Date: 2019-05-02
From: Sams Gap

To: Spivey Gap
Miles today: 13.2

Ok...I wrote this out once and it got deleted so trying again...After I landed in Asheville I managed to find an Uber willing to drive me 46 miles to the middle of nowhere. I ran to a gas station to buy two new water bottles first and then summoned a ride. Gentleman picked me up at the terminal and off we went into the night.He dropped me at a very dark Sams Gap about 50 feet from the Tennessee border. My initial plan had been to night hike but I quickly remembered Im afraid of the dark and also I was fairly exhausted. So I backtracked out of the woods and made camp in a ditch about ten feet off the interstate.Sleep proved impossible due to the constant truck traffic on the highway. I laid in the tent until about 615 am before breaking camp and heading out.The first 6.5 miles went well as I climbed up to Big Bald Mtn. But after I passed over the summit my body betrayed me. I slowed down to a shuffle. My knees didn't want to cooperate and my feet hurt and I was just tired from not sleeping.I began to reevaluate my plans to hike 18 miles to the next shelter. Thankfully I'd been able to get ahold of Prometheus who was only a few miles behind. His plan was to hike to Spivey Gap and shuttle to Erwin. He would then slack pack the final 11 miles the next day. This plan started to look attractive to me and I decided to go with them. However, when I got to Spivey Gap it was only 130 and the shuttle wasnt due until 4pm. And furthermore the sky had darkened and there was dramatic thunder and lightning. I decided to try to hitch to town rather then wait.I'd been standing at the gap for about 15 minutes and hadn't seen a single car go by, but decided to give it a shot anyway. I found a spot visible to drivers coming around the curve and stuck my thumb out when I finally heard someone coming.A beat up pickup truck stopped in the middle of road and the driver pointed as if to confirm which direction I was heading. I told him I wanted to go to Erwin and he waved for me to get in. I tossed my pack and poles into the bed of the truck and climbed in the cab.The driver was a older-looking guy with several missing teeth and a heavy southern accent. He immediately started talking and didn't stop the whole trip. It was hard to tell what he was saying at first as he talked very fast. On the seat beside him was a 3 month old pitbull puppy who immediately climbed into my lap and made himself comfortable.My driver's name was "Click" and he was a moonshiner on his way to town with his latest batch which he offered for me to taste. I declined politely. He spent the better part of the trip telling me about his ten month stint in Federal prison and all of the prison rules and unwritten laws. Every so often he would punctuate his story with a pointed look at me...and every time he did he would nearly swerve off the road. I just kept petting the puppy and trying to be engaged and not think about how narrow the road was and how deep the ditch on either side was.We finally got to town and he dropped me at a gas station and as I climbed out of the truck he gave me a fist bump and said "Remember, Jesus loves you." And then he sped off.I hiked the final mile to Uncle Johnny's Hostel and checked in for the night, opting to tent once again. Then I waited for Prometheus and Little Debbie to shuttle in and we all went downtown on the shuttle to get dinner. We met up with Hot Sauce for the ride back and got to spend the evening with the core of my Tramily.Now I'm laying in my tent listening to the river and looking forward to an easier day tomorrow which is also the start of Erwin's annual hiker festival which kicks off tomorrow with a chili cook-off.It's good to be back.