Date: 2006-03-29
From: Green Corner Road @ Standing Bear Farm

To: Roaring Fork Shelter (the new one)
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: broken clouds

Man, so many things come to me when I'm hiking and forget many of them I want to write so at lunch break today (bagels and chips), I wrote them down so I could remember to write about them. Cameron was absolutely correct when he said the Smokies would be cold, and tough. I believed him, just didn't know how bad it'd be. I was intimitated of the Smokies @ Fontanna, and had good reason. Just look at the foot and a half of snow and temps to see why. Forgot to mention that on Sunday, right before the ride up to Newfound, Sasparilla, and Crumbs (mistakenly called her Craker earlier) show up in Gatlinburg. Good to know they've made it this far. And their parents have all sorts of cupcake treats and goodies from company similar to Little Dibbie. These rocked my world. I'm not a big fan of taking medicine when at home. Just never have really liked it, even Advil and the like for headaches. I just bare it. I may have had a change of heart though. Sometimes I'm takin ghte i-b-pro-fun, and it takes some swelling off the knee abd really reduces the pain. We'll see how taking this 'vitamin I' pans out. May have already written this but here it is again... this is a strong social scene out here and you can tell much about two people by what they call one another. "Old" relationships sometimes still call you by your real name, "Parker" b/c when they met you, you didn't have a trailname yet. Once introduced to someone though by their trailname, you are a "new" relationship and will only refer to them by their trailname. This total trail is a huge mental game. I'd give it a 80% mental and 20% physical. Ok, so you have to psychally be able to hike the trail, so bump that up to 35% physical, but keep the mental at 80%, you do the math. It really is all about your attitude and having your head in the right spot. Coming into this, I thought I was a very mentally tough person. I'm not sure if I still feel that way or not, but I've definately had some down moments. I've absolutely questioned what I'm doing out here and is this really what I want to do. I'm in this for the challenge, to see what I'm made of, to learn about other culture/communities, and learn about myself. So yes, I'm constantly tested on my mental game. And I'll win, I will. So last night @ Standing Bear was awesome. I stayed in the cabin (the bigger bed on the right is the more comfortable one) with Mango and had an awesome night sleep on the big bed under cotton sheets. Ahh, cotton. Creek was virtually right under us and puts you right to sleep. Played horseshoes earlier in the night and although we stopped at 11-9, I had two ringers so watch out professional horseshoe playing clubs. Sat around fire shooting breeze with Sprocket, Boulder, and Smokin Jeff before hitting the hay. Couldn't get enough to eat, so yet another name was thrown out for me by eaither POW or Mango; tapeworm- I had a huge helping of Shepards pie, mac and cheese x boxes, and nutty bars, and was still hungry. Getting ridiculous the food I eat. Fairly easy day today, felt good the whole day. Summitted Max Patch, it was amazing. Best part of hike for me so far. Sat around at the summit with the benchmark (dad, I'm seeing these everywhere; at least 20 so far), for 30 minutes by myself w/ no one else around, eating in awe. Imagine a huge grassy field (meadow), where you can barely see the edge where it stops and the woods begin. Now imagine being on the very top of a mountain, with absolutely nothing around whatsoever obstructing any of the 360 degree of view. Now put that grassy field/meadow on top of the mountain with unobstructed views of everything around and add in a perfect blue sky with a few puffy clouds and you have it. Mountains, mountains everywhere and so sweet to look back on the Smokies, look forward to what is ahead and at everything else surrounding you. Here with POW and Mango, along with Booger and her dog Willy. Booger is from Wrightsville and knows Steve and Mary's son. (or daughter?) Small world.