Date: 2013-05-19
From: Campsite USFS 230

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Sunday May 19thIt began to rain at 6 am so I sat for a while in the tent waiting for a lull in the rain. I was packed up and out on the trail by 7:48 am. Today was a day with many different weather patterns. I started with heavy fog and mist, then sunshine, then torrential thunderstorms for the last 3 hours of hiking.I met several interesting people along the way. The first I met in the morning was a SOBO section hiker by the name of Coach. He claims to be "the coach" as others have the same name. He is a wrestling coach from central PA, near Williamsport. I have seen his posts on Whiteblaze forums. He regaled me with a song which I believe he wrote. Essentially the theme of the song was there is something greater than us. I will post photos when I get a chance. Around 11 am I came upon Bushy Bear sitting on a log. I stopped and had my morning coffee and chatted a little before he moved on. I caught up to Bushy Bear at the next shelter, Cherry Gap Shelter. I dried out my tent and continued my conversation with Bushy Bear. He had been a neurosurgeon and retired at age 46. He is 70 years old and has seen a lot of the world. He told me he'd met an australian fellow by the name of Baker or Mason who came into a shelter recently and started to berate Bushy Bear without even knowing him. The aussie told him essentially he Bushy was a old son of a bitch who should be home in a rocking chair in a plaid blanket. This fellow rushed on to the privy and on with his hike. Bushy says screaming Steven showed him an article which stated this aussie got off the trail in Unicoi maybe not feeling well went to a clinic and died the next day. Apparently he was an experienced hiker having done the AT and PCT and lots of AUS and NZ. I thought maybe he'd already been dehydrated and was having some psychosis. I can't imagine anyone berating anyone on the trail they dont even know. Regardless I chatted with Bushy for about 2 hours. I went on with my hike.When I got to Iron Mountain Gap I saw a van letting 3 hikers out, Statue, Daddy Long Legs and Spitfire. They had just come back from Trail Days in Damascus. I asked how it went and they said it was a bit of a downer as during the parade a car plowed into the parade injuring 20 hikers, some were air lifted. Apparently hikers lifted the SUV off of one hiker. There were no fatalities. The driver of the van which he calls "Casper" was none other than Rob Bird the former hostel host of the Bird Cage in Massachusetts. Rob has moved down to Unicoi as he retired. He had hosted over 4,000 hikers for free in his home over the years. He spotted and removed a tick from the back of my neck. He had pink lemonade and sodas that refreshedp me. I sttayed in Rob's van about 30 mins waiting for a thunderstorm to pass. At about 330 I walked towards the next shelter. The rains, lightening, thunder continued the next 3 hours. The trail was muddy and slick, so readers might guess what would happen next. I was walking down a slippery slope and my right foot when whoop in the air. My right pole was planted and I slide down on one foot the left one, making a 180 degree turn, now going backwards down the hill. The ground was coming up fast so I reach up with my left hand and avoided a a backward face plant degree of difficulty 3.0. I was not down on contact and the instant replay review by NFL officials clearly show that my knees and my but did not touch the ground and I had uprighted myself and continued on to my goal. After further review the play stands as called on the field. About 15 minutes later a hill with sheer mud dropped me on my butt. I arrived a Clyde Smith shelter to find standing room only at about 6:30. I waited until the rain stopped and set up my tent. In camp were Dream Crusher, Moss and his dog Stella, Spitfire, Statue, Daddy Long legs, Cimba, and several other unknowns. I ate mashed potatoes with beef jerky. Alls well that ends well...still smilin'