Date: 2006-03-06
From: Half mile north of Muskrat Shltr, NC

To: Near Wayah Gap, NC
Miles today: 33.7

Day 6 I had a very nice tent spot last night on a bunch of soft rhododendron leaves. It rained off and on all night. I looked at my watch once in the middle of the night and the next time I looked at it, it was time to get up...I slept well. I woke up at 5:40 this morning and stuck my stove out the tent door and brewed a 16 ounce cup of Starbuck's. I had one fruit pie and half a dozen chocolate covered donuts...Life is good!!! :-))) I started walking at 6:55am and it was very foggy out with a lite drizzle. I walked by Chunky Gal Trail first....I like that name. :-))) Just before I got to Deep Gap, there had been some real nice trail work done recently and there was still some ice around in different spots. There was still a little bit of snow in some of the shady spots too. When I got to Deep Gap, there was two cartons of sodas there. there was also a note on the box that said to save two cokes for Stumpknocker. :-))) The trail magic was left by Amoeba and Zigzag who were out doing that section to help Zigzag fill in the southern A.T. Thanks to you both...that was great!!!I drank one right there and packed one out for later. There was also a garbage can there, so I was able to get rid of my garbage. Thanks NC for NOT taking the garbage cans away from some trail heads like Georgia did.....bad Georgia. I started climbing Standing Indian Mountain from there. I walked by the side trail to Standing Indian Shelter without stopping. I got to the summit of Standing Indian Mountain. It was the first time on this hike that I climbed to over a mile high at almost 5500 feet. There was still snow laying around on top of that mountain. There was still thick fog out, but twice on the way up the mountain, the sun tried peeking through, so it looks like the weather was improving. I stopped by Carter Gap Shelter and signed the register and got to use a couple smiley face stickers. :-))) By 11am, the fog was all gone and it turned out to be a mostly sunny day. Just north of Mooney Gap, I stopped at a nice spring and tanked up and filled up my water bottle. I passed by the first thru hiker I had seen all day while I was climbing the steep Albert Mountain. Her name was Karoona Leal.....I think. I got to the summit of Albert Mountain. That was the second time I was over a mile high today. I had some really nice long distance views from there. I walked by the side trail to Big Spring Shelter without stopping. I passed by a man and a group of 4 children that looked like they were having a great time. The man's name was Mainiac who has done a speed thru hike before. The youngest kid was 3 years old and wasn't carrying anything on his back. They left Springer on the 18th of February and were heading to Hot Springs. The kids seemed to be bundles of energy because they were busy playing while they were walking. I stopped by Rock Gap Shelter and saw a guy that I've seen before by the name of Night Stalker. We both knew we had met somewhere, but neither of us could remember where. There was also a hiker there by the name of Mike. They were both waiting on Mainiac's crew to get in to do some trail magic for them. I was able to get rid of more garbage at the cans at Rock Gap which is near the Wasilik Poplar tree....the second largest poplar in the world. I had decided that if there was an easy ride at Winding Stair Gap that would take me into Franklin, I would take it and spend the night in town. If there wasn't, I would fill up with water from one of my favorite springs that is right there at the gap and walk on....I walked on. I walked by Swinging Lick Gap, then Panther Gap on my way up to the third time today that I was over a mile high at Siler's Bald. On the way down, I walked by a two person Shires tent that was set up about 3 feet off the trail. I guess they didn't want any privacy. :-))) A late day wind picked up as I was walking over Siler's Bald and it was starting to get a little chilly out. I stopped at a small stream on the side of the mountain and got water for the night, then I found a suitable stealth tent spot near Wayah Gap. While I was setting up my tent, it started snowing and got very windy. I got inside and climbed into my sleeping bag right away to warm up.I wasn't too hungry because I had been snacking about every hour while I was walking today. That seems to keep my energy level burning on high when I do that. I ate a few donuts and a handful of assorted nuts and drank some water for dinner. I could hear the frozen precipitation hitting the tent as I fell asleep.