Date: 2006-04-17
From: Below Wayah Bald

To: NOC
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

So....yeah. Who couldn't see this coming? It seems like any time I say "We'll never go that far" or whatever, I end up doing it anyway. Not that this is bad, mind you. This whole journey is about setting this huge impossible goal and then overcoming it.Today started out as a "take it easy" day, given our tenderness from our 14-mile adventure yesterday. But, as things seem to do, that idea quickly went to the wayside. It started out with us (me, "Turtle", and "Librarian") studying the profile map and noting that the last five miles of the trail on the approach to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) were (mostly) downhill. Even a dead, tired hiker can stumble downhill for five miles, right?I consulted my thru-hikers companion and noted that all of the NOC services for lodging close at 5 pm this time of the year. We may be able to scrape together a 17 mile day, but to do so before 5pm would be pretty much impossible. And that's not another of those impossibles to be overcome. It's a simple fact that at this stage in our hike, none of us 3 can hike that far that fast, and to try doing so would be to risk a hike-ending injury.So then it was suggested that we stop short at the Rufus Morgan shelter, a mere eight-tenths of a mile to the NOC, so that we could get in there as early as possible. I agreed to this plan, and we went our separate ways, or rather, we all went the same way at different speeds. It may seem like I talk about hiking with some people a lot, but reality is that I am totally alone 90% or more of every hiking day. I do end up hiking with "Librarian" fairly often, but that's just because our end-of-the-day "I have nothing left" hiking speeds are almost exactly the same. One of us will overtake the other during a break and next thing you know we've spent an hour hiking while discussing sushi. The only other hiker I've met so far who kept pace with me was Kojak, whom I miss. He skipped ahead a bit a week or so back, having already thru-hiked once and having no desire to experience Kelly's Knob again. He's been a few days ahead of me ever since. With the past week of huge days, I have a chance to catch him, but only if he's taken zeros here at NOC. He might actually be here now. I was so tired when I got in that I didn't look around except to find my room.Anyway, we had our plan to reach the Rufus Morgan shelter, and it seemed a good one. It was a long day by the time I reached the top of Wesser Bald, last major climb before the long descent into the Nantahala Gorge wherein lay the NOC. As I crested the mountain, I saw "Turtle" talking to "Librarian". "Does 'Wooly' have an E?" Turtle asked. "No", I replied, startling both of them. It turns out that they were about to leave me a note. "Turtle" had gotten reception on her phone and called ahead to the NOC. Apparently if you call like that to say you're coming in, they will tape the key to your room to their office door, thus allowing you to get into your room even after registration closes. I put in my request for a room then, as well, and suddenly we were hard-core hikers putting in a 17-mile day. So what began as a day to take it easy spiraled out of control into a day so long I doubt I'll be able to match it until the flat areas of central Virginia.This being said, it was entirely worth it. I'm clean, fed, lying on an actual bed, and have talked with my parents and Nik & Joe. I am also exceedingly tired, my big toes have gone numb and every muscle in my legs ache.IT'S GREAT TO BE ON THE TRAIL.