Date: 2013-04-20
From: Erwin,Tennessee

To: Erwin
Miles today: 20.6

Day Forty Three - Erwin (slack pack from Iron Mountain Gap SOBO to Erwin)This morning I was up early again it's so hard to sleep in a warm room on a real bed, what is happening to me! Hobo and I went for breakfast at the diner next store and the food was awesome! We even ordered breakfast sandwiches to go for on the trail. Miss Janet arrived to pick us up and drop us off at Iron Mountain Gap and after the extra stops and pictures it was after 9:30 when we began our 20.6 mile hike. It was raining very lightly when we left so we all had our rain gear on but within minutes it stopped and so began the many wardrobe changes of the day. The rain gear came off then on then off I don't even know how many times today. It sounds bad hiking in the rain but it wasn't cold and for most of the day it was nice. There was maybe twenty minutes of absolutely crazy monsoon rain and of course it was while we were going up. Unaka Mountain was gorgeous even in the fog! It was covered in tall, straight pines and the forest floor was entirely moss covered with pine needles on top. I had worried that we would be missing stuff hiking in the rain but I honestly think it made it more beautiful. Later on one of the balds we stopped to take a few pictures of the foggy trees and then two minutes later the fog was gone (it was windy) and we have pictures of the exact same trees entirely fog free. It was cool! At one point you could see the fog moving around knee level the way dry ice looks. I'm so glad we didn't just take today off! Going SOBO it was fun to talk to all of our NOBO friends as we passed. Later we really picked up the pace and practically raced down the mountain. It had stopped raining but everything was slick and wet. It was fun and scary at the same time knowing that one slide or fall could change everything. After wearing ourselves out going way too fast downhill we slowed to a more normal pace and finished the last few miles in a forest that was coming alive with spring. The leaves on the trees were filling in, the ferns were getting bigger and the dogwood trees were blooming. As tired as I was coming off the trail tonight, today was a great hiking day and guess what 20.6 miles is a new record for me. As I stepped off the trail a trail angel (and previous thruhiker) asked if I was Trouble and said that he was my ride back to the hotel. There was only room in his car for Hobo and I (and Melkie) but we knew that Gar Bear, Bearsnack and Oatmeal were right behind us so we offered to wait and walk across the bridge and back so we could cover all of the trail and let them go first. After the bridge walk we stopped for a drink at Uncle Johnny's Hostel and then walked back to wait for a ride. It was getting cold and we were both tired. It was finally our turn and when I got back to the hotel I cranked up the heat and had a hot shower. I bet I sleep great tonight! I still have to reorganize my pack but that will have to wait for tomorrow. Good night world!Confessions of a thruhiker: "It's pretty sad when you think about carrying Oskar Meyer wieners for nutrition because they might be healthier than spam."Trouble"The AT. The most fun you'll ever have.... Interrupted by long walks in the woods. Red Beard 08(Found on Miss Janet's Bounce Box)