Date: 2004-04-25
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Roan Mountain Knob Shelter
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

10 a.m. Last one out of the shelter this morning. My back was spazzing, so I took a muscle relaxant and lay back for a while to let it take effect. Superglued my left "ring" toe again this morning -- seems to be helping the healing process.At the top of the first hill this morning, the heady perfume of the reopening flowers was wonderful. It's going to be another hot, humid day. The haze over the mountains to the east and west has blurred the horizon, but there's a breeze blowing through this little gap and the birds are cheering on the fine morning weather.11 a.m. I'm atop the rocky peak after Clyde Smith Shelter with a marvellous veiw of a green valley farm below in the distance, parts of the forest shaded by cloud, the rest in full sun. This is the view that ZigZag mentioned yesterday when I came across her at Iron Mountain Gap, waiting for the other Axe Murderers, Lady Di and Purple Rose. The trees are still mostly bare below, but the rhododendron and mountain laurel provide cooling shade up here.Last night there was a break in the clouds and a crisp crescent moon appeared with a few stars. Who knows what today's skies will bring?1:30 p.m. Part of the way up the violet-lined path from the last road, I stopped at this campsite, on a lawn of trout lily leaves, to stretch out my back and take a nap. Mission accomplished. I was high as a kite this morning from the muscle relaxants -- felt all the same aches and pains, but felt loose as a goose, as hazy as the distant mountains, singing Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, and Gilbert & Sullivan tunes at the top of my lungs.7 p.m. Got into Roan Mountain Knob Shelter just before 5 p.m. Jester was installed upstairs, Dave the Sailor downstairs, and, given the threat of rain and the beauty of the spot, I didn't see any good reason to press on, so I cooked up some chicken soup with ramps and ginger, and a ginger infusion for Dave, who's suffering from a cold, and settled in for the night. The rain started at 4 a.m.The top of Roan Mountain was beautiful, and there were boards with historical information about the Cloudland Hotel that used to exist on the site. Its dining room had a line down the middle of it showing where non-drinking Tennessee ended and legal-drinking North Carolina began. It was a turn-of-the-century summer resort, billed as an escape from the hayfever at lower elevations, the highest resort east of the Rockies, averaging 60-degree days, etc., with room and full board all for $30 a month, $5 extra per month to have a fire lit in your room for the month!Approaching the peak were areas of grass and spring beauties studded with tall, upright trees -- reminded me of scenes from Scandanavian and Russian films. A forest with full light, no canopy -- a romantic spot.Matt and Jill, the two Indianians, slept upstairs in the loft with Jester. I decided to sleep downstairs where it smelled a good bit less "mousy". Sure enough, they had visitors during the night, one of them happily dancing in Jester's flashlight beam, possibly waiting for applause?Chris and Elly, from U.P. Michigan, stopped by as we were cooking dinner; they had got "sucked into Erwin" for the night, pulling an all-nighter at a diner to get their trail journals up to date. They were slack-packing -- had got a ride to the trail and were hiking without packs back to town. I've seen other kids doing this as part of their Erwin stay. Rael would shake his head over it. And, at least for now, I feel the same way: "'Taint the same thang as hikin' full pack!" But, once again, everyone has to hike their own hike. It's not a contest!