Date: 2013-04-20
From: Tellico Gap, Aquone Hostel

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 8.3

I did decide to spend a second night (last night) at the Aquone Hostel, albeit a little reluctantly, and it turned out to be a good decision. In the morning, the only occupants were myself, Nightingale, and the two gulf coast gentlemen I mentioned, Bill and George (the Mississippi Mule). But throughout the day other hikers came straggling in, one at a time, as they made their way down the mountain in varying degrees of wet, cold, and frozen. They staggered into the lovely hostel, showered, collapsed onto the cushy furniture, and stared at the tv with the rest of us as we watched the events unfold in Boston. In the evening Bill and George, who as section hikers had a vehicle at the hostel, took me, Nightingale, and another hiker named Data, and we all went to Andrews and had dinner in a Mexican restaurant. Then today we packed to leave the lovely hostel, shouldered our packs, and hiked out of Tellico Gap. We had a fairly short 8 mile hike to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, (NOC), which didn't look like too bad of a hike on my elevation profile, although there was a long downhill at the end of the hike. The weather was perfect for hiking--cool and sunny, very little wind. As we climbed out of the gap we began to see ice on the vegetation along the trail, and I was doubly glad for the warm night in the hostel. But the climb wasn't hard, in fact it felt good, and I could barely feel the pack on my back. I think I might be starting to get the hang of this. It was a beautiful day, with beautiful views from the mountaintops. We walked on a high ridge for a while, with 360 degree views, and we knew we were on the top of the world, and it didn't get much better than that. But for every uphill there is a downhill, and the 5 mile long descent to the NOC was a toe-wrecking trek. We made it, but with a couple of casualties. Nightingale fell, she slid down a slick muddy part trying to get around a downed tree lying across the trail. She emerged with a bruised pride (and maybe bottom), muddy pants, and a bent trekking pole, but no serious damage. Then I was sliding across a sheer rock face on my bottom, and tore the seat of my pants! If you remember the steep, hand over hand climbing we had to do to get up Albert Mountain, we met the bookend to that mountain today, the climb down that includes a formation charmingly called the Jumpoff. Hand over hand, going down this time, "Where should I put my hand?" "Where did you put your feet at this part?" "Can you reach the ground from here?" "You've got to be kidding me!" were some of our comments as we navigated our way through the rocks. Nightingale said she grabbed a root with her teeth to hold on as she slid past it at one part. But we made it through, and actually kind of enjoyed the challenge. Then we began the 5 mile downhill trek to the NOC in earnest. Seems like it should be easy, doesn't it? Sounds easier than uphill? By the time we got to the bottom, my poor toes are all bruised, again. It was a beautiful walk, though, and emerging from the silence and stillness and muted colors of the woods into the hustle and bustle and liveliness of the NOC is surreal. The NOC is a complex of buildings that includes an outfitter, a restaurant, a general store, an "adventure center", and more, all clustered around the swiftly moving Nantahala River which runs right through the center of everything. It is mostly a kayaking place, and you know I love my kayak. All the brightly colored kayaks just make me happy to see them. There were lots of people, lounging around, eating, kayaking, and a road race just coming in at the same time, so it was a lively place. Nightingale's husband was here, and after eating a last cheeseburger together in the restaurant, they left for home, and I am alone. She may or may not come back to the trail after her interview, and I am ok either way. It has been a lot of fun to have a hiking partner, and she makes me laugh, but I have also gained a lot of confidence in my hiking in the last week, and I know I can go it alone. I checked in and got a bunk in the bunkroom. $17 for a very basic bunk in a very basic room. It's all good, though, it's supposed to be cold again tonight. I just have to sew up my pants and take a shower, then it's lights out for me. 9:00 PM, hiker midnight. Tomorrow I will go through my food and see what else I might need to buy, then go through the guide and see how fast or how slow I need to hike to get to Clingman's Dome on April 29, to meet my sweet St. Mike to hike the Smokies with him. Good night, all.