Date: 2013-04-09
From: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

Day 18 I quickly walked the 1 mile to NOC passing by several notes to other hikers. The restaurant would not let us bring our packs in so we left them outside under a camera. I took in my money and camera bag. I got 2 eggs, 2 sausage patties, and 2 pancakes. It was nice having breakfast with Nicole and Jeff. We finished up and I left my phone charging. I went to NOC to buy more ounces of denatured alcohol and to look around. I bought clothes for my niece to be Gracie coming April 28. I wondered on across the bridge and thought about soaking my feet in the river but figured I better continue on. I stopped by the bathroom to use the sink and soap, and disaster struck, my period came early. I've been regular for awhile so this was completely unexpected. I grabbed my pack and walked to the general store thinking OK this is unexpected but I can just buy some feminine products and continue hiking. glad this happened while in town, well the general store didn't sell anything at all for women. They had single rolls of TP plenty of snacks and goodies that hikers need but no feminine products. I asked the cashier where I could find some and she didn't know. I practically cried right there, I am in town and no one sold any type of fem stuff? WHAT?! So I ran around town asking all female hikers if they had anything I could use. I gathered up a small stockpile of things, enough to get me to Fontana where my mail drop would contain all that I'd need. After this I was more than a little stressed so I headed toward the river to soak my feet and relax. I saw Amazon chilling at a picnic table and joined him, soon Scaverger, Chuckwagon, Lola and Berkeley arrived. We all chatted for awhile and tried to soak our feet, that Nantahala river was ice cold! I knew I had a 6 mile uphill ahead of me so I got going around 12:45 I crossed the RR tracks and a briar reached out and bite me! It was the first time this trip. I was in shorts so of course the thorns ripped my flesh owey, it was just 3 scratches but still not the best way to start climbing. It was nearing the hottest part of the day as I was going up. It wasn't to bad as long as I rested in the shade of a tree trunk. No trees have leaves yet so it was pretty open. I was a bit scared I'd run out of water as I was going uphill and water sources aren't usually up. After about 2 miles/2hours I stopped and was able to get some water from a nice spring. As I continued climbing I passed a plaque that read a firefighter had died saving this trail in 1968. I don't mean to be rude or ungrateful but man you shouldn't have. This piece of trail was not worth your life. I continued up one step at a time for hours and hours. I got pretty discouraged so I tried texting my twitter/Facebook for people to encourage me. 2 guys passed me and one was very condescending to my external frame pack, well nice to meet you to dude. I finally arrived at the jump off where you could see the lake and it was nice, I guess. I just wished this climb to end. I figured it'd be just a little bit further till I'd be headed downhill to the shelter. I was wrong. I climbed up for 3 more hours, I'm pretty sure I was crying, soaked from sweat ready to roll right back down the mountain into that icy cold river. Eventually I came to a sign that said shelter (just before sunset)I'd made it and I was still alive. A guy there was making a fire directly in front of the shelter. He started it with a bible that was in the shelter. Now that was awful. I think even most atheists wouldn't burn a bible, just out of respect. But the guy soon added his trash to the fire including plastic. So this super thick stinky smoke was coming directly into the shelter while I was trying to cook dinner. I was so frustrated I couldn't talk. Finally the fire went out after his buddy told him to put it out. I cooked a whole package of noodles and used half my chicken. Mmm! I stumbled into my sleeping bag. So ready for sleep but these guys kept talking and snoring past midnight. I got up at 7 for some oatmeal Berkeley dropped a note in front of me as I was making breakfast. I'm pretty sure I knew what that was and finished cooking and cleaning my pot then sat down to read the note. Yep it was a love note. It was really well written I must be doing something right if I am super cute after not showering for 5 days at that point. Or maybe it's my yoga pants, or that I'm one of few single female 20 somethings, But that was a nice ego boost to read. I wasn't to sure how to react to it though.