Date: 2013-04-24
From: Temple Hill Gap stealth campsite

To: Campsite beyond Beauty Spot
Miles today: 16.1

Good evening dear readers, Wow, 16+ miles after a detour in Erwin of several hours...go me! And OB and Headbones, still loving hiking with the guys. OB has invited me to join him slack packing for 2 days when his wife drives up from where they live in Georgia. Since I've never slack packed before, this is a great opportunity for me! We were up early with fresh memories of a crystal clear night and a moon so bright. A nice descent down to Erwin, with great views of the Nolichucky river, and so special to above a hawk soaring on the thermals! We were lucky enough to get the name of a new shuttle service in Erwin that will take you around for $2 per trip - Connex. After seeing old friends at the hostel right by the trail, we got a great ride to an AYCE pizza plus, which had a great salad bar. So awesome to have crunchy veggies that should be crunchy! As compared with undercooked pasta or something similar. A quick resupply at the IGA and Dollar General, and we were on our way back to the trail. I bought some Mucinex expectorant which I'm hoping will help with the allergy congestion issues. Otherwise it may be time next week to start the upper respiratory antibiotics I've been lugging in my first aid kit. It'll sure be nice to breathe fully again. Hiking out, for a while we were with Floater and Gi, the great father/daughter pair I last saw in the Smokies. If was nice to chat a bit with Gi and have a few girly moments - sometimes lacking out here! OB had the best idea heading out of town - for a while the trail is pretty flat and then follows a great cascading stream. We soaked our feet for 10 minutes or so, so awesome!! On a hot day, the numbing cool river was just perfect. I told OB I'd happily hike 10 extra minutes at the end of the day to make up for it Rain started soon after he shelter, and wouldn't you know that it stopped when I finally paused to put on my rain gear. Well it did start up again so I didn't roast from the inside out in my very I breathable rain jacket and pants. Actually, it kept on raining and raining .... But it wasn't a cold freezing rain like a few weeks ago so we were all pretty blas©. Across Beauty Spot I did have a few moments of "is this smart?? You're crossing a bald mountain, which means you are the highest point, in a cloud and it could turn into a thunderstorm....yikes". Happily for me it was just misty and mysterious, but no thunder or lightening. The campsite was just beyond the summit, which surprised me. I actually paused at the road crossing to put my rain jacket back on, and then saw OB and Headbones setting up camp! Another tent was there and who should it be? None other than Cookie and Wolfie, who I hadn't seen since Hot Springs! So nice to reunite with them. Got my tent set up and we were cooking dinner when the heavens opened up again and it started to rain again, not to cease until after midnight. Oh well, got to finish dinner in my tent, and the plan is for OB's wife to pick us up at the end of the day tomorrow, so regardless we'll get to dry out. One not so nice thing - when its raining constantly it does stink to be a woman. Guys got it so easy!