Date: 2004-06-13
From: Pine Field Hut

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: light rain

Last night I learned that my $14.99 fleece sleeping bag from Wal-Mart was rated at 50 degrees and that at 50 degrees your body temperature and the outside air temperature will become exactly equal! I nearly froze! I ended up wearing everything I had with me and was still cold¢flashback of Muskrat Creek back in early April.The morning got off slowly and we were further delayed by a tent pole repair job that, while successful, took the better part of an hour to complete. Once we started out, Fern¢s bad knee began giving her some trouble, so we took it very slowly and adjusted our plans accordingly. We stopped for a late lunch on a marginally scenic easterly overlook. Although it¢s not raining, the day was gray, chilly and overcast throughout. By lunchtime I had deservedly given up all hope of us ever seeing BOB today. But then thankfully at least it was not raining.After lunching on a couple of PB&J tostados, I stretched out on a big rock and Fern crawled up on the grass and within minutes we were both sound asleep. After 45 minutes of Z¢s we were back on the trail with a revised, less ambitious plan, which took us to the campground at Loft Mountain¢the only place between Pine Field Hut and the next one where there was water and any suitable tent sites. Being a National Park campground this site comes complete with clean flush toilets, potable water; bear proof trash receptacles as well as RV¢s the size of boxcars, squealing kids and barking dogs. Fortunately for us, soon after we arrived a cloud settled in on the top of the mountain where we were camped and it shrouded everything in a quiet gray pallor. Our ¢$16 per night¢ campsite is flat and grassy and has its own picnic table and fire pit, both of which we put to good use. It¢s now dark and visibility is probably only 30 yards into the enshrouding cloud. The wind is blowing and I can see the clouds passing my face with the beam of my headlamp. Fern is in her tent reading and I¢m at the table dividing my attention between ¢hiker TV¢ (our dying campfire) and my reflections on the day. Even though we were on the trail for only a short while today, we saw ¢Hermes¢, ¢Jabberwock¢ and his girlfriend (whose name escapes me) and ¢Friar¢ whom I had first met in Hiawassee, Georgia. While walking with Fern today I realized what a great gift my nephew, Tom, gave me when we first started out in those early days back in Georgia. When I had asked him why he¢d always let me go first, he said ¢This is your hike, uncle Nat, you should go first¢ I have adopted the same approach with Fern¢this Section is her only AT experience so I am letting her lead the way and set the pace, as well as, initiate conversation. When I go ahead of her and I put a lot of distance between us, it¢s usually only to save us time getting water or to certify a campsite. I now appreciate all of what it means to let someone ¢Hike their own hike¢ all the more and in this case, for Fern to ¢have her own hike.¢ It¢s a nice gift to receive, which I now fully appreciate, as well as, a nice gift to give. Now if only the weather would cooperate¢¦.