Date: 2005-06-12
To: Overnight Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Despite the threat of weather from the Remnants of Tropical Storm Arlene, Saturday afternoon I threw my pack on, stopped by the grocery store and headed for the trail. Not really knowing where I would start, or end up, I quickly got the answer when a truck stopped and the driver asked if I needed a ride. He was heading to the Nolichucky Gorge and then, so was I. I started hiking around 6pm and made the Curly Maple Gap shelter around 745. There were 3 section hikers from Charlotte, NC in the shelter and I pitched my tent nearby. Quick introductions and then they hit the sack. I fixed dinner then layed down in my tent with the rain fly off watching the trees in the wind. Around 930 I heard voices. A quick lifting of the head assured me they weren't the ones in my head(lol) as I saw 4 headlights coming up the trail. After it seemed like they were going to be up for a while, I got out and introduced myself. They are all thru-hikers that got a late start from Miss Janet's. Correy and his friend from TX and two others one from OH and one from MD, I'm terrible with names. We stayed up talking and babysitting the fire till about 1am. Thank goodness I had brought my saw, or we would have been out of wood by 11pm.Anyhow, around 1, we all adjourned to our respective sleeping arrangements and I closed my rainfly with rain threatening all night(it never did). I got caught up in the book I was reading and next thing I knew it was 3am. Off to sleep. Woke up around 9am and broke camp. The section hikers had already left but the other 4 were still asleep(I guess) in the shelter so I started north on the trail. This section of the trail is rather uneventful. From the shelter it meanders below ridgeline for 4.6 miles to Indian Grave Gap, with only a few glimpses to the valley below through the trees. Not a difficult section at all, leaves alot of time to think about things. Lost in thought, I almost missed a deer right at the edge of the trail. I slowed when I saw him and he watched me but didn't make to run until I was about 5 feet away. My camera was in my pack and I didn't want to remove it, risking startling him, so I just took in the moment. I'll start carrying it in my pocket from now on. I know a deer in the woods is not that big of a deal to most people. It's just as many hikes as I've been on in this section, I have seen very little wildlife. I made it to Indian Grave Gap around 1230pm and stopped for lunch. There were plenty of horse trailers parked there, and one couple just starting out on horseback. I thought I was going to have to say something to them when the woman started up the AT when the man called her back and they followed the forest service road. Clouds were moving in so I put my raincover on my pack and continued on to Beauty Spot. Clammered over a couple of blowdowns from all the wind last night and today and made it to the "electric meadow". Little did I know this would be the best view I would have all day. Got to the top of Beauty Spot and it was socked in with clouds and fierce winds. Looking up, there were some breaks in the clouds so I thought I might wait it out and take the time to test some of my skills. I wanted to see if I could set up just a tarp with my treking poles and it withstand the wind. Well, it did work and I used it for a bit to get out of the wind and occasional rain. Five thru-hikers that were slackpacking from Iron Mtn. Gap to the river passed by and one said it looked cool, me sitting there with the tarp, etc.. and offered to take my picture. I then contemplated what to do. I had no real plan after Beauty Spot and had thought that I might camp near there for the night. Or I could conitinue on to Cherry Gap. Or I could retrace my steps to Indian Grave and head home. Well I had a slight mishap with the bite valve(twice)on my water resevoir and found myself out of water. That with theweather gave me my answer and I headed back down the way I came. Once out to the road, I figured I'd have a ride back to town in a few minutes. That few minutes turned into an hour and a half and five miles of road walking-hate walking on asphault. A nice man and woman in a truck, stopped, I hopped in the back and off we went to the house.Looking back, wish I had gone on to Cherry Gap but, live and learn.Till next time...