Date: 2005-05-05
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Hughes Gap
Miles today: 11.9

Today I will hike only as far as Hughes Gap after which I¢ll yellow-blaze around Roan Mountain to Rt. 19E since I¢ve hiked it previously. Of course, Walt was scornful of my plan here and called me a wimp for skipping the hardest climb north of the Smokies. ¢Wimp, eh? You should have seen me hike in the snow in March in Virginia¢ And so it went. Actually, one regret is that I¢ll miss Walt and others as I jump about 19 Trail miles ahead. Of course Shakedown will easily catch up as will others eventually like Turbo Joe and Lightfoot and Sam. Once again, I¢m the first one up in the shelter which housed only Lightfoot, Hot Crotch, and me last night ¢ everyone else is tenting or hammocking. And again, Walt was up and left before me. After a cold night and early morning, the blue skies were welcome but temporary according to the forecasts we had seen in Erwin. The resident pileated woodpecker was hammering away as I left.As the blue overhead became overtaken by a gray blanket, the temperature dropped and by mid-morning, droplets fell but not sufficient to mount the pack cover. A plethora of up-and-down knobs this morning. I¢ve decided the reason Virginia has acquired the reputation of being easy is the prevalence of more switchbacks and less straight-up-and-down knobs similar to Harriman Park NY, the subject of much bellyaching by last years thruhikers at least as recorded in the Fingerboard Shelter register. Caught Walt at the top of one knob and moved ahead. He caught up when I stopped to help a sectional SOBOer trying to find Greasy Creek Gap and the side trail to a hostel. Arriving at Clyde Smith Shelter ahead of Walt, I met Panorama who had stayed there last night and was taking his time this morning. He moved on, not before Walt, Lightfoot and Shakedown came by. All of a sudden, the rain is becoming steady enough for the pack cover and it¢s cold ¢ my index fingers are again frostbitten, something which happens easily to me. I put on full rain gear and headed up Little Rock Knob.A steep ascent requiring high stepping up rocks similar to New England. Near the summit, I encountered Panorama talking to two young guys, SOBOers who were lifelong friends attending many schools together including a Baptist Seminary. One is a Baptist pastor, the other works on church conflict resolution. ¢We could have used you at our church a few years ago¢ was my reaction. Panorama apologized in advance for his language but they said not to worry. They also said how they often find AT hikers, even those whose faith is not-Christian or marginally Christian, to be move loving and caring than some members of their parishes who can be mean-spirited and vindictive. They cited the examples of trail magic, of hikers leaving firewood for the next group, and hikers helping each other.I was so grateful to have met these guys. They certainly dispel the stereotype portrayed in the (secular) news media of Southern Baptist leaders in part by their own open-mindedness no doubt colored by their real world experience, their young ages notwithstanding.   What a refreshing contrast to Jerry Falwell!Panorama and I talked some on the descent about politics and the economy. He¢s from Louisiana.   I averred that Bush¢s Social Security ¢crisis¢ was a hoax. The real problem fiscally was Medicare. And we agreed about the national problem of millions without health insurance. As he move ahead, he accidentally dropped the band securing his glasses but I picked it up and returned it to him.I¢m at the forlorn-looking gravel road at Hughes Gap by 2:00. Started walking with intention to hitch to Rt. 19E where I¢ll resume my hike tomorrow. The first car didn¢t appear until 2:17. The second car (at 2:35) was my Trail Angel in the person of Linda Ascher who lives nearby running a business in which she promotes herbal medicines from locally-grown and some common plants. With her were her 2 dogs who accepted my presence after some initial trepidations. Linda¢s a native of Chicago but lived in Florida for 30 years until moving to this area permanently. She¢s build a log house in the woods which she rents out.Linda had heard about the Mountain Harbor B&B/hiker hostel and talked to the owners but never met them so she drove me all the way there. What an Angel! We exchanged cards. I¢ll check out her website upon returning. Mountain Harbor is a wonderful resource for hikers. Terry and Mary Hill have renovated the top of an old barn with a living room/sleeping area, kitchenette, loft with a king-sized bed, and bathroom with shower. Terry drove me down to the Times Square Diner in Banner Elk for dinner. Sharing the hostel tonight are Inspector Gadget and Funnel Cake, the latter of whos been sick for a few days, and Fido who¢s doing light section hiking while his sprained ankle heals. Inspector Gadget¢s awaiting a new pack expected to be delivered tomorrow.Today I passed the half-way point on this hike and tomorrow will reach nearly 100 miles. It looks like I can make Damascus by Tuesday. Now that I¢ve leapt ahead, I hope to see those from my first segment during Trail Days.