaining about the location. Here's the thing about this guy, he talks it up with hikers all day long, but the instant the sun starts to set he expects complete silence! I was so dang tired I didn't care who was around me, so I was tenting near a group of three twenty-somethings, and when DO IT arrived they were partying. This activity did not help my case. Anyway, I had to hobble back and forth from his tent to mine for food and such. And the other hikers all looked so concerned! They were actually coming and saying, "Uhhhh, Angela, this isn't where your Dad is sleeping". Yes, thank you. I am a big girl. It is so weird out here! I haven't lived anywhere near my Dad in over 6 years and suddenly, I'm 30 feet away from him and it's cause for concern. So we've been (accidentally) traveling with this group that self identfies as The Wold Pack. If you were hiking the AT SOBO, this is what you would find. First, a loveable mutt named Jada, with her food strapped to her back, sprinting down the trail. Then you'd come across the main part of the pack. They would probably howl when they saw you, which would interrupt the group sing along that they do so well. One of them would be wearing American Flag shorts and some would be topless. They would all reek of beer and cigaretts. A few minutes later, a graying, middle aged business owner, AKA DO IT! would come running down the trail, throwing his hiking poles in the air screaming SHOUT... SHOUT... Heyyyayyy Heyyyayyy! A little bit softer now... Followed by another group of howlers, with 2 golden retrievers that like to walk between your legs, especially on narrow ledges. They'd be with their owner, a retired marine who has a blister so large that it has it's own trail name. You'd find me somewhere in the rear, hobbling along, shaking my head at this entire scene. So that's how the days have been falling and we all go to the same place at night where one guy, Atlas I think, plays the guitar and ad libs songs about our days out here. So we had about 6 miles today before Albert Mountain, a notoriously challenging spot where you need to ditch the treking poles and pull yourself up with your hands. It was rumored that after Albert, there would be a fire tower, marking 100 AT miles. A thru hiker told me that there was a way to blue blaze around Albert to save your knees, but there was no way I was taking the easy way out! I knew I was fast approaching it when I heard the howling of the wolf pack reaching it, followed by the heavy breathing of DO IT summiting old Albert. I had a blast climbing it! It was a solid 30 minutes where I wasn't hyperfocused on the pain in my feet. And it really helped to hear the celebratory cries as each member of our little trail pack summited the mountain and crossed that 100th mile. I got to the fire tower and didn't even know what to do. DO IT was at the bottom eating cheese to celebrate. I tossed off my pack and climbed the rickety stairs. (It was a LOT more stable than Apple Pie Hill guys). The hatch to the top was bolted shut, but of coure some crafty hikers had propped half of it open and I slid through the crack on my stomach. I walked up to the railing and looked out over the rolling hills and that was it. One hundred miles of freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom! What a feeling! Back down I went to partake in the cheese celebration. There were 6 miles left to the shelter that night and oh my god, each step rocked my world. Pain just throbbed through my entire body with every step. I paused about once an hour and just let the pain wash over me completely and forced myself to carry on. I did have a good break from it all when I came across a Rubbermaid container hanging in a tree above the trail with a note that said, Welcome to NC and congrats on your first 100 miles. There was a long letter from Gingersnap, a 2011 Thru Hiker who brings magic out and leaves it for us. She stocks the container with homemade cake, chocolate, red velvet and pound cake. Oh my heavens!! I almost passed it by because I didn't even have the energy to get it out of the bear bag, but some of the wolves were a few minutes behind me so they helped. The last part of Gingersnap's note said something to the effect of, "... because going out into the woods with everything that you own on your back is the ultimate definition of freedom". Gingersnap- you rock. You changed my entire outlook on the day and eased my pain for a few wonderful minutes as I sat down right where I was and ate an entire piece of cake, licking the crumbs out of the bag. I got to the shelter and discovered it was already full and camping was about 500 yards DOWN HILL. That's not what my knees wanted. But, with my belly full of red velvet cake all things were possible and stumbled on down. DO IT and I set up camp near the spring and I took off my shoes. When I peeled my right shoe off I realized my thick wool, sock was covered in blood and I still had a sock liner to peel off. Something had exploded in my shoe and it wasn't even the big, blood blister. DO IT got to work digging out part of the stream and creating a dam to hold water so I could soak my feet in it. It was really a beautiful thing. We probably altered the entire eco system in that area by creating it, but hey it felt gooood. The people camping below us had to come up to where we were to filter their water since we slowed their flow down to a mere trickle. I tented right next to it and wondered all night how high the water level was getting. More on trail magic, one of the wolves hitched into town for burgers and beer. We didn't get anything since we are trying to be healthy, but they did bring us each over a Milwaulkee's Best. Mmmm.