Date: 2003-10-26
To: Re-hike from Erwin to Kincora
Miles today: 0.0

I thought I¢d do a little summary of my short ¢re-hike¢ last week of the section of the AT between Erwin and Kincora. I originally planned to go out for 9 or 10 days but ended up only taking a week as the weather turned a little cool.I drove down Wednesday the 15th and camped at Roan Mountain State Park. This is one beautiful state park. It is more like a resort with an Olympic size pool, hot showers, flush toilets, laundry, amphitheatre, and beautiful wooded camp sites with water and electricity.I then drove to Erwin on Thursday and said hi to Miss Janet who shuttled me to the Trail. It was an absolutely beautiful day as I headed north about 10:30. Reached Cherry Gap around 5 o¢clock to find SOBO thru-hiker Waldo settled in the shelter. It was neat seeing him as he was one of the first SOBO¢s I had stopped and chatted with on my thru-hike. A fine young man who will finish at Springer in about a month.The next day I did over 20 miles to Carvers Gap north of Roan Mtn State Park. I forgot how tiring the 2000 foot climb was. I stopped at Roan High Knob Shelter with the intention of tenting for the night, but no one else was staying there. After I finished supper and some hot chocolate, it was cold, breezy and dreary. I figured it would be warmer at the lower elevation and I had an hour or so of daylight left. So I hiked on out to the Gap. There I started walking down route 143 nine miles to the State Park. After 3 miles or so of walking and hitching, the 3rd car gave me a ride to the park. It was nice sleeping in the warm motorhome.Saturday I drove down to Erwin and picked up my tow vehicle and returned to the State Park where I took in a country music festival at the park amphitheatre.Sunday I did the 15 mile section between Carvers Gap and US19E. It was fantastic and worth the trip back down. Unlike April, the sky was blue; the sun was bright and it could not have been a more perfect day. You could see for miles. You may recall I could not see more than 30 yards around me the entire time during my thru-hike.When I arrived at Stan Murray Shelter I met Bob & Alan who were out on a ¢shakedown¢ hike. Two great guys who I enjoyed chatting with.   Bob had been following Liteshoe and me on Trailjournals this year. Kind of neat running into someone who knew me as hiker.   Bob did an excellent account of his trip with some great pictures that you can see at http://www.boblog.org/at/roanhike.htm I will look forward to following his thru-hike on trailjournals next year.I hiked on and stopped at Overmountain Shelter at Yellow Mtn Gap for lunch. It was great looking down on it as I hiked on north. Little Hump Mtn and Hump Mtn were fantastic! The views were incredible and like I said, worth the re-hike. I met up with 4 gentlemen out for a day hike. They gave me a ride back from 19E to Carvers Gap so I was able to spend the night again at Roan Mtn State Park.Monday I headed north from19E with the intention of taking 2 days to reach Kincora. When I reached Moreland Gap Shelter at around 5, it was cool and kind of dark. I decided to hike on and reached Dennis Cove ¢ Kincora just at dusk. The hostel was dark as no one else was staying there that night. I cooked my supper in the kitchen and Bob Peoples stopped in to chat awhile.In the morning Bob took me to get my Blazer at 19E. I parked it at Kincora and Bob ran me out 10 miles to the Shook Branch where I hiked back to Kincora. This is a very pretty area and I got to stop and enjoy Laurel Falls, which I didn¢t do during my hike. BTW, Bob is a real friend of the Trail and a truly great guy. So I did a little over 78 miles in 5 hiking days. Except for Roan High Knob the weather was beautiful. I am so glad I got to go back and re-hike it. I would have liked to gone on and done Damascus and Grayson Highlands¢¦maybe next year.I hope to get some hiking in this winter in Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area and with the Cleveland Hiking Club. Other than that it could be next spring before I can revisit the Trail.