Date: 2005-04-09
From: Zero Day in Erwin

To: Unaka Mountain Summit
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today day did not start out on a very good foot. I got ready to head back out on the trail, but could not find my glasses case. After unpacking my entire pack I found it and I caught the shuttle back to the trail just in time.I know that everyone has had a car stop for them to let you walk across the street. Today¢s events surpassed that by a mile. As you walk out of Erwin and get back on the trail you had to cross a railroad track. When we got there a train was coming, and it happened to be a very long train with lots of cars. The Engineer saw us and he stopped the entire train so we could pass in front. He even apologized for stopping past us, but as put it, ¢you can't stop a train on a dime.¢ The day was picking up after all. It turned out to be a very nice day and there were no knee stinging, hip straining, thigh busting climbs. As far as hiking goes, it was a good day. When I got to Unaka Mtn summit there was some kind of pine tree that smelled wonderful. There were tons of places to camp so I pitched my tent. It was one of those places I had envisioned before leaving for my hike. I got everything ready, pitched the tent and cooked dinner. Then IT happened. What exactly do I mean by ¢IT¢? Well, I got the sleeping gear out and the last thing I looked for was my rain coat which I also use as a pillow. NO RAIN COAT! A quick check and recheck confirmed it was missing. I can not describe the sinking feeling that I experienced. I yelled, screamed, put my head in my hands and cried a few tears. You are probably saying, ¢It is a rain coat, get over it!¢. Well, the reason I was so upset was I had put my ID, credit cards, money, and other important documents inside the rain jacket. I had called Yvonne that morning and didn't put the jacket back where I usually carry it.I tried to figure out where I might have lost the jacket. I narrowed it down to one of four places: where I hunted for my glasses case, where I checked my food bag for lunch, and got water twice.I knew that I could not continue hiking without the rain jacket. Rain was forecasted for later this week so I had to have the jacket. However, the worst part was my wallet was also missing with the jacket. I would have been stuck in Erwin for a week trying to replace everything in the jacket and red tape that comes along with a process like that. I hoped someone behind me may have found it. After a sleepless night, I was packed by day light and started back down towards Erwin. I got to the bottom and quite a few hikers were camped. I checked around and no one found the jacket at the spring. Old Yeller had a cell phone and let me use it to call the hotel. They had the jacket! One problem solved but a new one was created.You have read about Miss Janet being known throughout the trail community, well the tales are true. I called her and asked if she could help. She asked where I was on the trail, and said I should hike to Iron Mtn Gap and she would leave the jacket behind a certain sign off the trail in a black plastic bag. I hiked as hard as I could to get there in time, and when I got there Red Rover had seen her and had my jacket along with my wallet. What a relief!I will be very careful in the future. Everything will be checked, double checked, and triple check. Lesson learned and without a disaster. Thanks to Miss Janet, I didn¢t have a 16 mile hike back to Erwin or the possibility of a weeks stay trying to resolve all the problems.The climb back up Unaka and the two and a half hours lost did not bother me.FOOTNOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Anyone want to place bets on what city he will lose his wallet in next? I¢ll put 10 bucks on Damascus.