Date: 2003-07-05
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

A loud ringing jump-started my day in the form of a wake-up call. I love coming into town on occasion, but I am looking forward to getting back out on the trail! Just the everyday noises of the hotel and city have me slightly on edge, and I threw myself out of bed, ready to go! We headed up the trail to the shelter where Bumpkin and I got off to meet her family. After rearranging the packs and tying on our boots, off we went. It was a gorgeous day to hike! A little warm, but sunny, and according to the weather man, no chance of rain!   :) The trail was dark and humid, winding through forests of rhodedendron. We come upon areas like this from time to time and it is one of my favorite types of trail to hike! It looks like something out of the dark forest in Hansel and Gretel and I am on the constant lookout for breadcrumbs. :) The rhodedendron themselves are twisted and stunted, with heavy thick green leaves.   When they start to close together over the trail, you get the impression that the sun has gone down. The trail was narrow and rocky with constant twists and turns. As I hiked alone, I enjoyed the quiet, mysterious path.   The time flew by and before I knew it, I had arrived at the trail that goes to Apple Orchard Falls. The falls are not on the AT, and it is a 3 mile round trip to go see them, but we decided that we could not let the opportunity pass to have lunch at a beautiful waterfall! We started winding down and down to the falls.   I came up on a woman sitting on a rock gasping for breath. "!Be prepared for a really, really long hike!" she told me with exhaustion in her voice. I knew it was only 1.5 miles down, so I smiled sweetly at her and said, "Oh, I think I can handle it." I have to tell you, that felt good! :) When we got to the bottom, there was a lovely platform with a built in bench. We spread out our lunches and began talking to the day hikers that had congregated there. One of them shared his cheese and pumpkin seeds and we sat back to enjoy lunch at the base of the falls. The falls itself were beautiful! A mid-sized stream of water cascaded down over huge walls of rock. The water was cold and clean and the break went by much too fast. We cleaned up our lunch and started back up the trail. I must be getting my trail legs cause the climb, while mildly annoying, was not bad at all! Of course, Bumpkin, Jerry and EverReady were ahead of me, and as I came around a curve in the path, I looked up to see EverReady playing in a small water-fall.   I innocently asked him to fill my water bottle, and mayhem ensued! Bumpkin throwing bottles of ice-cold water on EverReady....Bumpkin throwing water on Jerry....Jerry throwing it on me!!There is nothing like a trail-side water fight to make you forget a big uphill climb! :) Dripping and smiling we made our way up the trail, listening to thunder in the distance.   WHAT?!!? Thunder?! The weatherman said there was NO chance of rain! 0%!! Well, he obviously was't hiking on the AT cause thunder was rolling in fast and it wasn't looking pretty! As I brought up the rear, it started pouring just as I got back up to the AT. When it pours on the trail, there is no place to go, you just get wet. So, keeping an eye on the sky for lightening, I put my head down and hiked up the next mountain.   The storm passed within the hour and I headed up to the summit of Apple Orchard Mountain. The trail here is different than below. The forest was spacious with lots of shiny, green undergrowth and huge grey boulders that look like they have been dropped from the sky.   As you come up to the summit, there is a big grassy bald and an old FAA Airforce Radar Center. It is very neat to walk out of the woods and see this huge sci-fi looking thing! It would have been the perfect place to camp.....it overlooks the valley and all the fireworks that tonight will bring...but it is strictly prohibited.   Ah well....   As I descended off the mountain top, I came up on Bumpkin waiting for me at the Guillotine, a famous place on the trail where a big boulder is hanging right above you and you have to walk under it. She took my picture, and to my great relief, I made it through to the other side without it falling on me! A quick walk found us at the shelter where I was happy to see Riff Raff. These two young men are the same ones I met back at Woody Gap in Georgia, and they are still two of the nicest people I have met on the trail! A quick dinner and a little socializing was all I could take before the bugs drove me to my tent. You really can't beat this life!Love, Anna aka Mud Butt