Date: 2003-04-08
From: Sam's Gap

To: Spivey's Gap
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Though I spent the night in Erwin, languished in the hot shower like a city person and ate hot, cheese-laden food, today is still a work day. Out to hike, woman! It's what you do.Scamp and Greylock decided to walk on the wild side and try the slack-packing life. They will join me for the 13.5 miles from Sam's to Spivey's Gap. They carried little daypacks that Miss Janet loaned out for "freedom hiking," as she calls it.I just like the feel of my own pack at my back. It's warmer and blocks the wind, for one. Plus I can carry all my little "comfort stuff." I really like the handy hipbelt pockets on my ULA P-2 pack. I just don't like the heavy weight.So I just take out my tent, sleeping bag and food bag, replacing the snacks I need for the day. I keep my clothes bag in case we need to wait at Spivey Gap. I don't want to sit, chilled, in wet clothes.Another grey, damp day. We rejoined the AT at Sam's Gap, and walked up the hills with a little jauntier step. I'm telling you, a lighter pack makes hiking a joy! Alright, true confession: I LOVE hiking and camping, it's backpacking I am ambivalent about. It IS a satisfying situation to have everything you need to survive for several days on your back. It enables one to go to soul-grabbing places dayhikers can't. But, oh! the price one pays on the feet, tendons, shins, knees, hips, heart and lungs. All day long "freedom hiking," my body thanks me for the little break.We crest the first big climb out of the gap into a flat spot, with a green meadow flowing out before us. In the distance, we spot Big Bald Mountain, our apex for the day. It seems impossibly high and unbelievably far away. By now I have learned that this perception is an illusion, so I put it out of my head. Though cloudy, the air seems clear so we set off briskly, hoping for a glimpse of the spectacular views off Big Bald. I had hiked up there just last November with Bumpkin, Anna (Mudbutt) and other friends from the WomenHikers internet list. Sunny it was then, and we were treated to some spectacular views of Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi, and Roan Mountain, our second highest climb on the AT.But alas, this trip a cloud quickly catches on the crest of Big Bald as we ascend her stony flanks. When we crest the bald, we are walking in a thick fog. The mood and the low shrubby rolling plain puts me in mind of the moors, and I half expect to see wild Exmoor ponies galloping out of the mist, mane and tail streaming. "Heaaaathcliiiif..." On the crest it was so cold and windy we quickly exited. Pop-Pop told us he had had sunny skies and trail magic here, burgers and hot dogs. A rutted mud track leads up to the top, and some ex-hiker had lugged a grill.I believe I will enjoy parceling out "trail magic" next year.On the other side, it got cold, fast. The trail turned greasy, and the wind followed us down off the crest as we wound through a strange forest of fantastically twisted trees. At a quick lunch at Big Bald shelter, we learned that snow is predicted for the day after tomorrow.In the mountains at this time of year, pretty much anytime it rains down below, we'll get snow above 3,500 feet. Most of the Trail here is above 3500 feet. As we descend the north flank, the weather spooks me a little. The frigid wind is tearing through the trees and the sky is throwing ice chunks at us. We hasten down the Trail.Again, we get to our pickup point before 4 pm. It is drizzling. We are wiser now - our shuttle pickup isn't till 5:30 pm, so we stick out our thumbs to hitch. Only one problem - a mere three cars pass through this isolated gap going our way. Finally, only 15 minutes before Janet is due to arrive, a mercy truck stops for us. He took pity on us miserable, huddled, dripping wretches.The cold rain is pelting now, and we have been walking in sodden circles to keep warm and keep our spirits up. Regretfully, we turn this trail angel down because surely now Miss J is on her way and we don't want to put her out. We count down the minutes to 5:30.But at 5:35, soaked on an isolated country road, we HAD to do something, it was hypothermia city. So we started waking. About 35 minutes later, the grey van appears towards us. It was a silent, soaking disgruntled group that climbed into that van.Janet surveyed the situation and decided, rightly, that an AYCE (all you can eat) pizza buffet for $3.99 would put a better slant on the evening. Eight hikers cleaned out the salad bar and kept the pie makers hopping. Aaaah, life was improving.Miss Janet's open house is like a college dorm, with all the chaos and camaraderie that comes with that scene. Tonight, it was all that and more so. The bad weather drove all the hikers down from the hills and packed the Erwin hotels and hostels. We lucky dry ones sat cheek-to-jowl in Janet's living room with her two teen-aged girls, their dog Fabian and 15 other smelly, grateful hikers and watched the video "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" It was fun and we stayed up way too late.