Date: 2004-05-04
From: Dennis Cove Road - Laurel Creek Lodge and Hostel

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Just a quick note from the trail while I wait for breakfast to be ready. I spent the night at Laurel Creek Lodge and Hostel (instead of Kincora) and it was great to clean up, do laundry and resupply. The hike has been great so far. It has been cool and overcast, with a little rain, but good hiking weather. I have camped at Low Gap, Clyde Smith Shelter, Overmountain Shelter, Mountaineer Falls, and stayed in the hostel here at Laurel Creek. I will head out after breakfast and hike to Watuaga Lake Shelter for the night. I am doing well, no unanticipated aches and pains, and everything is fine. Some beautiful views. This is really pretty country, especially as seen from the top of these bald mountains. I will update this date's entry with the real story when I get home, but this is just to check in. I miss Marlene alot, but am having a great time. CBiscuit. 05/04/04 Main Journal Entry Today was a very good day. I think it takes me about 5 or 6 days to get feeling good, and today was day 6 so I am right on schedule. I awoke in my cabin at Laurel Creek Hostel at 6:30 and quickly got my stuff together. Up to the office to have breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and orange juice - much more tasty than my normal strawberry pop tarts and tuna. Checked out and walked to the trailhead, about 1/2 mile away. The day started along Laurel Creek and the trail stayed within sight or hearing distance for several miles, sometimes near the creek and other times climbing high above the stream on the walls of Laurel Gorge. There were lots of steep climbs up rocky trail above the gorge and other equally rocky descents. I walked between canyon walls 20 feet apart and nearly 100 feet up, where the old railroad grade was located. The Laurel Creek Falls are awesome and very high and impressive. There was lots of water too. I crossed Laurel Creek several times on wooden bridges and took pictures of several. I like bridges. Then the trail took a sharp right turn (not that well marked, I thought) and began to climb the canyon wall - up to Pond Flats. There was much talk of this climb last night in the TV room, and I was well prepared mentally for a tough hike. The climb did not disappoint as far as the challenge, but the mental readiness, plus this being day 6, I was pleased with how it went. I concentrated on keeping moving, even if very slowly. The elevation chart showed one section of the ascent going literally straight up with no forward progress evident. Climbing up out of the huge gorge between the mountain ridges, I was able to mark my progress by noting a tree or rock on the opposite ridge. Then as I traversed back and forth across my side, I could judge my position relative to that point on the other mountainside, further and further apart as I worked my way up the mountain face. Looking down and out from the forested heights, the entire Laurel Gorge seemed to disappear in the vastness, but I knew it was somewhere down there. Also, the elevation gained made the fact that there was a major stream far below almost undetectible, though the waterfall noise continued to be heard sometimes, depending on my location on the mountain as I followed the switchbacks. Trees below on the far side looked very tiny, though I knew they were probably over 100 feet tall. Eventually the trees on the opposite side, but at my level, looked just as miniscule - both on the mountainside and on the ever more distant ridgeline silhouetted against the sky. Later, distant ridges beyond the opposite mountain came into view as my elevation gain allowed me to see over the top. What a beautiful climb. When I finally made it to the top of the first false summit and crossed a short, slightly level, part of the trail before the last steep hike to the summit of Pond Mountain, I heard the waterfall no more. Sometimes it is easy to be fooled about whether you have finished a climb, since it can be hard to tell where the top is located. The terrain leveled off, and soon I knew I was there. That felt great. There was a nice stream halfway across Pond Flats, and I filtered water and had a nice rest and snack there in a beautiful open forest, the trees and undergrowth still fairly bare of leaves, but with early spring flowers in bloom. I not only completed the climb, but crossed Pond Flats and walked the steep descent to Watauga Lake Road all before stopping for lunch. Watauga Lake was a beautiful sight in deep blue, contrasting the deep forest green, first spotted far below in the distance, as is typical when you are descending to a landmark from the summit. The skies were clear and the lake came ever closer, with greater detail becoming visible as I went. I saw marinas, boats making a wake on the lake, and beautiful settlements and remote houses in the surrounding forest. What a panorama spread out before me. At the road I hitch-hiked into Hampton TN to the Laurel Creek Restaurant and had a large sized double cheeseburger, fries and sweet tea. At the restaurant I met Rufus Marlow, a retired gentleman who is the father of the waitress and may be connected to the restaurant ownership, I'm not sure. He came over and sat in my booth as I ate, and told me the happenings in his life. He is retired from the Forest Service. His wife died last August and he has lots of time on his hands. I enjoyed his stories and hearing the history of the area. His daughter needed to go to the bank, and Rufus told me to sit tight and drink some more sweet tea while he drove her there, and when he returned he would take me back to the trail. So I did just that, relaxing in the cool, comfortable restaurant while sipping my tea and planning my itinerary for the next couple of days. When he returned his daughter took our picture, and Rufus put his arm around my shoulder as she snapped it. As we drove back to the trail he gave me much advice on safety and many times he said if I ever come through Hampton, to look him up if I need anything. He wished me well when he dropped me off, and I stood to watch him go in his seemingly ancient station wagon. What a great experience. He was an amazingly friendly man and I enjoyed my time with him. When you start out a day on the trail, you never know what highlights will be encountered during the day's walk. Meeting Rufus and having a chance to listen to him tell about himself, his beloved mountains, and the stories of this area over the decades he has lived here was definitely a high point for me today. It's people like Rufus that make a hike on the Appalachian Trail worth all the preparation, hard work and sweat. He added alot to my experience. From the road where Rufus left me I could see other hikers gathered around a concrete picnic table down by the shore of Watauga Lake. I joined them briefly and discovered most were heading to Watauga Lake Shelter, for the night or at least for a rest stop. I had less than 2 miles to hike to the shelter and got here about 4:00. I'm here with Meanderthal, Lumber, Ski Bum, Milo, Pilot and Poler and her dog Jackrabbit - Jack for short. It is a good group. We are having quiet conversation around a small campfire. Some of the hikers decided to take advantage of the full moon and night-hike a few miles later on when the moon rises, but I will remain here since I am settled in. They are preparing by sipping some moonshine they acquired from a local man. They seem to be enjoying it. The shelter sits near a creek, so the sound of the water is a quiet, sweet background song. As I sit quietly I miss Marlene and wish I could talk with her. Unlikely I could get phone service here with high mountains on all sides. Time to settle in for the night. Goodnight Sweetheart.