Date: 2008-02-12
From: Near Stan Murray Shelter, TN

To: Rt 19E, Mountain Harbour B&B and Hostel, TN
Miles today: 10.4

I woke up at 5:30 this morning and stuck my stove out the tent door and brewed my Starbucks, then had a package of Poptarts.Poptarts were all CeeCee had that I could use for breakfast...oh well, the Starbucks was great! :-)It was about two hours after I fell asleep last night when then winds really picked up through here.I'm really glad I didn't sleep on Grassy Ridge last night.The winds were probably blowing 20 to 30mph and gusts were in the 40 to 45mph range.I was real glad that this area has short trees. :-)My tent vestibule had leaves stacked up to the peak of the tent from the wind.It was a mild feeling 27 degrees out.I got my cell phone out and connected to the animated radar and see there is snow, freezing rain and rain to the north of me, but it doesn't look like it will hit here. It's just going to be a real windy walk over Hump Mtn. :-)I was packed and walking at 7:30am.I couldn't even fold my tent up because of the wind. I just crumpled it up and stuffed it in my stuff sack.I walked behind the shelter when I walked past Stan Murray Shelter. I'm not sure if Lumpy was still there or not, but I didn't want the stray dog that's been walking with him to start following me.I saw two deer about 15 minutes into my walk. I've only seen one other deer on this walk so far.That's one thing about a winter walk...you don't see a lot of wildlife. I've seen quite a few turkeys and hogs, but only a few deer and no bear yet.I walked past the sidetrail to Overmountain Shelter without stopping.I was making my next climb and stopped to look back at the shelter, but my goodness....the wind was whipping through about 50mph. It was blowing me off the Trail.I kept walking and got behind some big rocks just before the summit of Little Hump to take a short break out of most of the wind.I walked over Little Hump, and then started down to Bradley Gap.It felt really good to walk into the sanctuary of some trees in the gap to block some of the wind.Someone had hung a sleeping bag on a tree branch and left it down in the gap.I walked out of the trees and saw one of my favorite mountains on all of the AT....Hump Mtn.The wind hit me again as soon as I walked away from the trees.I started climbing Hump Mtn and the winds were hitting me on my right side and blowing me several feet off the Trail.I've been walking in stronger winds only one other time and close to this strong of winds only one other time....and guess where that was? Yep, right here on Hump Mtn! I love this mountain! :-)Bob Peoples and Mr Weathercarrot told me that when I walked over Hump Mtn in '02 that the winds were 90mph sustained and gusting over 100mph.That time was awesome! I've seen things like that on PBS before, but it's way better to be in it yourself!You never forget those days. :-)Today had to be about 70mph sustained.The temperature was cool at about 32 degrees, but I was working so hard to walk and keep from being blown away, that I didn't feel very cold.I had put on my windproof pullover hat, neck gaiter and windproof gloves before I started the climb.I don't think there would be anyway to add more clothes in those kinds of winds.My legs were the only bare skin and they were fine....working really hard, but fine. :-)It was only a mile to the summit of Hump Mtn, but that mile seemed to go on for a long time....then another mile of so to the shelter of the trees on the way down.I really want to take some pictures, but there was no way to do it.My legs felt like jelly when I summitted, but I still had another mile to go. They weren't as bad on the way down, but it was still lots of work.I would take a step with my right foot and when I'd put it down, it would be blown across the front of my left foot. It was almost comical! :-)I finally made it to the shelter of the trees.I was tired, but I felt good and had really enjoyed that walk!I took a drink of water and started walking. That was when I noticed I did have a....little problem. :-)This is one of those times that the squeamish need to cover their eyes! I don't usually talk about stuff like this, but it was something I overlooked before I went out into those cold, high winds.I don't wear underwear, so I should have thought to stuff a sock or a spare glove down the front of my pants. 8-)I'm not sure if it was the cold or the heavy flapping of my shorts, but the little fella felt beat up.I checked it out because it hurt! I never felt a thing when I was fighting the wind, but boy o' boy, I felt it now!I checked and the little guy was bright red.I kept walking and it got better in about 45 minutes....THANK GOODNESS! Ha! :-)I told that "little" story just so anyone getting into those kinds of cold and high winds can take extra precautions because it REALLY hurts if you don't! :-)I walked on and had lots of large rocks for the first 1 1/2 miles, but at least I was on the back side of the mountain and away from the heavy winds.The walking got easier until I got to Doll Flats. That's another area that seems to funnel the wind.I was walking in the trees, but the winds were very strong through there and whipping the tops of the trees around.When it would gust in the 35 to 40mph range, I would stop walking and look up for falling limbs, branches and trees.I kept walking and got out of those winds in another mile.The walking got real easy and before I knew it, I was at Apple House Shelter.I stopped just long enough to sign the register and use up some smiley face stickers, then walked the half mile to Rt 19E.I had called Mary yesterday at Mountain Harbour B&B and Hostel to let her know I'd be walking in this afternoon.I walked the 1/3 mile to the hostel and went up to talk to Mary and let her know I was here.She looked lots better this time. She had a really bad cold last time I was here a couple years ago.I went to the hostel and got a shower, then nodded off on the couch for a while.Walking in weather like I did today really tires you out. :-)Mary's brother stopped by later and took me to the grocery. I bought spaghetti for tonight and eggs, biscuits, bacon and sausage for breakfast. :-)I'm going to zero here tomorrow and enjoy some R&R.I'm sitting here with a full belly from half a pound of pasta and half a jar of spaghetti sauce. :-)An exceptional day on the Appalachian Trail! :-)