Date: 2009-05-04
From: N.O.C.

To: BROWNS FORK GAP SHELTER
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

HEADED OUT TO TRY TO GET TO BROWN FORKS GAP SHELTER. THE WEATHER WAS COOPORATING BUT HERE IS WHERE I REALLY HAD TROUBLE. THE OTHERS I WAS TOLD WERE GONNA JUST HIKE TO THE FIRST SHELTER. I MET TENZING. TOLD ME HE WANTED TO MEET THE GUY WHO WAS CARRYING THE 68 POUND PACK. HE PAST ME BY AND SHORTLY AFTER I FOUND SOME WATER TABLETS ON THE GROUND. CAUGHT HIM AS HE WAS LEAVING THE SASSAFRAS SHELTER AFTER HE ATE LUNCH DOWN THERE. PERFECT TIMING. I MANAGED TO GIVE THE WATER TREATMENTS BACK TO HIM. HE IS A FAST OLD GUY DOING 22 MILE DAYS. ASKED HIM IF HE LOST SOMETHING. HE SAID YEA AND OFF HE WENT. NO REWARD FOR ME. I GOT TO THE FIRST SHELTER BY 2PM AND I HAD TO KEEP GOING. I HIKED OVER THE SWIM BALD AND THE CHEOAH BALD. I RACED THE WEATHER. HAD TO MOVE TO GET A GOOD TRAIL TO WALK ON. ROCKY CAUGHT ME AT ABOUT LOCUST COVE GAP OR SIMP GAP WHEN I WAS GETTING SOME WATER WHICH I FELT I NEEDED. ONLY GOT ONE LITER. ROCKY'S YELLS "HEY FLETCH" AS I WAS RUNNING UP TO MY PACK. APPEARED THE RAIN STARTED AND I HAD TO GET MY BACKPACK COVER ON REAL FAST. I TOTALLY GOT DECKED OUT. THATS WHEN A THREESOME WHO I MET THE NIGHT BEFORE WHO WERE SLACKPACKING THE OTHER DIRECTION. ROCKY AND I HAVE BEEN TRUCKING ALONG REAL HARD. SHE IS AN AMAZING YOUNG LADY. I HIKED THROUGH A LOT OF RHODODENDRUMS TUNNELS AND THE GROUND WAS PRETTY WET AND SLIPPERY. I WAS MAKING PROGRESS AND I FINALLY CROSSED STECOAH GAP. NOW THE NEXT 2.4 MILES ENDED UP MAKING ME REALLY THINK ABOUT WHETHER I COULD KEEP HIKING THE AT. THE FIRST MILE WAS OK A GRADUAL CLIMB BUT THEN IT CHANGED AT SWEETWATER GAP THE LAST 1.4 MILES. I RAN OUT OF WATER AND THAT CLIMB WAS SO HARD I WASN'T SURE I COULD CONTINUE. 3270 FT TO 3800 FT IN 1.4 MILES. I THOUGHT I WAS HIKING TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE SHELTER DUBBED THE FONTANA HILTON BUT WAS SURPRISED BY THE CRUSTY OLD BROWNS FORK SHELTER.I MADE IT! HIKED THAT 16 MILE DAY AND MADE IT JUST BEFORE DARK AND RAN DOWN TO THE WATER AND DRANK. I FILLED MY MSR BLADDER AND HEADED BACK UP. THEN THE RAIN STARTED. THE BROWN FORK GAP SHELTER WAS FULL AND COULD ONLY HOLD SIX. ROCKY SET UP HER TENT AND IT WAS UP JUST BEFORE THE RAIN CAME. I, HOWEVER, WASN'T SO LUCKY. I WAS SOAKED. TRIED TO HUDDLE NEXT TO THE SHELTER TO KEEP MY BACKPACK AND MYSELF DRY . FOUND A TARP UNDER THE SHELTER AND TRIED TO COVER UP. COULDN'T DO IT AND THE RAIN COME DOWN HARD. NO ONE OFFERED ME ANY ASSISTANCE. I FINALLY TOLD THEM THEY NEEDED TO MAKE ROOM AND I WASNT TAKEN NO FOR A ANSWER. I THREW MY BACKPACK UP TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE SHELTER. I THEN CHANGED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BE IN DRY CLOTHES. I WAS COLD. THEY TRIED TO MAKE A FIRE BUT FAILED. THE RAIN STOPPED. I THEN PULLED OUT MY MACHETTE AND WENT TO WORK. CUT SOME HARDWOOD OFF A DEAD TREE LAYING ON THE FOREST FLOOR. FOUND SOME FALLEN OAK TREES, NEED SOME DRY STUFF. CHIPPED SOME OFF. USED MY WHITE GAS AND BARELY GOT A FIRE STARTED. EVERYONE CAME OUT TO GET WARM BY THE FIRE. KEPT IT GOING ALL NIGHT LONG. THE NORTH CAROLINA HARDWOODS BURN GREAT WHEN YOU GET THE COALS GOOD AND HOT. SAT UP ALL NIGHT WATCHED THE SKY. ATE EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF ALL NIGHT. NEED TONS OF CALORIES. ALL THE OTHERS SLEPT. THIMBLE AND TIMEBOMB ARE THRU HIKERS. THEY'VE HIKED WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE I PASSED BY. THE REST ARE SECTION HIKERS HEADING SOUTH. YOUNG KIDS. SLEPT AT THE FOOT OF THE SHELTER ON MY FOOTPRINT WITH MY SLEEPING BAG ON IT. THAT WAS THE BEST I COULD DO. I WAS UP TILL THE MORNING AND GOT JUST A FEW HOURS OF SLEEP IF THAT. I REMEMBER ROCKY GETTING UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND SHES SAYS "YOUR STILL UP?" IT WAS REALLY LATE. I WAS THE FIRST TO BREAK CAMP. RAIN GEAR ON. FONTANA HERE I COME. GO AWAY RAIN!