Date: 2005-05-09
From: Campsite beyond Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite at Backbone Mountain Trailhead
Miles today: 20.2

In all my years of AT section hiking ¢ full backpack, day hikes/slackpacks, no packs ¢ I¢ve never done a 20 mile day, not even in Shenandoah National Park where I¢ve hiked extensively. Of my ¢official¢ AT miles, the closest I came was 19.6 this past April in Virginia (Pine Swamp Shelter to Pearisburg). Also did 19.2 in PA last November. Eventually, I told myself, I need to pull a 20-miler,preferably with full pack.And today was the day. All the conditions were ripe: another perfect weather day in the Spring with its long hours of daylight, an early start, a trail with palatable footing and fairly gentle climbs. And what¢s more, I didn¢t feel like I was rushing or hastening; I enjoyed the hike and took my time in places to savor the atmosphere.On the Trail by 7:15, I continued to walk through fields of mayapples and another welcome sight absent since Unaka: bluets. Passed Cracker, Elf, and Walrus camped by the next spring. I enjoyed the change of scenery after crossing Rt. 91 where the Trail proceeded through the fields and outbuildings of an abandoned farm. It was only 9:45 when I reached Double Spring Shelter where in addition to the Jersey Girls and Sunshine, I saw hikers I hadn¢t met yet. Didn¢t catch all the names but among them were Little Britches and Moonpie hiking together (no, not the same Moonpie as last year) and Black Wolf.Today seemed warmer than yesterday with less of a breeze except when on the ridgecrest. On the one hand, it seems like I¢m walking uphill a lot but on the other hand, the uphills are not massive ascents like Unaka or Pond Flat or even the climb out of Watauga Artificial Lake. Probably because the terrain is so gentle, the downhills are easier and thus quicker to cover after which it¢s time to go up again. Still maintaining 4,000¢ elevation, the forest is largely devoid of leaf cover. The occasional views reveal this phenomenon with lower slopes encased in green up to the point of leaflessness. In a week or two, everything will be green. I also found the valleys below very peaceful and serene-looking. This was truly what the AT experience was meant to be. How long will it last? Perhaps here, several more generations but in the mid-Atlantic, how many similar viewpoints will reveal subdivisions and other disgusting accompaniments of suburban sprawl? Land conservation/preservation (¢viewshed¢ if you will) should be the top priority of the ATC ¢ after all, their new name (Conservancy) designates an organization dedicated to preserving land from the ravishes of development.Now it¢s the last road crossing in Tennessee, US Rt. 421. At the picnic table, a guy who rode in Sutton¢s shuttle from Braemer Castle for a short hike near here is awaiting a ride from his wife. He offered to take our trash. I had arrived first, followed by Cracker, Elf, and Walrus. It¢s uphill again from the road. A few knobs lie ahead before Abingdon Gap Shelter, the last edifice before Damascus. I was astonished to find a sign atop McQueen Knob identifying it as such with the elevation. Rare in the South.Not much further to the Shelter where the crowd (both extant and yet-to-come) included Sunshine, the Jersey Girls, Cracker, Elf, Walrus, Little Britches & Moonpie (who agreed with me that today seemed mostly uphill; nonetheless, they¢re pushing to Damascus tonight), Cricket who I had meet at 19E, and the others from Double Springs. Also KTR came as I was nearly ready to leave so we talked a while. He¢s also section hiking, having started at Springer but ending at Damascus. A New Hampshire resident, he¢s actually done more hiking in the Adirondacks than the Whites.On this post-Roan Mountain yellow blaze second phase of my hike, I had wondered who the next person I had met from the first phase would catch up to me (I had predicted accurately that Shakedown would be the first). My guess was Turbo Joe who was one day ahead of me from Erwin or Lightfoot who was a fast hiker in excellent condition. Perhaps Wilderness Bob or Preying Mantis. But no ¢ after I had finished my dinner, in strode Grits. ¢Well, well, I see the neighborhood had really gone downhill!¢ was his greeting upon seeing me. I asked him about the others. He believes they¢re slowing their pace to arrive for Trail Days ontime. As for him, he¢s hiking on but would like to come back for Trail Days. We agreed to meet in Damascus tomorrow morning after my arrival to arrange for my picking him up Friday morning along Rt. 16 or somewhere. Also Vermont finally caught up as I was about to leave. He had thought the old structure atop McQueen¢s Knob was the shelter. He tented at Iron Mountain last night. Well, I¢m finished with dinner, it¢s only 4:00, I¢ve already done 14.8 miles so I¢m pushing on. There were still some more ups and downs but I¢m feeling pretty good and the terrain is easy. Finally a few minutes after 6, I come to the Backbone Mountain blue-blaze trail. Now I¢ve done my 20 miles!   And I still feel good, but¢¦..I think I¢ve drunk enough today but my urine has become darker and darker and now, it¢s red. Yikes! I started glugging away. At this point I¢m only 4.6 miles from Damascus but I hope my future days hiking aren¢t in jeopardy. I need to monitor this situation. I had run out of Gatorade after 3 days and couldn¢t find any powdered concentrate in Erwin. Next time, I¢d better bring enough.There¢s a small space for a tent at the trail junction; it¢s on a slight slope but an entrenched log will keep me from rolling downhill so I pitched the tent adjacent to the log. Wasn¢t the best of conditions but I didn¢t want to go any further tonight. By the way, the night is cooler but still too warm for my winter bag which served me well in the first week of the trip.So this long day¢s over. Saving the best for last: Today¢s hike and journal is dedicated to my sometime trail partner and friend extraordinaire who I met on the AT last year:   Happy Birthday Scarf!