Date: 2010-09-29
From: Zero Day

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Kimi and I enjoy a big meal at Texas Roadhouse before she takes me up the mountain to Newfound Gap. We, also, checked out the Natahala Outdoor Center located on the left of the main road, just before you go into the Park. It is a nice outfitter, it has everything, but, it ain't cheap. I want to go to the Happy Hiker, but, I find out they are closed due to problems with the location they were leasing. I hope they re-open, because they are staffed by hikers for hikers.   Kimi drives me on up the mountain and I thank her for all she has done. We have an "aw shucks" moment and then I am up the trail. There is a sign stating 1972 miles to Mt. Katadin. Hey, I am almost there. I get a lot of looks from the day tourists as I ascend the trail, some ask questions and some just stare. I smile at them all as I keep my pace up the mountain.   Near the intersection of the AT and the Boulevard Trail I meet up with three hikers sunning on a ledge. They are Hitchcock, Bulldog and Loose Change. They tell me they summitted Katadin about 2 weeks ago and still had some time to kill, so they came back to do their favorite part of the Smokies. I'm talking to them for a couple of minutes and then I figure out that Bulldog is blind. I shift my body and look around Hitchcock and see a huge movie camera laying behind his pack. I'm like, wow, you guys are the ones doing the documentary about a blind guy hiking the trail. They seemed surprised that I would know this, but, I explain I've known about them from when they started in March. I remember being in awe of someone with a sight impairment hiking the AT through all that snow in March. They tell me some stories, and I find out Bulldog is an attorney. We talk about the Justice system for a bit and I swap some of my favorite "stupid crooks I have caught" stories. Hitchcock asks if I would mind being interviewed for their documentary and I blurt out, "sure". Will see if I land on the cutting room floor    Some other day hikers show up and I take my leave north up the trail. It is looking like the heavens might open up and I am in a hurry to make the first shelter. I make it before the rain. There is an elderly gentleman already en consed on the bottom bunk. He is about six feet tall and not an ounce of fat on him. His curly silver colored beard falls to his shirt and his bright blue eyes hint at merriment. I think it is going to be a good night for stories. Turns out his name is Morgan Briggs, a/k/a Old Smokey. He thru hiked GA>ME '89. He came back from living in the woods for 6 months and applied and got the job as Ridgerunner for this section. He was full of stories of stupid hiker mistakes, amazing rescues and the joy of his job. He kept me entertained half the night. He is retired but trys to hike the trail once a week. This week he was headed from Newfound Gap to the lodge on top of Mt. Le Conte. He had taken a picture of the lodge in the snow last year. He liked it so much he had it enlarged and was taking it up to the lodge to give to the lodge keeper. Old Smokey winds down. We fall asleep to the sound of rain on the tin roof, it doesn't get much better than this. Nite all.