Date: 2005-04-21
From: Campsite

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The alarm went off at 3:00 and I didn't have to wake anyone. We were all sleeping in aneat little row so everyone heard it. We packed up and were on the trail by 3:30. Night hiking is a whole different ballgame. Your world consists of the cone of light thrown out by your headlamp. You have to walk a little slower and watch your foot placement a little more but it a fun thing to do. After an hour or so we came to Low Gap. We quietly walked a little further and then I headed back. I crept as quietly as possible toward the camp, with the bottle in hand and a note saying..TAG, you're it! Put this in someone's pack. Courtesy of Go Light, Go Easier's.. I was using only the moon as my light source and I was a little dismayed at how many tents and cowboy campers there were there! I knew if I didn't hurry I would get caught because the leaves were crunching beneath my feet. I was trying to locate a GLGE'r and, by now, I was in the middle of the entire campsite. I heard people stirring and I had to get out quick! I finally saw a shape on the ground and I had an idea it was Break but I wasn't sure. I decided I better drop the bottle and get the heck out of Dodge, which I did. I quickly headed back to the crew and we waited awhile before we left to make sure no one was awakened. We walked on and I told them that I thought I had gotten the bottle by Break. Part one of the mission was successful! Around 6:30 we reached Big Bald and we made it to the top as it was getting light. There was a strong, cool wind blowing so we bundled up and hunkered down to await the sun. The pushing extra miles yesterday, the getting up early, and the night hike was well worth the sight that greeted us when the sun started to appear behind the mountains to the east. It is one of those sights that is impossible to put into words but we know we experienced something wonderful. Totally awesome! We then headed to the shelter which was about a mile away. We strolled in and ran into Poet, Bruce Spruce, Bruce Moose, Eagle Eye and others. We told them about the sunrise and a little about the mission. Then we got down to the business of eating. Since we had been up for awhile we cooked dinners instead of breakfast. We were going to hang out at the shelter till around ten. We figured the other crew would come in around eleven and we wanted to stay ahead of them. Everyone else left and Scholar got itchy feet and she also took off. I still have to find that bungie cord! Andy, Free, and I left when planned. It was clouding up a bit but it was still warm. Around noon we reached High Rock and Free and I climbed up and sat in the sun talking. It was a great place to rest and a little later Stilts came up. All told, we probably stayed there for an hour. We pushed on and then ran into our next treat. A creek with a little waterfall. Off came the shoes and in we went. Free went all the way in but that water was real cold and I was not that brave. I did the head dunk and I think I froze my brain!. We played there for another hour and then made the final push to the shelter. While we walked we talked about the potential repurcussions of our actions. We were well aware we had started a little war and we knew retribution would be swift. Just a little something to spice up life on the trail! We reached the shelter around five. We saw Poet and she said that Scholar had pushed on into town. Not surprised! We set up our tents and ate. The three of us were pretty tired after our long day and it was going to be an early night. Free went to bed right after eating and I sat and wrote for a bit. Several people were coming in and a lot of them had been at Low Gap that morning. No mention of the bottle which meant I may have gotten it to a GLGE'r. Ranger also came in and she has been walking with that group. No mention from her either. She said she had left them earlier that afternoon. Andy looked at me and mentioned they may be trying to stealth past us tonight. Possible, but I didn't think they would want to spend the money in town for such a short night. After that I went to bed. The plan was to leave around 7:00 so we could get to the pizza buffet at 11:00!