Date: 2016-03-28
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday was spent hiking through soggy terrain with Alpha. We covered 18 miles together as we flip flopped over the Tennessee/North Carolina state line. Alpha shared stories of his service as a paratrooper in the Army and opened up to me about his life back home. I shared with him my own story. In my experience so far, there is much to be said for vulnerability. Hikers acquire it the day they set foot on the trail and carry it throughout. Vulnerability breeds a robustness that is unmistakable. We travel over hills with heavy hearts that surpass the physical weight of our packs, and because we are alone in each of our journeys, the barriers that exist off the trail no longer apply. The openness among hikers is what makes us family. The daily challenges may be faced alone throughout the day, but at the end of the day, we've all done it. These shared trail experiences transcend and manifest themselves in a deep, personal connection among all who walk.We hiked into the night and met up with Hot Rabbit, King Arthur and Learning Curve who were stealth camping at a grove right at the base of Big Butt mountain. Yes, that is the legitimate name of the mountain. The next morning we all left at separate times. I was the last one out, as usual. Alpha was racing to get to a gap where he was going to meet an old army buddy. He hiked ahead with purpose, and I didn't see him the rest of the day. The other guys were going to stop at a hostel a few miles down trail to resupply.As I stopped at a stream to gather water, I met up with a couple from Minnesota that I had met early on in the hike. I first met them while hitching into Franklin, NC. They had set aside a few weeks for the trail and were aiming to accomplish as many miles as possible in that time. Today was their last day on trail and they were in high spirits. I hiked with them until they stopped at Devil's Fork Gap where they had arranged for a shuttle off trail. In the hour we spent together, they recounted their experiences out here. We explored the juxtaposition between trail life and real life. Lessons learned on the trail, while specific to the outdoors and survival, are applicable to our lives at home. I was honored to walk the last steps of this journey with them. When we arrived at the gap, I laid in the sunny field by the road's edge for an hour or so. We wrapped up our conversation and they wished me well. Before we parted ways, they offered to pack out my trash for me and gave me a full resupply of all their left over foods. Food is like gold out here. Water is incredibly valuable as well, but we all have the opportunity to pull from streams and springs for that. I was excited for them that they were returning home with such a positive outlook on their experience. And in a strange way, I was envious that they were going home. I briefly entertained the idea of going into Asheville with them to check out the town, but then decided it was best to just stay on trail and do what I set out to do. I continued hiking solo up to the top of the ridge. The hike up went alongside cascades that rained from high above. It's special to see water in this volume. We depend so heavily on these little trickles of water from springs, so to see water in such an abundance has fostered a higher appreciation for moments like this. The weather was hot and the sun strong as I worked across the ridge. There were no other hikers in sight and the landscape offered a much appreciated solitude. Despite the cascades below, water was sparse at the higher elevation. When I reached the shelter, the water source was nothing but a shallow muddy stream. It took me 10 minutes to gather 2 liters of water. It was still fairly early, but I decided to set up camp and enjoy the sun while I could.Soon after, the others that had gone to resupply at the hostel showed up. They too decided this was a good place to stop for the night. We all ate dinner together and sat around a fire that was provided to us by an older section hiker named Turtle. Even though he was 40 years our senior, our shared experiences here on the Appalachian Trail made Turtle our peer. That's the way it is out here. After all, the AT is "A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness." This fellowship with the wilderness accompanies the fellowship among hikers. No barriers, just brothers and sisters.