Date: 2012-04-03
From: Wayah Gap Road Crossing

To: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: light rain

Day 9- Tuesday, April 3Hiking Days 7 / Nero Days 2 / Zero Days 0Start Location: Wayah Gap Road Crossing - Marker 115.7Ending Location: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter (spider infested)- Mile Marker 136.3 Time: 8h 48minMiles: 20.6Weather: light rain at night, morning cool , afternoon was a bit cooler then the last few days but still warm Day 68-70 Night 55 - partly cloudy all day then afternoon thunderstorms, lightning and hailI was awake by 6:10 but still laid in bed for a bit.  Bamboo Bob was up at 6:40 so when my alarm went off at 6:45 it was easy to get up.  Packed up then  breakfast.  Margret and Wiggy  brought up breakfast, coffee and a egg and. Is biscuit sandwich.  Not a lot by hikers standards but enough to get us going.  They were nice enough to help us get an early start.  Back to the trail by 8:10.  Seems late but by coming out of a nice stay it is a good start time. The day started nice enough.  The rain over the next few days is 50%, 60%, 50% and 50%.  That would mean that although it is not too bad we should expect to be hit at least once or twice.  The hiking was good.  Some climbs but not overly hard.  Hit the stone tower at Wayah Bald.  Very cloudy, so I did not stay long.  In just a 1/4 mile I will be at the infamous location where I broke my ankle during my 2010 thru bike.  When walking past that area the rocks along it are incredibly similar in color to the leaves.  I took my time and removed several rocks off of it.  They are real ankle breaker, quite literally.   When I hit Burningtown Gap, the guy who did trail magic in 2010 was there again this year.  The locust swarm had already hit there and he was completely out of food and drinks, except for a few beers.  There were about 12-15 hikers around.Unfortunately, as I began the climb up to the watch tower on top of Wesser Bald, I started up with a large youth group.  With the skies becoming very overcast and the sounds of thunder looming, I was surprised that they were headed up.  Was able to get past them and then hit a second group near the top.  The thunder has increased to the point that it was on both sides of me but still no rain. On arrival to the Wesser Bald Shelter I found a young girl, Stacy, I think she said her name was. She was looking a bit grim.  I asked if she was thru hiking and she said yes, she was, but she was getting off at the NOC.  She said she started March 6th and her miles were getting less.  She indicated she had a 44 pound pack.  Of course I gave her some advise on how she could enjoy her hike more but it may be too late for her.  Just because someone is young does not mean they could lug around a excessively heavy pack up and down hills all day and find it fun.  Pack weight does make a difference and Stacy is a good example of it.  I wish her well.  I had six miles to the next shelter.  Mostly downhill  but with one bump up.  Immediately the thunder became much more close.  As I hit that bump all hell broke loose.  As it ended up the bump was an exposed ridge.  As I was on it lightning struck 30 feet in front of me.  It was so close, I could hear the buzzing as it hit the ground.  Much like the science fiction movie or when Frankenstein was brought to life.  Then the smell of burnt electricity.  So I turned around and started to head off the hill.  Then lightning hit where I was headed.  Shit.  I thought this was it.  I said what I thought was going to be my final prayer.  I stopped.  Crunched down.  Waited a few minutes, and decided I needed to move forward, over the exposed ridge and down the hill.  So that's what I did.  As it turned out the next three miles or so, even though down hill, was still on a ridge line.  On a nicer day this would be a great hike.  In a major lightning storm it is the last place you want to be.  Pea sized hail has filled the trail making it all that much more difficult to maneuver.  One the way down I ran into another hiker making his way down.  He had aluminum hiking poles.  Here is a good reason why you should have carbon fiber poles on the AT.  Made it to the next shelter.  Drenched but safe.  There were a few slackers of the swarm that got caught in the storm without any rain gear.  Even slacking, always bring your rain gear.  Changed my cloths at the shelter.  Two other hiker staying the night.  Reading the shelter journal it seems as if there is a spider infestation problem at the shelter.  Looking around there are many larger spiders with bodies the size of a thumb.  The journal says they come out at night.  Oh well,  I here for the duration.  At night I did have something crawl on my neck that I had to flick off.  Another storm cell also rolled through but that was actually peaceful  now that I'm all comfy in a shelter. Morning came.  Up at at 7:00.  Out at 7:15.  Only one mile to go to the NOC for breakfast.