Date: 2007-04-17
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap campsire
Miles today: 13.4

What a day of contrasts. After hiking in the wind and snow yesterday, I hikedin sun and mud today. Yesterday my feet felt like they were dragging, and todaythey were like wings. Yesterday I hiked with Abal, and today I hiked alone. And tonight I'm swinging in my hammock in Whistling Gap, and I'll bet you canguess why they call it that. I didn't put my hammock on the ground because Iwanted the comfort factor, but the wind is whipping up under the tarp...gonna bea chilly night, I'm afraid. I'm loving hiking with a lighter pack...5 days of food lighter...probably about10 pounds. Wish I could figure out how to get 10 pounds of other stuff out of it. I'm going to give it a good going over in Erwin and see if I can ship stuff home. One thing that's going is the vapor barrier liner for my sleeping bag. I've hated sleeping in moist warm clothes when I've used it. Just a very unpleasant feeling and I don't know how much warmer it made me. I'd rather sleep in my rain gear if I need the added warmth. I'm going to think twice about every item in there and how often I've used it...and we'll see if I can lighten my load. I still need to keep my winter gear for another month, though.I'm getting pretty excited about Avery's wedding in less than a month. I have aflight booked out of Roanoke, but I'll be barely past Damascus when I need toget to the airport. Dennis has researched the bus schedule, and I can get a busfrom a heating & cooling business in Marion at about 10:45 at night that willget me in to Roanoke 1 something in the morning...plenty of time to catch a 8 am flight! But I think I'll get to Roanoke a day early so if thereKs some screw up I still have time to fix iot and make my flight. Now I just need to figure out how to get from the trail to Marion. I'm gonna be working on that this week.Tried some new dinner options this week when I resupplied in HotSprings...Mountain House Pro-Pack dinners...mmmmm... great! Liked them better than my dehydrated meals. Also liked Pasta Sides Alfredo to which I added chiken chunks from those packs. That, too was good. I'll get this meal thing figured out in the next 1800 miles, I'm sure!Some of you know I have a friend, Pearl Sutfin, that's 104 years old. Thehardest part about being away was leaving her. She's such a dear and I love ourtalks and time spent doing jigsaw puzzles together. Her son, Gerry, left me amessage on my cell phone a few days ago just checking in. He told me when Ileft to do this hike that it was something he'd always wanted to do. It's nottoo late, Gerry; there's a guy out here in his 80's (but I haven't met him). Start training!   I talked with Gerry today and heard that Pearl's doing fine. I miss you, Pearl! Hugs and kisses to you from me! Tomorrow we'll be hiking another 13 miles into Erwin, TN. After 6 days out, I'm looking forward to resting my aching muscles: feet, legs, and back! W&A and I are still discussing where we'll stay. I'm opting for the motel in town near to everything and I think they want to stay at a hostel. I'm a bit tired of somuch community...I need my alone time. We'll see what happens. Either way, agood salad and some fruit are definitely on the menu. I'm also looking forward to a drop box from Dennis. He said he was out at 6:30am the day he needed to ship it getting me food supplies. What a sweetie! I'vegot the best man in my life...he's my rock! And I miss him terribly, but we'llsee each other in San Diego in 3 weeks!!!Step lightly