Date: 2004-04-23
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 14.7

Woke up with a slight wind and temperatures in the low 40's. Shortly after leaving the shelter I came to Carver Gap and Round Bald. The rocks in this area are the oldest on the AT, estimated at 2.5 billion years old. The group I was hiking with decided I was the closest in age to the rocks. The hike down the mountain was stressful on my ankle, slowing me down and putting me in a fatigued mental state. I slapped myself a couple of times and after getting my attention, told myself to shape up, put that feeling somewhere in the back of your mind, remember the expression "No pain, no Maine." Fire Marshal stayed with me, distracted me with conversation and before I knew it we were having lunch at Overmountain Shelter (a 2 story barn restored as a hiker shelter). After lunch, the climbing began. Up Little Hump Mountain then to Hump Mountain. Tough climbs were supposed to be over after Roan Mountain. Murphy's Law showed up once again. As the 360 degree vistas came into view, all the pain and suffering I endured disappeared and my breath was taken away again. Mother Nature's bosom was before me with spectacular, no, magnificent purple mountains separated by green fertile valleys. As I continued so too did the views. I felt on top of the world at the zenith point of Hump Mountain. I was so close to the clouds I felt that if a plane flew over me I could reach up and snatch it out of the sky like King Kong on the Empire State Building. And then, on this mountain, 5587 feet high, on the AT, a herd of cattle stood grazing, some with horns that would make a Cadillac front end bog down. They were huge. Fire Marshal and I slowly walked telling the cattle we were vegetarians, that we eat chicken, we like pork, we promise not to put you on a fork (at least until we safely pass). One big horned animal looked up and stared at us. Fire Marshal was in front of me and I told him to keep walking slowly. He was too slow so I was riding his back. As we passed the horned beast Fire Marshal turns around and took a photograph as we walked. "What the hey, Grant" I said. Spook the animal and my behind is the first thing he sees. "MOVE"! No sharp pain in my buttocks so I turned around and there he was still staring us down. We finally put distance between us and laughed about the ordeal between getting our breaths and heartbeats back to normal rhythm.From the top of the world we had to hike down through boulders, rocks and roots. Agony for a healthy hiker, pure hell for a hiker hobbler like me. Everyone from last night's shelter was meeting at a steak restaurant for dinner. We finally made Apple House Shelter. I thanked Fire Marshal for staying with me, but I was too tired, too aggravated to hike to the steakhouse. Fire Marshal left and I stayed behind at the shelter. As soon as I finished my Stove Top dinner with chicken, I see BearTracks coming up the trail with his pack and carrying a plastic bag. He gives me a ¢to go¢ plate with a complete steak dinner! That is what Trail Magic is all about. By the acts of these two fellow hikers, Fire Marshal and BearTracks, my spirits were lifted from the depths of weariness. Tonight Fire Marshal, BearTracks and I are planning tomorrow¢s hike, taking one step at a time, one day at a time.