Date: 2011-04-03
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 13. The likelihood of a trail town having a Lutheran Church and me being in that town on a Sunday are highly remote but it occurred this Sunday. After getting up and going to McDonalds for some pancakes and tea, I went back to the room and began packing. Church started at 10:30am so I left the Haven Budget Inn at 9:45am walking toward church. I had passed the church coming into town on Friday so I knew generally where it was. I was about half way there when 'Backyard Bogey' stopped and asked if I wanted a ride. Knowing never to pass up an opportunity to get off my feet I accepted and he took me the balance of the way. Backyard Bogey had hiked the AT many years ago and was preparing to go hike the Pacific Coast Trail. I got to Resurrection Lutheran at 10:00am and went in around 10:15am. What a warm, welcoming congregation. The greeter, Carol Fritz was also a hiker, even after 2 hip replacements. She and her husband, George, are members of the local hiking organization and helps maintain the AT. Everyone was very interested in my venture and said that they would remember me in their prayers. After the service, Carol and George drove me to the trail head at Winding Stair Gap. I appreciated this so much because it is approximately 11 miles out of town and saved myself quite a bit of time. Right before I started a young man in the parking area offered me a piece of pizza, I said yes before looking at it. I am sure it was better tasting on Friday when it was fresh. Oh well, it was still food and I ate it. I took that first step north at 12:15pm. It was a beautiful day, warm (60*F) with plenty of sunshine filtering down through the leafless trees. I was at Siler Bald at 2:30pm and at the Wayah observation tower at 6:00pm and at the Wayah Bald shelter at 6:45pm. I had covered 11.2 miles in 6 hours of hiking for a 1.8 mph pace. I have now covered 118.7 miles. I ate, filtered some water and set up my tent. There were 12 or so other hikers here, since a bunch had left Franklin after the weekend. It was a very windy night but very comfortable. I had made contact with the kids on Saturday. Linsey had run the Cooper River Bridge race on Saturday and I thought about her all day wondering how sore she might be. She and I ran that twice together and I always enjoyed that race over the bridge. On Saturday I had read in the Blue Ridge Outdoor magazine that the trail this year has increased 2 miles, going from 2,179 miles to 2,181 miles due to some repositioning of the trail. Most of that repositioning was done in Tennessee. Oh well, nothing that I can do about that, it will just take me an hour longer than I had expected. Shelter versus tent--- Why stay in one versus the other. This is strictly my opinion and I am sure every hiker's thoughts could differ than mine. I have stayed in only 1 shelter so far on top of Blood Mountain since there was no tenting on top of the mountain. I prefer tenting for several reasons, I can put all my stuff in there and live out of my pack and I believe it is warmer because the tent/rain fly holds in some of the heat. I can also lay out all the stuff I might need during the night, (watch, chap stick, head lamp, etc). The shelters in most parts are full, anywhere from 6-12 people and may fill up as early as 1:00pm in the afternoon. You only have room for your sleeping pad and bag, you have to hang up your pack. You share this space with the resident mice, who have free reign over you, your pack, your head, etc. Additionally, the shelters are dusty and that in itself would cause me to get congested and not sleep. And even if I was not congested, the biggest reason, is that I am a fairly light sleeper and the snoring would keep me awake. One is suppose to sleep in the shelter in the Smokies, so I will have to see how that works out.