Date: 2011-04-27
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Woody Gap (Hiker Hostel)
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Rose early, great HOT breakfast, on trail by 8 a.m. It was going to be a long day and I wanted a good jump on it. Extremely foggy this morning. Caver was the 1st hiker out of camp and I wasn't far behind him. A young man named Tim with his dog Tank had arrived late last night at the shelter. They weren't far behind me in leaving the shelter. Tim would eventually get the trail name Colorado Kid and finally change it to Birch before completing the entire AT.I arrived at a parking lot shortly after starting out in the morning. The map said the trail went straight across the lot so I did. I didn't see any white blazes for quit a while but that was not uncommon. Strangely the trail was going downhill though the map clearly noted we should be climbing. After a while of no white blazes I stopped to study the map. I must have gone the wrong way!!! Then Colorado Kid showed up. We agreed to go a bit further where we hit the bottom of the mountain with no where to go but backup that huge mountain we'd just come down. So up we went and Colorado Kid soon was no longer in sight. Somehow we took a left fork on the way back up when we should have taken the right. Both led to the top but the left fork was a very, very rough trail to follow and climb. At one point we came across a brand new tire across the trail - odd, very odd. Ok so we just went 2 miles the wrong way on a 12 mile day! Yikes!!! We were later to learn that 8 of the 25 people who'd left Hawk Mountain Shelter that morning made the same error in the fog that morning.Weather reports also weren't good. Later in the day there were supposed to be some VERY serious storms with tornadoes coming in. Getting to that Hostel was going to be very important. So we started moving without breaks as much as possible.Gooch Mountain Shelter was our target for lunch. We kept passing a lot of other hikers which was good for me. I usually never pass anyone. I caught up with Bill and his buddy Skidder at a beautiful river crossing and I walked with Bill into the shelter at 3:00 p.m. There was a preacher there who had just gotten dropped off at Gooches Gap, an older fellow with a huge pack wearing jeans who I'd seen before but creeped me out, Bill, Skidder, and one other who I can't recall his name. We all got a weather report from the preacher - really bad storm was due in by 11 p.m. and it was best to get into town if possible. Bill, Skidder, and the unnamed hiker all decided to go to Gooch Gap and get a ride to the Hostel. Bill, Skidder, and the unnamed hiker had called the hostel at Gooch Gap only to find the Hostel full. They were all sad to hear that I had reserved a bunk a week ago. I was very happy to have it!!! I decided to do the remaining 5 miles to Woody Gap so I wouldn't have to do them the next day. So I basically setout alone to Woody Gap.Long 2-3 up/down climbs with a long hike around Ramrock Mountain into Woody. Arrived at 6:40 p.m. for my 7 p.m. pickup! YES! Called Dave (husband) at Woody Gap while waiting for transport and he was relieved to hear from me because the storm coming in was extremely dangerous. This storm ended up being the 2011 storm that was the largest tornado outbreak every recorded. The Hostel was fantastic!! Colorado Kid and Tank where there along with Caver and a few other hikers I'd only met in passing. Bandit and Tank were thrilled to see each other again.Shower, laundry, dinner, phone calls, Wi-Fi and plans to slack pack Blood Mountain with all my new found friends made for a great set of plans for tomorrow. Unfortunately, right on cue, that storm came in. Tornado touched down 3 miles from us on the other side of the ridge from us. Massive damage from bottom right to the top of the Mountain. Impressive damage in remote location. No one got hurt, but I hear 300+ people where killed in Alabama with a tornado on ground for 200+ miles. Friends who stayed in the shelter were thankfully all ok but they said it sure was scary. They were very close to the tornado touchdown. Wow! I was later to connect up with Bill and Grandma Pam who stayed in tents at Gooch's Gap and had a quite scary evening.