Date: 2004-04-13
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap (I'm so ashamed)
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

Somewhere around midnight the sky opened up and the water poured on the shelter and the world around us. Thank God for plastic gulley rooves but the noise was deafening. Each time you thought the rain couldn't come down faster, the decible would increase a notch. Then it began to thunder and lightening (in that order).I lay awake listening to it figuring it would die down soon, but fell asleep. When I woke again an hour later, it was still pouring with the same intensity. Outside the chained fence door, the grounds became a lake.I had a fitful sleep but dreamt that it was morning and the sun had come out, the world was drying and I could build a fire to cook muffins bought from Concord Tea Cakes. But six am, the rain was still coming down. We all groaned and then there were giggles because we all had a strong need to relieve our bladders. But how?Catdog went first by borrowing my umbrella. Then Palmtree, also borrowing my umbrella, then Saltlick, and then finally me. We did the same shift routine with breakfast after Palmtree valiantly retrieved our food bags from the bear hangs, using my umbrella again. So carrying that extra six ounces did come to use after all.Then we all curled up in our bags and just laid there waiting for the pouring to stop. It was not the rain that we feared. It was the trails, now a deep gulley of water and mud. We had hoped to do 15 miles that day but the plans seemed unreal as each hour passed.Finaly around ten, the plunking on the roof subsided. There were patches of blues peaking through the white clouds in the sky. I immediately started to pack. I did not want another zero day, especially in a shelter.So I set out around 10:45. The others followed. The speed at which I left the shelter was mostly to warm my toes in my soggy boots (the waterproofing was gone).Maybe I'm supposed to slow down and enjoy the south. Saltlick and I arrived at Indian Gap, a parking lot, where we met a woman named Mary Porter. She drove up there from Knoxvile, TN and asked us a simple question, "Would you all like some fruit?"I couldn't believe it. She had oranges, apples, red grapes, and bananas!! (potassium--yes,yes) Fruit is one of those things you crave but can't bring on the trail because it squishes or is too heavy. The closest I get to fruit is my dehydrated apples. A true Trail Angel with Trail Magic in her truck. I knew that when I finished the trail, I was going to help shuttle thru-hikers and provide them with food.We figured Palmtree may want a ride from her to Gatlinburg since he had to pick up resupply. We waited for him to say goodbye but he hadn't shown up. I forged ahead to Newfound Gap, a hitching spot to Gatlinburg. But more importantly, a second chance at restrooms.Newfound Gap was crowded with tourists. There was still a hint of rain and it was gusty but that did not deter the numbers. We met up with some young section hikers who were leaving the mountains after all their gear got soaked. They gave Catdog some extra food.Then Mary Trail Angel showed up again. She said Palmtree wanted a ride from Newfound Gap instead of Indian Gap so she drove there to wait. We overheard her having a quick conversation with a ranger about snow arriving that afternoon.Snow doesn't bother me but the fact that the temps will drop does. My boots were still soaked. Saltlick had no change of clothes and Catdog was worried about him (she is his surrogate Mom and I'm his surrogate older sister). So we all changed our minds about hiking to the next shelter, hopped into Mary's truck along with Palmtree, and headed to Gatlinburg where we got two rooms at the Grand Prix hotel, ate dinner at an Italian Restaurant, and dried out all our gear.Katahdin will still be there and I will get there someday.