Date: 2009-03-24
From: Birch Springs Tent Site

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: broken clouds

Happy birthday Rocket! I think she was thoroughly pleased. She says it's been her best birthday in a few years, go Packadivas! Grommet made a happy birthday banner on an ace bandage and hung it outside Rocket's tent before she got up this morning (we have to be creative with the limited things we own). She laughed as soon as she saw it, and loved it. We gave her some of her favorite candy bars at lunch, then surprised her with the mini-pecan pie and a bottle of wine after dinner. Rocket was so psyched, and couldn't believe someone would lug a 2 lb bottle of wine up a beastly mountain. (Thanks Grom, I get to carry the empty bottle out until Thursday, my end of the deal.) We are happy to have made her birthday a memorable one!Nothing really noteworthy on the trail today, and no special views. We stopped at Mollies Ridge Shelter to fill up on water and Russel Field Shelter for a snack, creepy as hell. The chain link fencing was still on the latter shelter, most others have been torn down from misuse and abuse, and renovations. There are different regulations in the Smokies, and according to them we are supposed to only camp in shelters unless they fill up. Thru hikers get the boot if section hikers come along. The shelters are mouse-infested. Andy said he "made out" with a mouse that was on his face and tapping his lips. Gross! No, thank you! I refuse to sleep in a shelter, so I tented along with Egg and Rocket. The rules are lame, but I am happier in my tent not having mice crawl all over me. I did, however, have one dive-bomb my tent during the night! Little SOB!Speaking of last night, I heard lots of big foot steps at 4 am. As they got closer, I called out and Rocket was up hearing the same noises, my mind was stewing up all the possibilities, Rocket too. We agreed it was a bear, Grommet was in a panic, my heart raced and I thought I may crap my sleeping bag. Maybe crap stench would scare him away? Eh, probably not. So, I did what you are supposed to do, blew my whistle, clapped my hands, and yelled at the wild beast to buzz off, he did for a litte while, but came near us again. Eventually the noises subsided and he went away. Tented 50 feet below us 3 were Loon and Egg on another platform. In the morning over beakfast we all discussed last night's scary events. Egg bravely jumped out of her tent to assess the situation, turns out, it was 2 deer hanging out and nuzzling their faces together. Damn, thought I started a collection of crazy animal encounters! Oops. Glad it was 2 sweet and harmless deer, though. We actually saw them when we hiked out this morning.I needed the companionship of music today, badly. It was just one of those days where I was so lost in thought and didn't even look up through some of the easy mindless miles as they blew past. I think my brain has been overworked; now it expects a paycheck. I realized something today, grudges take entirely too much energy and are a waste of time. I worked it out over some old school Coldplay. Music is a fix-all, much like duct tape out here. The next thing to work out are my angry calf muscles, they yell at me on every uphill climb, but my guess is, they will yell all the way to Maine as the poundings contiue. So that's my story for today. It was a jam-packed day of birthday fun, laughs, and growth. I am so lucky to be right where I am, and nothing makes me happier. I miss my family, dog, and friends, but not in a home-sick way. I think of you all very often and hope everyone is well.Goodnight from my tent on a ridiculously windy ridge.