Date: 2015-04-25
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Cascade at mile 311.1
Miles today: 17.1

I checked the weather before bed to see when it was supposed to start raining. 8 AM. I awoke to rain drops at 6:30. Dangit! I gave it 30 minutes while I woke up and ate breakfast. Still going. Alright, I'll brush my teeth and use the restroom. Nope. I packed everything except the tent and ran the pack into the shelter. Then I took the wet tent down and begrudginly packed it as well. Oh well. It's drying in a tree as I write this.The trail went straight up out if camp and rose for about 1000 feet until it hit the ridgeline. It wasn't raining too hard at this point but the wind was probably 30-40 MPH. Five miles in I came to a sign that gave me an option. Take the Exposed Ridgeline Trail which was the AT or take the blue blazed Bad Weather Trail. I mean, I have one job out here and it's to follow white blazes. How bad could the ridge be today anyway?On a good day it would have been amazing. Tons of bouldering and great views. Today it was wet, fogged in, and extremely windy. I still had fun climbing on the boulders even though I thought I could be blown off the mountain at any moment. At the very end of the ridge I did get a quick glimpse into Tennessee. I couldn't believe how flat it was down there.I got to Jerry Cabin Shelter a little after 11:00 and had lunch with Rusty. I haven't really been getting terribly hungry during the day until I left Hot Springs. I'd like to wait a little while for full-fledged hiker-hunger to kick in. I knew it would hit sooner or later.I passed Rusty up the next hill and soon caught up with Indy. Both guys stayed at the same shelter last night and are the only two hikers I've seen all day. That's a first.By 4:00 I was at NC 212 so I stopped to have a snack, call the Wife, and watch Rusty leave for the hostel. With the bad weather tonight I might should have gone with him, but I pressed on another couple miles to here. I wanted to camp somewhere near the stream but the bottom was surrounded by houses and there was nothing good as I climbed up. The stream turned into a cascade and as I got higher up I found a perfect, flat spot. The 1100 feet up to Lick Rock can wait until morning. I haven't gotten to sleep to the sound if a waterfall yet. I'm pretty pumped about that. Oh, and I'm the only one here so far. Hopefully the rain won't be too bad and I can put some decent miles in again tomorrow. I'd like to be around Bald Mountain Shelter tomorrow night and I might even get to Erwin a day early. We'll see. I'm a little beat this afternoon but I'm still trying to get used to walking the entire day instead of hitting certain mileage and stopping. It'll get easier I'm sure.I asked Mrs. Rock Boat the other day if there are any aspects of this hike she felt like I wasn't covering and she said the wildlife. At elevation the woods are still pretty dormant. I see chipmunks, mice, lizards, squirrels, and birds all the time. I saw a turkey once and found out in Hot Springs that the random vibrations in my ear are grouse nearby. I haven't seen one but I'm glad to know it was a bird and not me losing my mind.That being said, if there's any aspect of this you'd like to hear more about feel free to let me know. I realize I keep it fairly logistical. At the end of the day I pull my guidebook out and try to remember the highlights as I type. That's it. I think I hear thunder. Hooray! Better make these noodles quick.