Date: 2005-03-22
To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke this morning to a howling wind, the scare of a day that promised rain, and the war reassurance that we were having pancakes for breakfast, all you can eat, courtesy of Wildcat--Bert Emmerson.We stayed at the Shelter until almost 10 am eating, talking, and having a great time.We set-out on a beautiful portion of the trail--the ridge between Spence Field and Thunderhead Mountain was exhilerating to the senses.   The wind reminded us of our topheaviness, but our trail legs and hiking poles served us weel for stability. At Rocky Top there was a strong Eastward wind with precipitation on the way. There's someething great about being so exposed to the elements!As we made our way throught the thickets of rhododendron, laurel, and azalea, the trail wound its way to the sheltered side of the mountain, where we carefully trod in up to 8 inches of snowpack and ice.The beeches with their pale golden leaves still hanging on to last year, served as a reminder that Spring is a climate, not just a date on the calendar. the beeches won't shed until they sprout anew, and we're still a few weeks away from that at this elevation: 5600 ft. After stopping for lunch at the Derrick Knob Shelter, we ate and decided to go to Silers and reevaluate. If the weather was fari, we would push on to Double Spring Gap, but if it was poor, we'd just stay at the shelter.No more than 10 minutes out after lunch, we were hit with an unrelenting windy downpour. Even in raingear, the drops bles sideways, stinging the hands and rendering our expensive raingear useless. (Marmot, we hope you're reading this) WE found ourselves walking about 3.5 miles an hour (thats way fast for us) and praying that the next bend in the trail would reveal our arrival at Silers Bald Shelter. As we approached the Shelter, we were greeted by Shawn, another thru-hiker who informed us that the shelter was full and that we'd have to tent. But who could fill a 12 person shelter?!?!? Spring Breakers from the University of Arkansas! DAMN RAZORBACKS!So, Shivering and cursing Hannah and I decided that this moment was one that we could earn our reputation. We set the tent in record time, ate, and got in bed ASAP. We both agreed that had it been a shelter full of thru-hikers, people would have made room for us, but I guess that's just a part of being in the Smokies during Spring Break.Today we were tested more than we have been so far; physically , with the cold and wet, as well as spiritually, with trying to be Christian with the damn Razorbacks. It's a blistery cold night with winds of 30+ mph.\, so its time to hunker down.OHHHHH!!!! yeah. I almost forgot to write about something, a phenomena that must be recognized. I call it "privy waiting." One thing that you never get used to or learn to prefer is digging a hole and pooping in it. It's not a very pleasurable experience. So, you learn to save it as many as 3 days until a privy or town with a toilet. Today, I was privy waiting and I thought I was going to soil my pants. Two words: turtle head. But, I held it more, hoping for a privy at Silers Bald Shelter....NO PRIVY~!!!!!!!!So I decided I could sleep and privy wait for the next shelter tomorrow. Right about that time, nature called and was not going to be refused! So I had to crawl out of my warm bag, put on wet clothes, get out of the tent, crawl over my stuff, out the vestibule door, and down the trail at 5600 feet with it raining and windy. I did a holdover (when you poop just enough to get you to the next privy) in record time, and got back in my bag. If I hadn't done it, my journal wouldn't have been this thoughtful.I'm just a Tennessee Walker.Josh Hill"Hold on for one more day."-Wilson Phillips