Date: 2013-04-30
From: US 19, Black Bear Resort

To: Hardcore Cascades
Miles today: 15.9

I slept so, so well in our quiet, quaint cabin. I finally got up and moving around 7 a.m., but I took my sweet time organizing my stuff. I had picked up my two mail drops the day before. Technically, I wasn't supposed to pick them up for another two days, but I figured I could pillage what I needed from them now and then supplement whatever else when I got "here" in tomorrow. Complicated.On our way down the mountain there was an old-timer in an old pick-up truck that ran off the road into the ditch. This wasn't any ditch. This was the ditch of no return. The road had been freshly topped, and there was no mercy when it came to the drop-off. The old-timer's frame was sitting on the edge of the road. His back right tire was stuck in the mud, and his back left tire was now bent at a weird angle. We tried to help him move out, but it wasn't happening. Dreamer tried to call one of his relatives to come pull him out, but they weren't answering the phone. She called a local mechanic's shop, and they knew who he was. Their question was, "Did he run off the mountain? Or is he just in the ditch?" Apparently, this happens fairly requently. Dreamer's clean, crisp Midwestern accent was complicating matters, so the driver got on the phone and spoke in "Appalachian English." It was full of vowels and "r" sounds, and we only picked up every 5th word. But they seemed to sort it out. We headed on.We stopped at the post office so I could mail home some extra clothes and used guidebook pages. We made one more pit-stop at a pharmacy so I could restock my first aid kit, and before I was ready, we were back at the trail. We hugged and promised to meet up again in a week or so, and then we said good-bye. I was sad to see them go. I set off about 10:20. The trail climbed, but it wasn't difficult. It was warm, but not hot. The sun was shining, and the sky was decorated with puffy white clouds. There was one dark grey cloud squatting around, but nothing too menacing. Almost immediately I realized that I had left the next two days' directions in the pocket of my pants. My mother-in-law had mailed me a my hiking skirt, and so I opted for a wardrobe change. I just forgot to bring along my directions! Snap! Luckily, the trail is only 18" wide and is well marked. And the next two days are loaded with water options. Whew. That could have been bad! But it was also a reminder that I should not focus so much on mileage. Appreciate what is in front of me right now and not feel the need to push to a place on a piece of paper. I stopped to pick some wild garlic. I'd throw it on my lunch wrap. I came to a sign that read "Jones Falls .1 miles, 100 ft". There was a small paper note underneath urging thru-hikers to check it out. I headed down the side trail, and I smelled human food. I rounded the corner and there were Little SAS, Orion, and Davy Crockett! I was genuinely thrilled to see them again. We chatted, and I took a picture of their directions, just in case. It's nice to know they are on the trail nearby.The trail was so merciful. It followed a large river for a bit. I was so tempted to stop and jump in. But I was clean, and I had on fresh clothes, so I kept going. I passed Mountaineer Falls, and the 400 mile mark! Woohoo! The last 100 miles have just seemed to fly by. I stopped for a Snickers break at Walnut Road. It had gotten hot, and the chocolate had melted all over the wrapper. I licked it clean and was in the process of licking my fingers when Orion passed by. I tried to play it cool, but I had chocolate on my face, so it didn't work. At little bit later, I came to a bench in the woods. I sat down. It looked over a clearing towards Little Hump and Big Hump. I can't believe I was there just yesterday. It seems like weeks ago. A few steps later, there was a sign on the tree that pointed south and read: Springer Mtn. 404 miles. That does seem like a lifetime ago.I decided to stop early to make dinner. I saw a campfire at the Laurel Forks River. I dropped my pack and met Artemis. He was wearing a cotton t-shirt that read: No Bark, All Bite. It had a picture of a Rottweiler on it. He had a Walmart tent because someone stole his good tent when he was at a Wendy's at a bus stop on his way to the trail. He said that the front door leaked, but if he tilted it just right, the water didn't pool on top of him. He had an electric cigarette, which worked as long as no one was smoking a real cigarette anywhere near him. He was mad at himself because he didn't grab a pair of "Happy Feet" shoe insoles from a hiker box he saw recently. He had just finished the first installment of the "Hunger Games", but didn't realize that it was a trilogy. He's really hoping to find the next two books in a used bookstore soon. Tonight he's reading "Angels & Demons." He was an interesting cat, and he cracked me up. I feel like I had dinner and a show.I moved on and left him in his camping spot. The sun was starting to get low, so I kept my eyes peeled for a good spot. But there seemed to be none. I hiked another 3 miles. The sun had set, and I needed to find a place. I came upon Hardcore Cascades. I liked the name. The cascades sounded welcoming. I found a flat-ish sort of spot directly under a rhododendron bush. I had to move some of the leaves out of the way to get my tent up. I went to wash up and saw an even flatter spot, but I didn't feel like moving my stuff. I crawled in my tent and got ready for bed. I heard the leaves rustling outside. I thought it was a bird. Suddenly a mouse jumped on the screen of the door. I knocked it off with my pen. It scampered away. I heard it drop on the roof. WTH?! I looked up. It crawled between the rain fly and the screen roof and was running the length of my screen ceiling. I kicked my legs up at it, but they were tucked in the sleeping bag and wouldn't reach. Was I going to have to fight mice all night? Please, God, no. I'd hear it scamper all one edge of my tent, and I'd kick towards that wall. This went on for a while, and finally I gave up. It would get in or it wouldn't. But I was too tired to stay up all night defending my tent from a mouse.