Date: 2004-04-05
From: Beech Gap

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

So much to say today and so little time. Though the public libraries have been good to me, however I'm apparently not allowed to camp here and eventually have to leave. I'll do what I can before I go.This day had some incredible highlights I've got to get out. The sun is back out and the air has warmed up and it feels like spring is around the corner. Everyone seems to be feeling it as well, there is just something in the air that brings about lots of smiles. I got started alone this morning, but Sheila (ba-na-na-na, to be sung to the tune of Beethoven's 5th) soon caught me and we ended up falling in line and chatting the late morning away as we walked. We stopped a Betty Creek for lunch where we ran into a full family of 5 thru-hiking the trail (goto www.garland5.com). Pretty awesome. Shelia has a knack for getting songs stuck in my head and today as we docked for lunch I had the song "I alone" by Live in my head. She whipped out her Ipod mini and passed it to my so I could satisfy the endless soundloop in my head. I then had a huge Ipod "moment", like an Ipod "epipheny" or something. I just popped the earbuds in, queued up my song, cranked the volume to near earsplitting levels and instantly the permagrin spread across my face and I felt electric. It was soooo good to hear music, especially with the sun on my face on such a lovely day. I went for a short walk softly singing along, maybe did a little wiggly dance when I was sure no one was looking and then took advantage of my Ipod opportunity by downshifting into a grade school favorite "Sweet Child O' Mine". I finished up with another Live song "Iris" as a small salute to Eric Losey who truned me on to the Throwing Copper album in the first place. The whole Ipod in the woods experience was as thrilling as a live concert and I think it now ranks as my number one all around lunch experience. The instant potatoes were mediocre but the soundsystem was off the hook.We then caught up with the two Chefs and the B.I. and hit Albert Mountain in the afternoon. Albert Mountain is my favorite climb to date (two favorites in one day????) because the last 1/2 mile to the summit is at an amazingly steep grade. So much fun. It really didn't even qualify as hiking anymore involving many other skills such as scrambling, clinging, and dragging oneself up near vertical "staircases" and boulders. About halfway up I lost my Nalgene bottle and watched as it began a long, lazy, and bouncy descent down the mountain. I could already picture myself having to descent all the way in order to retrieve it, but by some stroke of luck it got tangled in a bush about 100 yards below me and I was able to drop my pack and fetch it, grateful it didn't roll down to the very base of the hill. Those bottles are tough little suckers that could probably survive a nuclear blast of some sort and should replace the black boxes on airplanes. In fact, when I hang my food in the trees at night, I tie one end of the rope to my Nalgene bottle and toss that sucker at least 30 feet in the air (repeatedly, I never get it on the first try) to hook a branch. Everytime it comes crashing back down to the ground without a scratch.As we each made it to the top of the mountain there was much hooting, hollering, and back slapping. It was much needed because I felt entitled to at least a high-five after that climb. There is a small fire tower on top of the mountain you can climb and check out the awesome views of Tennessee and North Carolina. I took some photos, inhaled a PowerBar, and then we set of to complete the last 5 miles of the day to Rock gap Shelter / campground. The last 5 were flat and we flew through them, but the bottoms of my feet get really tender by the end of the day and this being my first 15 miler, I really felt it. Apparently, your feet get bigger as you walk the trail due to swelling and the gradual (and temporary) collapsing of the arches. I wasn't planning on coming home with some size 13 ladies feet, but maybe I'll have to reevaluate my plans.We finished off the night by the warm campfire shooting off our favorite "Top 5" lists. Top five films, books, cartoon, etc.Our end of the night ritual always seems to involve getting into our individual tents and then heckling each other by shouting back and forth from out tents. It sends me to bed giggling.