Date: 2003-05-14
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow...it was the hardest thing in the world to get out of my sleeping bag this morning! I could see my breath in my tent, and could hear the wind whipping through the trees overhead. However, I was awake (after all, it was 6:38 a.m.), and nature was calling. I got up to dig a cathole, then immediately went back to bag. I decided to update my journal, as I was still 2 days behind (town visits are not conducive to journal writing), and finished 5/11. I then thought I should get up, but...nah, still too cold. I completed my entry for 5/12. Finally, I knew I had to get up. I expected Q and Jonachi to be up and gone, but Q was just stirring as well. We sat around and had breakfast, drank herbal tea and coffee. By the time I got packed up and going, it was 10:30...and still freezing! I ended up wearing my fleece and my legs (zip-off pantlegs, that is) off and on all day. The day started off with a bit of a climb, and after I had reached the top, I was on the leeward si!de of the mountain. A brief period away from the wind...it was actually warm! After a 2 mile descent into Hughes Gap, the biggest climb of the day, and the highest elevation on the Trail till we get to New Hampshire, lay ahead. Roan Mountain boasts the shelter with the highest elevation, and used to be the site of the Cloudland Hotel, a fancy resort in its day. It took me about 3 hours to do the climb...not straight up, but some of the toughest terrain I'd encountered in awhile. The view from the top was incredible...you could imagine how the people who had stayed at the Cloudland felt. The top also featured...a restroom!! Yay! After taking advantage of this (in Tennesee, the shelters don't have privies...just a big shovel), I continued on to the Roan High Knob Shelter. I planned on having lunch there. There was a wheelbarrow on the Trail in front of the path to the shelter, and several people coming down the path. I realized I recognized one of them...Nuts! She! and Twigs were doing some maintenance work in exchange for a couple of days of slackpacking into Damascus. I can't believe I was lucky enough to see them again so soon! We chatted for a bit...Nuts had seen Dutch at Kincora Hostel the night before. The crew left, and I did soon after...it was so cold on top of the mountain that I again could see my breath! At the next gap, I met up with Q and Jonachi. They had passed me when I was at the shelter, and were having a hot lunch before moving on. I stayed with them a bit, then moved on. The next section climbed over some balds, the terrain that dominates the way to Kincora. The balds are beautiful, and afford really great views, as there are no trees to obstruct them. The only problem with this part of the hike, was that the wind was now like a battering force...it was as if it was trying to tear the pack off my back. It made for a difficult hike. Then, I made a blundering error (I know, I haven't made any for awhile...I was due). Two men hiked past me...no backpacks, but carrying a bag! of marshmallows and candy bars. I continued on after they had passed, but followed them on the path. In doing so, I failed to notice that they had taken the "side trail to grassy ridge", and that the AT had veered to the left. By the time I realized I hadn't seen a blaze in awhile, I was atop the ridge and beyond. I felt a bit panicky, as I couldn't remember where the last blaze I saw was. I started backtracking and finally found it. I had added about one mile extra to my day! (I have decided that I'm going to give myself extra points for extra miles...so there!) I caught up with Q and Jonachi, who had gotten ahead of me, due to my detour. We hiked the last 1.7 miles to the Overmountain Shelter, which is an old barn that was restored as a shelter. The shelter itself is very cool, and the view from the shelter is just incredible. We ate a late dinner and hit the tents for bed. I want to try and do a twenty mile day tomorrow, so I can make it to Kincora Hostel be!fore getting a shuttle to Damascus for Trail Days.