Date: 2010-04-13
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Spivey Gap
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was rollercoaster-of-emotions day. In the morning - relaxed and lazy. After my big mileage days, I had a long, lazy morning at the shelter. I didn't leave until almost 10. After a short hike to Sams Gap, where the trail crosses under I-26, I took another long break. I had a great chat with my dad and dreamt of Diet Coke & cheeseburgers. Grateful was there and had decided to get a shuttle to Erwin to take Jasper (his dog) to the vet. Jasper was acting healthy, but had thrown up several times. I hope he's okay!Continuing my laid-back attitude this morning, iTrod and I stopped for an early lunch at Street Gap. After checking the map, iTrod discovered that we hadn't even gone quite 5 miles yet. As soon as lunch was over, I knew it was time to start cranking the miles! I turned up the heat & kept chugging all the way to the top of Big Bald. I took a very short (maybe 5 min.) pack-off break there, and then headed on to Big Bald Shelter. There i made a discovery that bummed me out a lot more than I expected. From what I had read so far, i felt sure that Dirt Stew, Dormouse, & Longhaul would be getting into Erwin earlier on the same day that I will (tomorrow). I come to find in the register, though, that at least D.S. & D.M. hiked all the way to Big Bald Shelter last night and planned to hike on into Erwin today. I suddenly felt no hope of catching any of my other friends & was surprisingly sad. I snapped out of it pretty quickly, though, and just decided not to worry about it. I left iTrod a note & hiked on from the shelter. I had planned for a campsite 5.3 miles from the shelter, but as I was hiking, I decided that I didn't want to be that close to a road (1/2 mile) and would instead stop short at Whistling Gap, only 3.5 miles from the shelter. I felt great about this plan and was excited to be in camp early when I arrived at the gap. There was a man sitting there at the campsite. I was at first glad to have company, but then my eyes and brain put the scene together. He was a guy in his 50s or so, face leathered by the sun. I saw a small, external-frame pack, a thin cotton sleeping bag, his high-top Chuck Taylors, his little yappy black dog, the dog toys sitting on the sleeping bag, and the real topper - his dog carrier crate. He was nice and mild-mannered when I stopped to talk (actually about to take off my pack), but something just didn't add up. It took me about 2.5 seconds to know that I wasn't camping there. I'll be totally honest here - I was really freaked out. Chances are, this guy was completely harmless, but he sent my hackles up, and I decided to immediately listen to my gut. As I hiked off, I weighed my options. I knew I was stressing over probably nothing, but the leading plan was to hike 2.3 more miles to Spivey Gap and get a hitch or shuttle to Uncle Johnny's. Then, I could slackpack the missed section tomorrow. I was nearing the road and trying to see if there was any place I felt okay camping when I heard some breaking branches. I looked through the foliage and saw the most magical thing - Absent was here!!! He had camp set up and a fire going. Even though we are right at the road, I feel so much safer with another hiker I know here. I was SO happy to see him! I ditched my shuttle plan and started on my camp chores. I told Absent my story, and he completely agreed that listening to my gut was a good thing. The evening got even better from there - an hour or so later, as I was eating dinner and Absent & I were talking, we started to hear someone moving around. Moments later, iTrod came around the corner! Even right at the road, I'm happy to be camped here with these guys. We've had a great evening, and I'm here once again camping under the stars, sans hammock. Just after Absent had crawled in his tent, right next to me, he said, "If that homeless guy comes, just yell. We'll beat him with sticks or something." I am generally very independent, but tonight, I'm very grateful for trusted friends. =) Absent's comment cracked me up, but was also comforting, like a warm blanket. Thanks, guys. Postscript, March 13, 2011: Reading my words here brings back all the emotion of the day. I really was scared that day, and I couldn't stop thinking about Meredith Emerson, the hiker who was killed near Blood Mountain several years ago. I've heard several tales of people who came across her murderer before she was killed, and they all had the same reaction- things just didn't add up quite right. I was proud of my instincts that day, and was so incredibly relieved to camp with my friends.