Date: 2007-05-11
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

The previous night, Sagbutt and I were talking about trying to push all the way to Neels Gap, making today a possible 15.6-mile day! To begin with, I didn't make it all the way!My SteriPen water-purifier is a fancy-schmancy invention, to be sure; but, the batter-life is a horrendous atrocity! A supposed thru-hiker used 10 sets of batteries all the way from Springer to Katahdin! Well, I would like to know how in the hell they managed to do so, as I have used 4 sets of batteries up by Woody Gap, which is only 20-miles into the Trail! This is scary, I think, as Giardia is NOT an entity I would like to be an acquaintence with! Luckily, at Woody Gap, I meet a couple who are getting off, who give me their AquaMira drops, along with some trail mix containing the most amazing candy in the world: Reeces!I bought a batter-charger for my Steripen, and here at Woody Gap, I have my first direct sunlight since Springer (remember, the Appalachian Mountains are mostly tree-covered!), so I set it out. It charges for at least an hour, and that is all the time I am willing to spend, as Neels Gap is still 10-11 more miles away!Right out of Woody Gap, and after saying goodbye to my hiking friends whom I'd only recently met, I begin the steep climb up Big Cedar Mountain. The views along the climb are amazing, so the difficulty of it is quite endurable.The previous days rainy forecast decided to come true today, somewhere along the rugged ridgeline north of Big Cedar Mountain. It doesn't just rain; it POURS! And likely for over an hour! Surprisingly, I don't mind it at all! I am hot and grimey, so I take the free shower! The only aspect of it I don't particularly care for is the lightening! It's far away, west of the ridgeline I'm on. Since it's far away, I keep hiking, with my lightenin-rod trekking poles in my hands. All of a sudden, I see lightening strike withint 100-feet of me! I immediately drop my trekking poles, and reach for my hip strap. Before I can get out of my backpack, I notice that the storm has blown right over me, and, thus, the lightening is getting further and further away, now on the east side of the ridge!My left knee decides to start acting up, also. I don't know how to describe the pain, as it's a new sensation for me. I can't stop in the middle of the Trail, especially with a rainstorm billowing over me, as I must hike to stay warm; so, on I go. Eventually, I realize that hiking over Blood Mountain today before Neels Gap probably isn't the best idea, with the northside being infamous for it's ruggedness. So, I retire at Woods Hole Shelter for the night, which is obnoxiously located .4-miles off the Trail. According to the shelter register, this is because the shelter couldn't be built in the Blood Mountain Wilderness Area, so they needed to build it so far off Trail. I understand this, but am still miffed by it, especially since my knee is in such pain at the moment.I meet Windy, a 75-year old Southbound section-hiker, who's been hiking for the past 7-years. This is his last week, and he surrealy ecstatic! Heck, I'm ecstatic for him! He and I both retire in the shelter sometime between 9 and 10pm, only to be woken up by a group of 6 or 7, maybe, hiking in at 10:30pm! It's two adults---one male, one female---and their respective children. They refer to themselves as Trail Spouses, as their respective spouses work schedules don't afford them the opportunity to hike much. Nonetheless, they make an inordinate amount of noise, I think. I expect noise from people, as they come in, settle down, set up camp, and cook dinner. But for me, the issue was the lady was on her damn cellphone, yapping away. She must see Windy and I in the shelter, trying to sleep; and the gentleman Mark with his dog, tented nearby, also! I'm not opposed to cellphones, but please, people, use some tact! I have mine on me, at that; but, I only use it while in town!All in all, despite the inclement weather, and the sprained/strained knee, and the bumpy experience with Miss-I-Can't-Leave-My-Materialistic-Lifestyle-At-Home-When-I-Go-Backpacking, it was a wonderful day, replete with beautiful forests, beautiful flowers, and beautiful vistas! Tomorrow, I plan to hike only to Neels Gap, a mere 3-miles, allowing my knee the rest of the day to rest, before pushing on the next day. I love hiking!