Date: 2015-03-30
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: US 19e road crossing
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

3/30, 16.3, US 19E, Mountain Harbor hostelSitting here in a warm hostel listening to folk type music being played by Spooner on Dude's guitar is just a little surreal after the day I have had. On the way to the shelter yesterday I found the only rock in Tennessee with a point that would fit just under my boot, but above my icetrekker. The result was a nose first fall, and the front half of my ice grip being torn from it's rubber housing. I was mad. I hiked the rest of the day with one chain, and fumed every left step. When I woke this morning it was 35 degrees, very windy, damp and I could see that a fresh dusting of snow had fallen. As I lay there not wanting to get up I had calmed enough about the trekker to conjure a plan to repair it. So as I was packing, eating breakfast and such, I spent a few minutes repairing the trekker and I am thrilled I did. My hike started on snowy, slippery trail with 35 degree temps and a full blanket of thick fog. I had spent my first night alone in a shelter everyone else avoids. I made it a priority to stay in the highest shelter on the trail. In the future I will rethink my priorities. As my hike went on the sun did begin to brighten the day, and the fog began to lift. By the time I made it to the Roan Highlands, several grassy bald mountain tops, the sun was out. Unfortunately it was aided in cloud clearing by thirty to forty mile per hour winds. The temps were still mid 40's, and hiking with that kind of crosswind is a special endeavor. Each time you pick up a foot you have to be ready for the wind to grab your pack and topple you sideways. The result is often that each step forward includes one or two steps staggering sideways to rebalance in the wind. The views were fantastic out to the surrounding mountains and valleys and I even stopped and used my pack as a wind break as I sat and ate my lunch. I finally crested the last edge and hiked down into some cover. Finally no wind...just in time for the muddy trail. Muddy trail is nice and soft to step on, and really isn't that wet, it just very closely resembles walking on a greasy floor...downhill or up. (There is no flat hiking on the AT) it makes for slow going and can be frustrating. A couple miles further down the trail dried up, mostly, just in time for the rocky, rooty ankle spraining type trail common to steep sided forests. I stumbled along on this stuff as it finally warmed to the mid 50's and the sun was now the more dominant participant in todays sky games. Nearing the end of my hike I did get to nice wide leafy forest floor walking where I encountered a day hiker. We spoke a few minutes and he asked if he could walk with me to the highway where his car was parked. We talked about work and hiking and such and soon we were at the parking lot. He knew very little about the AT culture so when he offered me a yahoo I accepted. Then when he offered me a ride somewhere I said sure, I am headed to the hostel just down the hill. As I got into his car I let him know he was off to a great start i. aT support as he had in less than three minutes provided trail magic and become a trail angel. There is no higher rank amongst AT culture.When I arrived at the hostel Spooner, Maverick, Pa Burt, Beau and Dude were there. I snagged the last bunk in the loft, showered, made and ate dinner and Dude and Spooner have been playing Dude's guitar as the evening ends. Pa Burt has hiked the trail twice before and says the trail from here to Damascus is very friendly. With that in mind I am going to try and hike 24 miles tomorrow to a hostel that charges donation only. Pa Burt and Maverick are headed there, so I will try to pace with them. Time will tell.For now I will enjoy restful sleep, breakfast at the big house and a long hike. Weather is supposed to be sunny and warming now for three to four days. Look out Damascus here we come!Silverback