Date: 2017-04-27
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning was nice... I got out of camp fairly early and was listening to music for the first couple miles. We got a bit of light rain which forced me to stop and batten down the hatches and put the music away, but it wasn't bad. Today is Hils birthday, so Lipstick is attempting to plan a little thing to celebrate. We had heard a rumor that there's a little store in the next gap, so the plan was to check it out. I happen to run into Lipstick right before we got there, so we headed down to check it out. The store didn't even look like it was in operation anymore... It had broken windows, the signs were all hand written, the lawn wasn't mowed... even if it was still operating, it definitely wasn't open, so we moved on. (Turns out it is still in operation and opens at 9am, but it was still super sketchy).A couple miles father down the trail we hit a road which the guide indicated had a hostel which sold "cold drinks". Predictably, we had no service at that point, so someone had to go down to the hostel and check it out. Since I hike faster than Lipstick anyways, I volunteered to head down, and walked the 0.5mi down the road to see what they had. Unfortunately they didn't have an alcohol license and so didn't sell beer, so I grabbed a couple of sodas instead. At the point we have a fairly large group, so I ended up packing 6 cans of sodas and 2 apple juice boxes (neither Lipstick nor I drink soda) out with me. I managed to grab a shuttle back to the gap and immediately felt the 6lbs I had just added to my pack on the long uphill. I took lunch at the shelter with Lookout before continuing onwards, listening to some podcasts as I walked. I came across a side trail that the guide indicated led to the cell/other towers visible on the top of the mountain, so I dropped pack and headed up there to check it out. The views weren't the best, but they were definitely better than the guide insinuated and I could see the lovely sunny day that the planes were having as dark clouds hung over the mountains. I ended up jogging back down to the trail, feeling very light without my pack and jumped back on the AT.I caught up to Lipstick and chatted with her for a few minutes at a quick break and then continued on until I reached a section of trail that crossed an exposed ridgeline. There was a bypass trail (for use in inclement weather), but I decided to stick to the AT despite the couple sprinkles of rain and moderate winds that I had felt. This section of trail had some light scrambling, really the first so far on the AT, but rewarded that effort with some great views. To the west Tennessee stretched out before me, very flat and teeming with what looked to be farms and roads between the fields enjoying a lovely sunny day. To the east North Carolina mountains sprawled, untamed except for one visible road and covered by dark clouds which capped many of the mountains which stood at my eye level.It wasn't far to camp thankfully, as the extra pack weight had taken its toll throughout the day. My knees were hurting a bit, the first time on the trail, probably due to the extra weight I was carrying. Maybe not my best idea... Just as I entered camp I passed the 300mile marker, a nice end for the day of hiking.Only Lipstick, Hils, Lookout, and I were at camp and so after establishing camp for the night we convened at the shelter and made dinner. Hils finished dinner and was about to brush get teeth so Lipstick had no choice but to spring the surprise, despite the absence of the rest of the gang. Lipstick revealed the beer she had packed for Hils and I the sodas for everyone else. Hils enjoyed the surprise beer and we enjoyed our sodas/juice just as Honeybunz pulled into camp. Apparently Pepper's pack had ripped that morning (he was using a really old, hand me down, pack) and so he, Pepper, and Nate had gone down to the hostel, gotten a shuttle back to Hot Springs, and had gotten him a new pack, which had taken most of the afternoon. He also revealed the beers they had picked up in town, which we dug into. Pepper arrived next, but Nate didn't show up. Presumably she decided to camp somewhere as dusk fell and would catch up in the morning.