Date: 2010-04-16
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Devil Fork Gap- Asheville
Miles today: 8.6

Today are meeting H&U at Devils Fork Gap to go into Asheville for some R&R. Everytime they pick us up or drop us off, they have talked about doing trail magic- or just brought a couple sodas or cookies. We didn't talk about it, but I feel there is a very good chance they will bring trail magic when they pick us up and told the Gooch Crew if they were at the road crossing at the pick up time there might be magic.         We had to get an earlier start than usual in order to make it to the pick up on time. Doodlebug and Didgeridude hiking before 9! Crazy! The hike over Big Butt was gorgeous, the trail passed through an open meadow like area surrounded by trees. Someone was camped up there, along the trail, but they were still sleeping when we passed.We passed a rock outcropping about 20 ft high with a large crack down the middle. Is this why its called Big Butt?         We made it to the gap and H&U were already there, along with several other hikers who were ahead of us and already partaking of the sodas (YAY!!) and apples (yay!!) they had brought. Turns out they had done magic at Sam's Gap yesterday when they picked up Nature too. But they said this was a much nicer place than there. Sam's Gap is where the new interstate (I-26) crosses. It was being built in 2001 when I went through, I remember hiking through a construction zone and taking a picture of a Hikers Yield to Construction Traffic sign. Devil Fork Gap is a state highway crossing, and is a very picturesque spot with a trail winding off across a field after crossing a stile ( a short set of steps to cross a fence). We had a lovely flowering tree to sit under on some grass as well. I was glad that the Gooch Crew got the magic from our friends as they have been one of my favorite groups we've hiked with some so far.        Then we were whisked off to Asheville, about 90 minutes away. H&U moved back there from Suches a couple weeks ago. They had rented their place furnished, a house they built a few years ago on a plot of land they divided off a place their daugther owned before she moved to GA. Its a darling little house in a cute neighborhood. There are tons of trees flowering in Asheville right now. We got to go downtown tonight for the weekly drum circle. Jasper had a great treat- not only did he get to drum , Mary Ann had borrowed a really nice drum from a friend for him to play. We just missed seeing another friend from AT 2001, Marcus aka Blowing Sunshine, who lives in Asheville. He flew out this afternoon to go hike the PCT.         The drum circle was crazy! There were dozens of people drumming and probably a hundred dancing in this this public square area. I played the birdbath base for awhile and danced with Nature and Mary Ann for awhile. The guys running the drum circle did a cool exercise where they went around to each person and they got to do a mini solo, in between everyone would drum again for about 30 seconds and then when the beat came around again, it was the next person's turn. Very cool. It would be so cool to live near such a concentration of artistic open minded people. Sometimes I really wonder what we are doing living in Southwest MO and not here or some other cool place.