Date: 2009-04-12
From: Uncle Johnny's

To: Greasy Creek Friendly (Hostel)
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

Happy Easter. Johnny's crew had hidden plastic Easter Eggs with goodies inside of them around the Hostel. Since I had an early shuttle I could see several of them but took only one. Didn't want the other kids getting mad at me.It was foggy and overcast when we left the hostel at 8:00. It burned off on the ride to Carver Gap. The next few entries may look a bit strange as I struggle with how to enter south bound days into a northbound hike.It was a long ride, 1 hour and 15 minutes. We really climbed a long way in the process. Maybe a really good place to be going SOBO (southbound).It was sunny clear and calm for the first time in quite a while. Trail was still muddy, icy, wet, drifted with snow, and clear depending on what side of the mountain you were on. The bulk of the climb up Roan was very wet, from melting snow on the bottom portion followed by hard to manuever in drifted snow that had begun the melting process yesterday but refroze overnight. I was really having a hard time with my footing as it was very uneven going on the frozen footprints on the drifts near the summit. I was really concentrating on my footing and must have missed the Roan Mt. Shelter and associated blue blaze trails to all the great views I had been hearing about. I found myself at the plaque for the old Cloudland Hotel and a few views. Continued on thinking the shelter and views were ahead of me but soon was heading down and decided not to reclimb the Mt. to go back.This was really bad going. Black ice had formed over all the rocks and the rest of the trail on the top of this side of the Mt. Had to chip holes in the ice to get grip points for my poles. Very slow going, but managed to keep myself upright although I was headed for a fall on numerous occasions. Lots of old motor skills coming through from skiing on ice in the east growing up. Finally got past that area but still had a long steep down to go before finished with Roan Mt. Turned out to be a pretty good deal to be SOBO on this section of trail.Began meeting NOBO's as I decended further. Most notable for me was Tagless and Tagalong, Miss Muster and Katchup, and the Pack -A- Divas. Warned them of the ice problem they were about to encounter. Got some nice photos at Little Rock Knob area, a series of rock outcroppings with some nice views. Left... right... left... right, TN... NC... TN... NC. The state line between Tennessee and North Carolina is the Appalachian trail in this area, so theoritacly (wish I could spell that) I was walking with one foot falling in one state, and the other foot falling in the other state.Got to the Clyde Smith Shelter at 3:30 and had a late lunch. Figured out there was a hostel in two miles and it didn't take long to decide to go there for the night. It was the hostel everyone had been talking about. The one with the evil neighbor. How could I pass that up? Bad news was that is was .6 miles off the trail, of course downhill. Went anyway. Rain in the forecast for the next few days, might as well start out dry and comfortable.The neighbor, Bill, was on good behavior. Only his large aggressive dogs were out. The fence held and I found the Greasy Creek Friendly. Connie, the owner, calls her place a friendly because her neighbor is hostle.Rates were very reasonable. Bed comfortable. Food good. Bonanza. Two others showed up later in the evening after dark. Heat only by wood stove. Water gravity fed so lots of hot water but not much pressure. We watched a Jody Foster movie Contact, or First Contact something like that and went to bed.See you on the trail.Nice Lenses