Date: 2011-05-04
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Shook Branch Recreational Area
Miles today: 14.7

Day 44 - I was fortunate to have made it to Moreland Gap shelter the night before because it rained continuously all night with strong winds. My thermometer read 41*F when I woke up and with all my clothes damp it felt colder than that. I was on the trail by 8:15am, walking briskly to help build some body heat. My walking briskly was impeded by the pain on the inside of my thighs. I had coated the abrasions with Body Glide and it helped but it would wear off. I think I stopped 3 times during the day and reapplied it, just dropped my pants in the middle of the trail. In no time at all I was sweating which meant that I had absolutely no dry clothes in my possession and being the wimp that I am I started to make alternative plans. I calculated if I could do 14.7 miles I could be at U.S. 321 by late afternoon and get picked up or hitchhike into Elizabethton. Since Larry McKenzie was going to hike with me on Thursday, I called and left him a message before getting out of cell phone coverage range. With that purpose in mind, I coated my thighs and took off. I arrived at Dennis Cove Road at 11:30am. My dad and I use to trout fish on Laurel Creek probably 45 years ago and I have fly fished there more recently. I wanted to meet Bob Peoples who operates Kincora hostel so I went the 0.3 miles off the trail to introduce myself and to eat my lunch. Bob has been very instrumental in supporting and maintaining the AT in this area. As expected, he had a work party up on Roan Mountain repairing the trail and was not there. I left him a note, ate my lunch, got water, got a text from Larry saying he would be there (another prayer answered - there have been so many), and I was back on the trail by 12:40pm. Then the fun began. I have been down to Laurel Falls numerous times but never with a 38-40 pound backpack on. That was fun in itself, knowing that for every step I took down into the gorge I would have to climb out. The creek was as high as I have every seen it and the falls made a wonderful mountain song. If climbing out of the gorge was not bad enough, the climb up and over Pond Mountain was hard and at times very discouraging. I was pushing myself because I had texted Larry and told him I would be at Shook Branch recreational area on U.S. 321 at 5:30pm and I did not want him to have to wait on me. I was still several miles away when I first spotted Watauga Lake so I thought I had this mountain whipped. Except for one thing, the trail kept going away from the lake. It would allow you to peek at the lake through the trees and then the trail would turn and you walked in the opposite direction. Finally, at 5:40pm I walked out onto U.S. 321 and saw Larry, I was extremely happy because I knew I would be in dry clothes, be able to put lotion on my thighs, sleep in my own bed that night, plus dry all my clothes and sleeping bag. Even when you think it can't get any better, Larry had brought me an adult beverage which I quickly disposed of. In retrospect, it was a good day. I covered 14.7 miles and averaged 1.9 mph which was good considering the elevation changes I encountered. I have now covered 422.7 miles in 44 days.