Date: 2005-05-25
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Another great day on the trail, but a tough one. I hate rocks!I hiked most of morning with Ron, Karen and Andy - really nice folks, as I said, and fun to be around. We finally parted company just before Jerry's Cabin shelter, but not before we went through an area calld Blackstack Cliffs. At the start of this section, you have a choice of routes - the "exposed ridge" route, challenging, but with panoramic views, or the "bad weather" route (the former AT pathway). Being a purest, of course, and the weather being moderately good - cloudy but not yet raining, I followed my companions up toward the cliffs. The first summit was neat, and we all took photos of the vistas. The second and third were less enthrawling, and by the fifth one, we were ready for them to end. The footing was really tricky in parts, and very slow going due to the need to clamber over large, uneven rock formations, often using hands as well as feet to maintain balance and to heave ourselves and our packs up and over the "trail". It seemed to take forever, and I was really glad I had planned a relatively short day.I finally arrived at Jerry's Mountain Cabin Shelter where I had lunch. This shelter once had a reputation of being one of the worst on the AT. Thirty years ago, a volunteer by the name of Sam Waddell took it over and soon turned it into one of the best. Sam died recently, and there was a newspaper story about him taped to the wall in the shelter. Unfortunately, without Sam there to tend it, the shelter was once again beginning to deteriorate - withtrash acumulating and boards coming loose. He also maintained the trail near the shelter, and the trail north of the shelter for the next several miles also was in need of serious attention, especially the long-standing blowdowns.My afternoon was more difficult than my morning in terms of the hiking. The problem came with a section called "Big Rocks" - another one of those "hands and feet to pull yourself up and over" pathways. Just before this section started, I passed a small headstone along the side of the trail. A certain Mr. Bassett, of Connecticut, who had hiked the trail in 1966, and died in 1987, had his ashes scattered at this location in 1988. "Nice gesture" I thought. "Good for you, Mr. Bassett."As I hiked through the rocks, I decided to take a couple of photos to show the folks back home that all of the trail was not a pine-needle-strewn, wide and level pathway through the woods. After twenty minutes or so, I emerged onto a smoother path, and was much relieved. My relief was short-lived however, as I soon realized I was looking at blue blazes on the trees, not the standard AT white. Dang, another wrong turn somewhere. I turned around and hurried back up the trail looking for the prized white blazes that would tell me I was once again on safe ground. I finally saw one and was not too surprised that I soon found myself once again amongst the rocks. I was not surprised, as the level blue blazed trail was too good to be true.... After climbing through the rocks for awhile, I came to a clearing where I was confronted by ANOTHER gravestone. A certain Mr. Bassett, of Connecticut ..... NOOOOOOOOOO!!! It seems I'd taken another wrong turn when I returned to the AT from the blue blazed trail. I now faced the prospct of climbing through this particular section of rocks for a THIRD TIME. (Okay, I admit it... I said another bad word. Or two....) Did I mention that rocks are really hard on my knees?I finally made it to the Flint Mountain Shelter, more tired after only twelve miles today than I had been after 20 milesthe day before. When I arrived, I was happy to meet up once again with Glory Bound, who I met that first day of my restarted hike when I had stopped at Mollie's Ridge shelter for lunch. His dad had left the trail in Hot Springs to return to work, as planned, and I'd heard that he was having kind of a hard time of it. He said as much, and noted that he was planning to meet his girlfriend at Sam's Gap, and might just go on home with her. I talked to him for a bit, and gave him what encouragement I could, but the trail is a tough master, and you really have to enjoy being out here to put up with all the hardships it has to offer.Which reminds me. Jackalope (the through-hiker I mentioned May 18),   who had gone on from the shelter where I decided to crash, made it to the next shelter just fine. He then did 22 miles the following day and apparently suffered an injury to his achilles tendon. I met him again at Standing Bear Farm and he had decided to leave the trail and go home to Missouri. I asked if he would be coming back when it healed, and he said no. He'd made it further than most people do and felt he certainly had nothing to be ashamed of- a sentiment with which I agree. I wished him luck. Also at Flint Mountain shelter were three section hikers and Old School. I still haven't found much in the way of close hiker buddies, but generally folks are pretty nice.It has been a hard day, especially for my knees, but a good one. Today's hike dedicated to Sam Waddel, shelter and trail maintainer, who took pride in what he did and took pleasure in making a contribution to the AT hiking community. Thanks, Sam. We miss you, and could use a whole bunch more like you out here. Rest in peace.Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com