Date: 2013-03-31
From: Carter's Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: light rain

It rained on and off all night. I woke up dry, but the movement from above caused dirt and grit to shower down on me. I didn't complain. As I said, I was dry. Careful to keep my stuff out of the mud and dirt, I got my stuff packed up. I cooked up some hot chocolate and granola. I got over-zealous with my fuel, and my hot chocolate bubbled over, making everything sticky. Ho-hum. Just another layer of camp scum. I set off donned in rain gear, though the rain held off. It was muddy. Lots of leaves, muddy leaves. Rocks, wet rocks. At one point I was walking along, staring at my foot placement, and suddenly realized that the path was clinging to the edge of a HUGE rock face. Only a thin layer of scrawny leaf-less trees guarded me from a long 100+ ft drop-off. The path was a watery path, no less. My breath caught. I felt a surge of panic. I'm terrified of heights. Don't look down, don't look down. I looked down. I took an unsteady step forward. I had to keep moving forward. I understood why that don't allow pack animals on the trail. I wondered what I would do if I were to encounter someone with a donkey or llama on the trail. I decided that person would be an asshole and I knew I would think nasty thoughts about them. Focus, move forward. I began my ascent of Albert Mountain. The clouds had moved in, and I knew that my chance of any vista from the top was slim. My heart felt like it was working overtime to climb the 100 yards up to the top. Somebody had a sick sense of humor. It was hand-over-hand climbing to get top. Finally, I made it to the 100 mile mark! Woohoo! I celebrated by taking a picture of the fog and enjoying a lunch of tortillas, tuna, cheese and hot sauce. Mmmm-mmm!I came down Albert Mountain, and the drizzle began. I as I reached Long Branch Shelter turn off, I was curious to see if it had been completed. The sound of the babbling creek made me smile I followed down the trail and saw the shiny new shelter come in to view. It smelled like new wood. The privy literally shined. Disappointingly, the area was strewn with hiker garbage- empty Gatorade bottles, granola bar and candy wrappers, plastic bags, battery packages, clothes. It pissed me off. Shame on us. I found an empty shopping bag that smelled of patchouli. I walked around the shelter collecting the garbage, and by the time I was done, the bag was full. I loaded the pack on my back, hooked the shopping bag over my arm, grabbed the hiking poles and hiked out. The rain was starting to really come down when I reached Rock Gap Shelter. From the distance it looked empty, but as I got closer I saw a familiar profile-Strider. Dressed in a bright yellow rain poncho, he informed me that there was a sliver of a space left in the shelter. Score! A sliver was all I needed. I quickly unfurled my sleeping mat and sleeping bag to claim my spot. It was a small, graffiti covered shelter. Strider told me that there was trail magic a few hundred meters down trail at the parking area. Yeah! We headed down, and sure enough, there they were! It was a the group from the morning before. They made Easter morning omelets at Deep Gap and then rushed over to make afternoon made-to-order omelets for hikers coming through Rock Gap that evening. Even in the cold, pouring rain their enthusiasm and laughter kept spirits high. I was quickly handed a menu where I checked off my desired ingredients for an omelet as well as what I would like on a sandwich to go. I was handed a large piping hot cup of chai tea and a cup of fresh fruit salad. The table was covered with a variety of homemade cakes and cookies. The weather was crap, but there wasn't a frown to be seen. I was handed the largest omelet I think I've ever set my sights on. The group took my photo and treated me as if I had cured cancer. It made my head spin, and yes, I cried. The leader of the group, Tarheel, had thru-hiked in 1979, and in the 22 years since then every year he and a group of other hikers and volunteers meet up on Easter eve and Easter day and set up a feeding station for hikers. They don't accept donations or set out to preach anything. All they do is "seek to feed kindness." I stayed for close to 2 hrs until they closed up shop. They made a large to-go baggy for me to take up to the shelter and feed anyone else who might arrive. Glorious.Cook In a thru-hiker from Indiana, Strider, myself and a father (Webster) and his two sons (Wyatt & Blake) shared the shelter. Web and his sons were spending their spring break hiking south towards Springer. They brought a candle, and we laid in our bags, watching the candle dancing in the wind and talking long after dark. A great night, it was.