Date: 2009-03-28
From: Beech Gap tenting area

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: moderate rain

It rained lightly all night, but my hammock stayed dry for the most part (aside from the occasional drop falling on my head), due to the better positioning of my carabiners to the hammock. However, the left side of my tarp blew onto and stuck to my underquilt, just as did in the Shenandoahs in December. The section hikers warned me that thunderstorms were expected in the early afternoon and that I should be careful (i.e. not be at high elevation when they hit). I was hoping they wouldn¢t arrive until evening, allowing me to make it to Franklin, where I could get warm and dry, but I would have to be prepared to wait out the storm in a shelter for several hours. I got up around 7:20 or so, ate a handful of granola, and put on my wet, cold rain pants. Aside from my soaking wet boots, and raingear, I was lucky enough to be able to put on mostly dry clothes, and carry the wet ones (making my pack much heavier). I set off a little before 9, and just as I started hiking, the rain started coming down harder¢¦ I stopped off at a stream to collect and sterilize water. My steripen gave me a red light 3 times, and I thought, ¢3 failures must equal a success¢¦ right?¢ I mean the amount of time the UV was on in those three times was equal to one successful cycle¢¦ I opened my umbrella and headed down the trail, which alternated between the Appalachian mudslide, the Appalachian flowing stream, and a very slippery and leaf-covered Appalachian trail. I would fall down in the mud two more times (not from going fast, but from trying to be cautious in the slippery mud, which once grabs holds of you, pulls you right under!). I was glad no one was around to witness those scenes. It would be a cold, wet, and lonely day. I felt tired, hungry, and slow. I was going to take a quick power bar break at the Carter Gap shelter, but it looked old and dilapidated, so I pressed on (I saw the newer one ahead, but didn¢t feel it was worth the time to stop there).       The highest elevation I would climb that day was Albert Mountain, and I hit it in the early afternoon, not long before the thunderstorms were forecasted. Luckily, they never arrived. It was a steep and treacherous climb in the rain, climbing rock after slippery rock. My breathing was loud and labored, and again, I was thankful that I was alone so that no one could hear me. I had already taken on a reputation amongst my peers for being a fast hiker, but today, I did not feel I was living up to my standards. I took it slow and carefully, feeling well-prepared for the slippery conditions from my previous hikes in the White Mountains. I soon saw the Fire Tower socked in the fog, and continued on, knowing there were many fire towers ahead that might offer nice views. On the descent, I saw a sign pointing to the right for Big Spring shelter, so I happily took the side trail, thinking I could hear voices in the distance. I wandered around and around, stumbling upon campsite after campsite, but could fine no shelter! Where was it?! I got frustrated and decided to leave. Back on the trail, I saw a wooden side saying ¢Big Spring Shelter¢ with an arrow pointing to the left! Okay! I happily wandered down the hill, knowing it was within reach. I could see a guy in a red raincoat and wondered who I would meet. When he heard my footsteps, I received a happy greeting. ¢Hey!,¢ he said with a big smile. I still could not tell who it was. Squinting at him, I finally said, ¢Patrick?¢ (people look different in their raingear and wet hair¢¦). ¢Yeah¢¦ Hi, Wendy! We knew we¢d see you today, but we didn¢t think it would be this early!¢ he responded. I walked into the shelter and saw Skip, as well! I hadn¢t seen them for a couple of days, since they took off for the trail while I zeroed in Hiawassee. It was so nice to see familiar and friendly faces (especially on a day like today)! They both made hot meals (Patrick said his hot chocolate had a minty flavor, which sounded good to me until he said it was from Gold Bond Powder¢¦, and Skip had accidentally put his oatmeal in a zip lock which previously contained laundry detergent¢¦) My fingers were too cold to light my alcohol stove, so I just had tuna on a tortilla and decided to get moving to stay warm. Because Skip and Patrick had no luck hitchhiking into Hiawassee, they were determined to catch the morning shuttle from Ron Haven into Franklin, and would thus spend the night at Rock Gap shelter. I told them I wanted to try to get into Franklin that night if I could. I parted ways with them and told them I¢d see them a little later on.        Maybe 40 minutes later, the best part of my day occurred. It stopped raining! I was so happy that I could finally take out my camera after two days of being unable to take pictures! It did wonders for my mood! I started photographing the light green trees I saw in the forest (from the trunks being covered in lichen). I took pictures of the orange leaves that I saw on some trees (reminding me more of fall than spring). I took pictures of moss-covered rocks that gleamed so brilliantly and brightly in the rain yesterday, that I wished I could have photographed. Earlier in the day, I walked past a scene that looked like a million tiny waterfalls- droplets of water dripping down red, yellow, and rust covered moss on a sheer rock face¢¦ These images I would have to hold in my memory, rather than on a screen¢¦   Then I heard the sound of a trekking pole¢¦ and not long afterwards, a pair of booming voices! Skip and Patrick were on my heels! I put on the accelerator. I was not ready to be overtaken, yet! Their red coats marched up the hill underneath me on the switchbacks, but I soon put some distance between us. Then, I saw an opening through a hill on my right. A vista point¢¦ should I go see it? I climbed the hill and took out my camera and then stood there taking the scene in. So nice. As I made my way back on the trail, Skip and Patrick had arrived. ¢Taking a break?¢ they asked. ¢Nice view,¢ I pointed. They decided it was a good time to take off their raincoats. ¢This is the first view we¢ve had in days!¢, they exclaimed.      Not long after, I saw the privy toilet seat down below, and then a rickety-looking shelter. Hmm¢¦ stay there or head into town? The choice wasn¢t hard for me! I waited for the boys to say good-bye, and they asked me to pick up some beer for them if Franklin was a dry town. They joked about maybe not taking a zero day the next day so they could get ahead of me, as their self-esteem was taking a beating. Then they let me go, knowing I still had several more miles to hike.        I was tired. I passed a road, where several vans were waiting to transport some biology students back to town, and I almost wished they could have brought me, too. But I pressed on. I saw more pretty views of the green valley below me, and took more pictures. Then, I took a break and tried to gather some energy for the last push. I drank some water and had another power bar, and trudged on.      With about a mile to go, I looked up to my right and saw a hiker setting up camp on the ridge. Actually, he was breaking it down, as the wind was picking up. He was thinking it was going to be too cold to sleep up there. His name was ¢Lonesome Roads¢ and when I told him my name, he said he had heard about me¢¦ that they were talking about me at the shelter. I later asked him who was talking about me and what they were saying, as I usually fly under the radar, undetected and unnoticed¢¦ He said they were all talking about how fast I was, which really amused me¢¦   I slowed down, so I could keep ¢Lonesome¢ company and we chatted our way down to Winding Stair Gap. He left me to my own to hitchhike into town around 5:40 pm, as he wandered down the road to find a safer campsite further along the trail. I didn¢t know which way Franklin was, but stuck out my thumb to no avail. I tried 6 or 8 times, and no one slowed down! I thought hitching was supposed to be easy for girls! A man stuck his head out of his window and pressed on his brakes, on the opposite side of the road, but disappeared out of sight¢¦ About 5 minutes later, he returned, pulled-over and asked me where I needed to get to. It turned out that he was going the opposite direction of Franklin, but I thanked him for taking the time to stop and turn around. A few minutes later, a black pick-up that was headed in the opposite direction, turned into the pull-off, and the woman said they were going into Franklin. Her husband was driving, and their young daughter was with them, as well. They asked where I was going. ¢Haven¢s Budget Inn¢, I said. They didn¢t know where that was. Due to the thick accent, I couldn¢t understand where they were headed, but I said that was good enough, heaved my pack into the back of the truck, climbed up, and settled in for the cold, windy 10 mile ride into Franklin. They pulled right into the Budget Inn, ¢We found it!¢, they said. I climbed out, thanked them, and told them I had just hiked 40 miles in two days. They were impressed and seemed glad to help me out. All of the rooms at the Inn were taken, but Ron Haven appeared and said I could stay at the hostel or have a room at the Sapphire Inn (his second motel up the road). I chose the room, and climbed into Ron¢s van for a ride over there. He told me to use the spicket in the back to wash the mud off my boots. I checked in, started spreading out my gear and washing off the mud, and then took a shower. Then I inquired about the possibility of buying beer on Sunday, to fulfill my promise to Skip and Patrick. I was told by the husband and wife at the desk that I would need to buy it tonight. The husband offered to give me a ride to the grocery store, and I ran in to buy two 6-packs of Yuengling (and grabbed a jar of peanut butter and two chocolate bars for myself while I had the chance).      I left the door to my room open while I stowed the beer bottles into my little refrigerator and heard, ¢Wendy?¢ outside my door. It was ¢Tax Dollar¢! He invited me to join them at the sports bar later that evening. I asked if he had had dinner and said that I was headed to the Mexican restaurant across the street. He had already eaten, but offered to join me, so I wouldn¢t have to eat alone. So nice of him! I accepted his offer, and enjoyed his company while I ate my dinner of polo chicken. As soon as I got up from the table, I felt my entire lower half of my body stiffen up, and I found it hard to even walk across the street! We parted ways, and I headed back to my room to catch up on some correspondence and try to get some rest after a tough couple of days. I think I was so worried about having to get up early to catch the 7:15 am shuttle to breakfast the next morning, that I managed to sleep very little, even in a hotel room bed!