Date: 2005-05-07
From: Elk Park, NC

To: Mile 398
Miles today: 12.5

Up at 6:15 after a good nights sleep on a comfortable futon bed. It was a little crowded but, no complaints. Breakfast that morning was outstanding. Fruits and breads along with an egg casserole. Coffee was hot and there was plenty of it. The sky was a beautiful clear blue and I was itching to get back on the trail.   Syracuse Pete and I walked together back to the trail. Once on it though I decided to pull up short and do something about the extra weight in my backpack. Again I was too town heavy. I said to myself, "no more, not again". I pulled out and spread out some of the extra rice I was carrying when a local, (a Turkey Hunter by the name of Farrell) walked up and said hello. He was hunting this area and just happened to be going by. I asked him if he would like the extra food I had left and he said yes. Evidently his daughter liked the hiker food I had. (tuna packets, shrimp packets and the like). I was glad to get rid of it and vowed never to go that heavy again. The food was a result of what was mailed to me from home. I remember being back home, trying to plan a days worth and placing each collection in a zip lock bag. I over estimated everything.   Two things to note, zip lock bags and rubber bands. Both of which I used again and again. I separated meals into each bag, oatmeal in one, ramine packets in to another, etc and rolled the excess bag up and wrapped it with a rubber band. I kept each in their individual packet though, this made the portions last the days they were intended for. Wrapping meals made a neat packet to place in my pack. The bags would eventually be used for trash. I also wrapped all my creature comforts in bags with rubber bands as well, (note book and pen, small first aid kit, and even eventually a small AM FM radio). This made camp set up easier also. Set up the tent and toss in the bags I wanted. Food bags, trash and personal hygiene items went in to the Bear bag and up the tree they went. My bear bag was a "Ship to Shore" water proof bag. I figured that this type of bag would reduce any odors that would attract "Big Hungry". Big Hungry is anything in the wild that puts you on the food chain below number one.      Farrell, the Turkey hunter, and I talked for quite a while. I asked him about all the tree farms I have been seeing in the area and how they operate. I told him I have a four acre field back home and he gave me a good idea. Eventually I collected a whole bunch of good ideas. He said to take your land, cut it into four sections and plant one section each year for four years. At the end of the fourth year yield the trees that were that old and then replant. This way there were tax breaks on the land and a little change coming in from the trees. Hmmmmm   Underground caught up to me while I was taking a break and laying a few damp things out in the sun. Today I carried a small plastic jar of pickled eggs out with me (another great idea). I asked if he would join me for a snack and he did. Interesting man, his second section on the trail and he was hoping just to make it to Damascus for trail days. We hiked and talked for the rest of the day. In fact we traveled together on and of for quite a bit. He made it to Damascus and beyond. We stopped at "Jones Waterfalls" which was just a few miles shy of the 400 mile mark. Indy was there at the base and took my picture for me. Then I found seclusion and had a impromptu field shower in the nude, got to love this trail.   We caught up to Syracuse Pete at about 7:30, he found a nice piece of level ground to camp on. He asked us to join him and eventually Indy Andy joined us as well. I went and back-trailed a bit and gathered water for the camp. There I saw Blue Angel down stream in the distance. She and Cloth Monkey found a little privacy and I did not want to disturb them so I just moved on. We all settled in for the night. After supper we soon were fast asleep. What a great day this was.