Date: 2014-04-23
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: light rain

I slept in the tent up the hill last night because shelter was full. Turned out be best choice because there was a lot of ruckus around the shelter with dogs barking, and men hollering. Someone today said whiskey may have contributed to the party spirit. But I missed the woman in middle of night who awoke with night terrors--something to do with a dream about fire.It rained a little during the night but mostly was a steady wind whooshing in the tree tops and rattling my tent which held fast. As it rattled the fly sometimes it sounded like an animal nosing around but apparently wasn't. I was concerned more than usual because I kept my food bag in the tent. There were so many people in the camp the bear cables were full. I was hopeful the presence of two black labs in next tent along with all the ruckus would deter the prowling bears.It has been a little while since I last slept in the tent, I was interested to notice how I transformed a bare piece of dirt into a home as I spread the ground cloth for the tent, put it up and got out the food and bed. Felt like it was my home. As matter of fact, I hung around to noon typing my blog and sitting in the tent to shield me from the gusty chilly wind.I usually pitch the tent with the small end of the tent up the hill, which I did last night also. It just so happened the small end was facing into the wind which made it more aerodynamic and more resistant to the force of the wind. When I was setting up the tent the wind was not very powerful because the camp was engulfed in a dense fog and it would have been difficult to pitch. Later on at night it picked up force as the cold front moved in behind the rain system.I was so tired I went straight to bed after downing a couple of Clif bars. My fingers were too numb to type, apparently from the jarring of the trekking poles on rocks. I also choked up on the handles sometime later that shorten the length for up hill. From now on I will adjust them so I can hold on to the cork part. Today I carried the poles on backpack--no difficult terrain either.I had a relatively short hike of 8.6 miles to reach the next shelter so I did not mind starting at noon. It had warmed up by noon and the humidity was lower so it was a very nice day for walking through the woods. But I was aware I had some long climbs and planned to take it easy. Turned out many of the climbs were fairly steep. However for first time in a while, I also had sections here I could really truck it. That is level, or slight incline or not too steep down hill. When it is steep downhill I have to go slow to minimize the impact on my knees.I came to a highway crossing that was supposed to have a spring, but I couldn't find it right away. I was thinking there was a campsite ahead but it must have been on a side trail. The five miles to the shelter were the driest 5 miles I have seen on the trail. My mouth was really dry but I didn't seem to suffer any ill effects from the lack of water. I think running has toughened up my system so I can go longer periods of time without water. First thing I did of course was to fill water bottles at the spring and treat them. Then I made a cup of coffee and had a pack of tuna for dinner with m&ms for desert. I drank a quart of water since coming into camp.Along the trail I kept passing Cheesin and Morgan who introduced themselves because we kept encountering each other at rest stops or they passed me on hills. Some hills were so steep today I had to go short distances and stop to let my heart catch up rather than keep a slow steady pace.In camp tonight there is a Jack Russell dog that has a bark just my dog and goes around begging for food which he has very little luck at.I have passed Osprey from Utah a number of times on trail last two days. We chatted a bit while he ate his dinner tonight. Don't know his age but he has been retired 17 years. He noted that the juncos in camp here are the hikers friend. They have certainly been my friend. When I said they talk to me along the trail, someone asked what they said and I told about the time I got the message from them to get ready to use my trekking poles.I talked with an older German man in camp tonight who had hiked all the way from Hot Springs today. ( a couple of other hikers did also). He too had seen a documentary and had the dream of walking the AT for 10 years but was unable to do so due to work and family obligations. His children are grown now and the boss and his "woman" said it was okay to go.I have been checking names in trail journals and I am only one day behind some hikers I knew before my week long hiatus from trail. Can't remember if yesterday or today but came to a forest service road that indicated the TN/NC state line. I stepped onto the Tennessee side and spat back to NC. Then returned the favor for TN. I think I'm still in NC but not sure.Note on daily mileage by wife: I subtracted .4 of a mile today to make up for an error on the 4/3/2014 posting. Now the total mileage is accurate according to the 2014 AT Thru-Hikers' Companion guide.