Date: 2005-04-10
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tricorner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: scattered clouds

4.10.05Day 2810:30am At the risk of repeating myself ad nauseun, let me say -- What a fabulously glor-ious day. This morning's walk has been either traversing the spine of a ridgeline, or circling just below the crest of it. Largely cloistered in the green embrace of alpine forest, but when you emerge into a small clearing or rock outcrop, the views have been phenomenal, the mountains stretching seemingly infinitely into the distance. The sun has rather stubbornly been hiding behind a mask of clouds, but the spattering of blue skies holds promise of sunshine later today. The sunrise this morning, the sun was a glowing red orb, filtered behind a thin veneer of wispy cloud. And when it crested that cover... a positive explosion of color -- pinks, yellows. A painter's canvas.Last night, I crawled into my tent around 7:30, when the air got just a little too chilly for my shorts and T-shirt. Once in my sleeping bag, I had every intention of typing up another journal entry (b/c they're so bloody long and take for-ever to enter. But then, who's bloody fault is that?). But, warmly snuggled into my sleeping bag, the soft drone of muted conversations lulled me into a half-slumber. Next I know, it was 9:30. So, no progress on the TJ front. I woke up at 2:30 to discover that the foot of my bag was damp. At first, I confusedly thought -- 'Did it rain?' But no, I would have heard the percussive patter on my tent. Then, I figured I must have simply been sweating. Profusely. I partially unzipped my bag, and went back to sleep. What I have since decided it was is that it 'fogged' last night. Now, I don't know if 'fog' can be used as a verb, but I'm gonna say it can, b/c that's the most appropriate description I can muster. The underside of my ra!infly was dripping w/ condensation this morning. But, things are mostly dry by now. Alright, time to do a little more of this walking thing...12:05pm Break time again. Have to recover my sense of self-worth after being reprimanded by Scatter (Game '99), the northern Smokies ridgerunner. No, he was actually really nice aboutit, but he did tell us not to tent anymore, unless absolutely necessary. Which I understand. But, we had been told that the shelter was completely reserved by section hikers, and me, I'll take any excuse to throw up my tent. The end result of the conversation being that it looks as if I'll be (pretending) to sleep in Tricorner Knob Shelter tonight. Ah well, only one more night, and the Smokies will be behind me.It's been an unparalleledly beautiful hike so far, though. The sun finally opted to make an appearance, so I'm enjoying the warmth. (I'm especially enjoying the fact that I can enjoy the warmth, and not curse it for being too hot.) It's pleasantly cool today. In a word -- ideal for hiking. Went out to Charlie's Bunion first thing this morning, and just sat up there, absorbing the vista. Wondering how long people have been going to that exact spot, to look out across the landscape. How many people have sat on that same rock. How many hands and feet have scampered across the rocks, wearing them shiny and smooth. How much of human history is unknown, and unknowable. How much of it is held in the rocks, and the roots of trees, and on this very footpath I walk.