Date: 2003-03-27
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 14 Great HikeWeather: Somewhat overcast to start. Later partly sunny 60's pleasantLet me start with where I left off yesterday. When I was headed back to the room, I met Fremont who said he found a cheap ride into town tonight for dinner. The NOC restaurant closes at 3. So, Dag & Mag, Mule & Driver, Riever and I meet up by entrance. While we we're waiting we watched kayackers practicing in the rapids below. When the ride doesn't show Dag starts trying to call pizza places (without luck) to see if they'll deliver. Eventually, the ride shows up and Fremont heads to town. Mule and I sit on the benches by the river talk and wait and wait and wait. About 7:30 here comes Fremont walking from the direction of the cabins. First words out of his mouth, "don't get excited." The wait was just too long for 20 pizzas so he went to the store and bought frozen D'giorno's and brought them to the community center where about 15 of us pigged out.Before bed I called Julia and everything is okay. Had a fairly decent night's sleep.Today I get up around 6 and go to the kitchen/lounge area where a fellow I had never seen before was sitting by himself. As I do my Cream Of Wheat we chat a little and he asks me if I know any hikers with an English accent. It seems that someone swiped some of his beer and wine out of the frig. I told him I didn't drink any but some of the hikers I was with may have had a few since they were not marked and we thought they were left behind by other hikers. I can tell he's pissed and ask him what he wants for it. He says $10 and he is in room #2. I tell Mule, Driver, Riever and they slip a note and 10 bucks under his door.We are all hiking by 7:30. The Trail leaves NOC (1,740') and climbs 3 miles to Grassy Gap (3,050'). At 8:40 we come to a plaque on the Trail dedicated to Wade Suton, a firefighter who died here in 1968. We all pass each other all morning but stay pretty close. Mule, Driver, Riever and I get to Sassafras Gap Shelter at 11:00 and have lunch. In the shelter log are entries yesterday from Melissa and John. I take back anything I said nice about John. In the register he says I am a Kent State agitator from the 60's and my real name is Abdul something or other. He says the authorities should check my boots for explosives at Fontana Dam. Melissa leaves a message saying I should catch up with them so I can defend myself. I leave a message of my own calling John a "lying sack of... I also said that if I catch up to him he's history! As we leave the shelter in comes Dag & Mag. We all reach Cheoah Bald (5,062') at 12:10. It is really neat. Balds are areas without trees. They aren't sure why...fires started by lightning or maybe clearings by natives. Looking at them with with the mountains behind is impressive. We hike on, making good time and reach a camping spot called Locust Grove at 1:30. We all decide to stay here rather than go another 6 miles to the next shelter. We all pitch our tents and get water at an excellent stream source At about 4 p.m. other hikers come thru. Coyote stops for water and Fremont stops to tent for the night. Beth and Sleeping Beauty show and both tent for the night. Mule builds a campfire which we extinguish after dinner because of the wind gusts. While snacking on some GORP the inside of one of my upper molars chips off. And I just went to the dentist in December.For dinner I had this freeze dried bar-b-q beef and mashed potatoes. Trouble was you had to cook two parts separately but it came out okay anyway. Sleeping Beauty (Got her name because she sleeps in every day) and I hang our bear bags together and we turn in for the night. I listen to the radio and fall asleep.Thought fo the Day: Some days you go with the flow.