Date: 2013-03-14
From: Franklin, NC residence

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"They're vulgar, they're disgusting, and they can run everyone from a dinner table." - Cassandra, surprisingly not about thru-hikersI sleep heavily and Mary takes me to the Route 441 - Route 64 interchange early in the morning. I decide more town food sounds nice, and go to the Huddled House for a large breakfast. After breakfast I begin the attempt to hitch back to the Trail. This time I am wearing pants instead of a kilt to see if I have better odds this way. I am not sure if this helps, as I am very lucky. I do not get far past the ramp before a pickup pulls off the road. The driver, Steve, is a Trail volunteer and a section hiker. The conversation on the way out to the gap is really great, and leads me to think of some possible future mission opportunities. Steve has worked in surveying and in missions, and has found a way to combine the two by surveying remote areas of developing nations. Those efforts are then used as a starting point for any potential future missions. Steve drops me off at the trailhead, then goes to see if any other folks need a ride into town. He wasn't even going through the area or even out of town, and has gone out of his way to give me a ride.While I am getting ready to hike, Blue Moon comes through the gap. He had stayed at the last shelter yesterday, and is skipping Franklin. I get word that Fresh Ground is set up in six miles into today's walk, and I am excited to see him again. We walk up the Trail briefly before encountering two folks I had not seen before. They are young brothers from Munich, one 19 and the other slightly older. I chat with them briefly as Blue Moon moves on. I don't stay long though, and overtake Blue Moon on the climb toward Siler Bald. This will be my first bald - I supposedly passed one shortly after entering North Carolina but did not stop to investigate its side trail in the poor weather. On the way up I overtake a slow-moving older gent from Indiana. He says past employment in a foundry has taken a toll on his lungs, but he plans to hike to Maine if his body allows.The Trail reaches the bald at 5012 feet in elevation. I had glossed over the guidebook entry's details, and did not realize the Trail did not summit this bald. The summit is a 0.2-mile walk west. While these are not Trail miles and are not necessary, I don't want to turn down a peak that is so close and has a guaranteed view. Blue Moon has caught up with me and decides to walk a bit up the side trail too. The view from the top is worth the extra bit of walking. The weather is gentle on the exposed peak, so I can take my time shooting photos before heading back down toward the Trail. I am looking forward to reaching Fresh Ground's trail magic and seeing who has congregated there.The descent into Wayah Gap goes quickly and I find Fresh Ground's setup at the picnic area. This time his offerings include hot dogs, chips, and salad. The Germans are there, as well as Trisha, Leah, and their dog Roscoe. I meet a couple new folks here. Wet Dog and Sugar Gnome started on February 23 and have been on the slow train. Sugar Gnome has a ceramic gnome lashed to the outside of her pack for hikers to sign. Saber shows up, an Alaskan and the first black thru-hiker I have met. Blue Moon is also here, and more familiar faces arrive as I am eating. I have to pull myself away from being social and get back to walking.The Trail climbs toward another bald peak, one topped with telecommunications gear which I spotted from atop Siler Bald. I stop halfway up the climb at Wilson Lick Trail for a break, and remember there is a historic site down this short trail. The site is the old ranger station, and while not very elaborate it is a nice detour. The Trail does not reach the peak of this bald, and the side trail is not marked. It descends from here into a sort of new kind of scenery. The low vegetation is flattened, and there are many blown down trees and branches. It looks like a tornado must have passed through here. I saw tornado-damaged woods when I hitched into Helen, but the damage from afar was not very impressive. It has a much more dramatic appearance while walking through the damage.The Trail meanders about at 5000 feet before ascending Wayah Bald. This mountaintop is accessible by road, and features a paved parking lot and paths. This is the first section of the AT that is paved, running from the road to the stone tower at the summit. Most of today's characters have congregated here, and I take some group photos before everyone heads down. Just as we are leaving, a 2010 thru-hiker shows up and offers around beers. None of the present thru-hikers drink, and the one soda the past hiker has to offer goes to Cassandra.The shelter is a mile past the mountaintop, and 600 feet below it. The last time I checked the forecast it was calling for frozen rain tonight. Most people are tenting, so I get a spot in the shelter. I put more care into my shelter space than in the past, carefully folding my hammock up around its foam pad and wadding up anything kinda soft into a dry bag as a pillow. Now I have a second emergency blanket to use around my feet, too. I hang out around the fire eating dinner for a while before retreating to my sleeping bag to write.Peace,