Date: 2015-04-08
From: The VA/TN Line

To: Irwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It feels great to be back out here, and I haven't seemed to have lost my trail legs completely. The main difference is the small stream of north-bounders ("NOBOs") crossing my path. I'm excited for them, and slightly jealous, but fear that they'll crowd the shelters and be loud in the Smokies in a few weeks, when that small stream is said to turn into a river. There are few signs of Spring here, unlike at home, and few bugs to go along with that. It will be great to see its arrival up close and personal.On March 30th, I finally got out of Damascus after showing Molly, Sarah, and Julie around. "Crazy Larry" (who is trying to drop the "crazy" from his moniker) was very gracious to the four of us, and asked after "F-it," i.e., Karyssa. Several NOBOs were at his place, including a theology student from Notre Dame reading Aquinas. We chatted for a bit, but I had to go, already wishing I had gone north from Springer to here so as to have a bubble of companions...it's going to be a lonely month in the woods.I got a late start; saying good-bye to Molly at the caboose in Damascus was hard, and I'm worried about making her drive my car home. She's the most responsible 16 year-old in the world, but she is a 16 year-old.I walked a few miles to a campsite by a water source and tented by myself. Surprisingly few sources of water for the next few miles, and I needed time to set up my new tent, hang a bear bag (using the PCT method), get water, firewood, etc. Big day planned tomorrow.3/31 Double Springs mile 44918 miles today and I climbed back up to 4,225' so I expect to be sore tomorrow, but it's a good sore. Met quite a few NOBOs: Eeyore, who's going home to NH in Marion; Scout and Slim, who were #s 74 and 75 in leaving Springer, though they also claim that about 75 NOBOs left there on Mar 1; a couple who started with their pit bull, Slick, north of "the park" or GSMNP (i.e., "the Smokies"). It's a pretty shelter, but graffiti-ridden and lacking a privy. (Apparently TN doesn't believe in privys or evolution.) Am going to try to make Hampton tomorrow.4/1 Braemar Castle Hostel, Hampton, TN, mile 42519 relatively tough miles today, on one of those twisted "if anything can happen, it probably will" days that the AT regularly provides. I fell, and lost the aluminum water bottle Karyssa loaned me before I left for Maine and which I have carried ever since. I don't know how I didn't do the normal "post-fall gear check" which is by now instinctive, but in any case it had more that sentimental value, as it was full at the time, and left me with less than a liter of water on a dry stretch near Vandeventer Shelter on Iron Mtn. I did get a coke from a cooler of trail magic left by a church in Shady Valley. (The USFS are doing interesting tortoise and grouse habitat restoration projects here.) I also passed by the Nick Grindstaff memorial; he was an early settler here. After an unsuccessful battle to try to farm these hills, his only mark was made when his family erected a gravestone on a mountaintop which reads: "Uncle Nick: lived alone, suffered alone, died alone"...ain't that the fate of all of us? A hot and dry descent down to Watauga Lake, whose TVA dam was impressive--it lacks the usual spillway, having an underground tunnel of sorts dropping water downstream to a stack of generators--but whose shelter was closed due to bear activity. As darkness fell, I called Sutton Brown, who owns a hostel and the main store down the road in Hampton. He even opened the store after hours for me! A shower and a bunk for $15 in this 3-story field-stone "castle" built by a lumber company as its headquarters was a great way to end the day. A couple of NOBOs--one of which, a young marine, is already snoring his face off--are grabbing breakfast in the only restaurant in town in the morning. 4/2 Moreland Gap Shelter, mile 4102,200' climb out of town today past the pretty Laurel Falls, where a father and son drowned a couple of years ago during an innocent swim, but now tenting at a crowded shelter on an exposed and windy ridge.I stopped by Kincora today and had a nice chat with Bob Peoples as he stacked wood in his shed. He's much loved by my FL Trail Assoc peeps, who insisted I meet the legend. You can find shelter registry entries (and graffiti) all along the AT dedicated to this AT maintainer extraordinaire: "Bob Peoples doesn't flush; he scares the crap out of a toilet"..."Bob Peoples didn't lend Paul Bunyan his axe, he stole it"...etc. We talked for a while about the state of the AT, the Florida Trail, and even trails in Ireland! He has done it all. (He spoke of a time when the FTA was stronger, and the trail better maintained, which surprised me.)The young pack of NOBOs here are bumming me out--I've already met two Frodos--as they seem to do nothing except complain about the state of the AT and the hostels along it. They'll come to appreciate both eventually, I trust. 4/3 Mountaineer Shelter mile 401 Stopped by Vango/Abby Memorial Hostel and had a soda and a chat with "Scottie" who teaches physics at Eastern TN State U and bought the place after thru-hiking, and after leaving here, his home, to work at NASA. Great guy, and we talked on his back porch over-looking an unkempt meadow about the environment, a recent thru-hiker getting lost on the trail (how?), and a little Spinoza.This shelter was designed, its two-day construction involving around 100 volunteers overseen, by Bob Peoples himself! It's a gorgeous two-story affair with a loft and a beautiful waterfall as its water source. 7 of us here, one passed a bottle of fireball around until it was all gone; it was one foreign girl's first liquor, and we all laughed with and at her.Heavy thunderstorms rolling in as I write this, and a few days of rain (and temps dropping precipitously) ahead of me. Maybe I came back on the trail a few weeks too soon.4/4 Mountain Harbor Hostel, Roan Mtn, TN mile 392While it was 24 degrees outside, I ended up in the barn/bunkhouse of this well-regarded hostel up the hill from Elk Park, NC where I shared a room with "Rambler" a 60 year-old retiree who's married to the trail. A nice short walk, past an old cemetary and with great views of Roan Mtn 4/5 Overmountain Shelter mile 383Only 8 miles today, but it included a climb over 3,000' over the Hump, a beautiful bald, to this converted barn which could house 50 hikers! A cold and windy night, but looking forward to going over Roan tomorrow.4/6 Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel mile 367Roan was gorgeous, its dense spruce forest reminding me of Maine. There is still ice on its shaded parts.A great stop, though a tough find off the trail, especially as her neighbor keeps taking down her signs. Connie, the owner, ordered up some BBQ,. as it is a Jewish holiday and she can't cook. Poured rain all day, so am glad to get inside.4/7 Cherry Gap Shelter mile 360I forgot my long-johns and beanie at the hostel, as I was packing to get out of there before the sun came up and didn't want to disturb the others...I am losing my shite on this leg of the trip...this would never have happened last fall, when I was more focused or rigorous. I am too casual these days. Tenting now near a loud, crowded shelter.I got some trail magic from BP, at Indian Grave Gap, who says the NOBO numbers are low at this point in their travels this year. On to Irwin, and over Unaka Mtn. tomorrow.