Date: 2018-11-18
From: Carver's Gap

To: Route 19E
Miles today: 14.8

It was another 5am wake up and Lee cooked us eggs and toast before driving us to the top of Carver's Gap, this time without the crazy GPS detour thru banjo-land! The sun was just coming up and we headed north over 3 grassy balds at a very slow pace enjoying the sunrise and mountain views. I couldn't stop taking photos. I didn't want to hike I just wanted to stand there in awe as the sun lit up the mountainside. God's paintbrush working right in front of my eyes. Some hikers had camped out last night and were getting up and breaking camp. We saw a group of 5 or so young people wrapped in blankets clearly up there for the sunrise and I noticed 2 dogs near them with radio collars like hunting dogs sometimes have. I assumed the dogs were with them until I heard someone say "hey guys did you see those dogs" and realized I was wrong. Then I noticed a couple in matching gray sweaters walk by and the dogs followed them so I thought they were the owners. As we passed the couple they asked if the dogs belonged to us and I instantly thought of the hunters we saw in Erwin and that these may be his lost dogs. We stayed with the couple a few minutes and although the young woman was concerned about her car getting "doggy" they agreed to see the dogs to their owners and left voicemail on both of the numbers provided on the dogs collars. WE and I resumed our northward motion and after a few more photos and a mile or so we bumped into 2 weekend hikers with a dog who had just packed up and were heading to the parking lot. And behind us appeared the 2 coon hounds without the young couple who promised to see them to their owners. The female still had a strap attached to her collar that WE had sacrificed off her pack. This couple with their beautiful golden retriever agreed to take the dogs and connect with the owners once they got to the parking lot and charged their phone. All day long I thought about those dogs and how cold, trembling and hungry they were and how disappointed I was with that first couple. I hope the dogs are safe and warm and fed now. I do believe that the couple with the golden retriever would have more compassion for animals than the woman concerned about her car. But why say that you'll care for something in need and then just abandon them? I can't reason with that. Today was one of my favorite days on trail. I'm really fond of Tennessee. The scenery went for miles and the weather was perfect for climbing over grassy balds and being exposed. I stripped down to 2 lightweight long sleeve shirts and put away my hat, mittens, neck warmer, fleece, etc. We came upon Stan Murray shelter and a group of section hikers who'd set up their tent inside the shelter. This always ticks me off. I noticed that the picnic table was at least 100' from it and soaked in sunlight so WE and I enjoyed our hot chocolate and snack there. Lee had gotten fresh apples and I ate mine. Do you ever wonder what a hiker thinks about all day in the woods? Random things actually, like why does my nose produce so much snot when I hike in the cold, where do spiders go in the winter, and wouldn't a shot of schnapps be good in this hot cocoa? Well I did look up the first 2 and the answers are informative and thus have added to my knowledge which I think is always good. We climbed up Little Hump mountain which actually isn't so little and the climbing was not very steep but the thawing Tennessee mud was another story. JET BLACK slippery mud that is out to take down any hiker that dares to step in it is what we hiked thru for miles. I have no idea how I managed to stay upright because I slipped and slid off the trail time and again somehow reclaiming my balance from the most unusual positions. I went down just once sacrificing only my left knee to the mud with my right leg outstretched behind me and trekking poles firmly planted in the mud near my hips. I used my upper body strength and brought my right leg forward to get my feet underneath me and to a standing position. WE was less fortunate and sacrificed herself twice to the mud soiling her left side and hands the first time. The second sacrifice came at a fence up on a bald. I didn't see her go down I just saw her at the fence on her knees with her pants covered in mud on the thighs. After we both stopped laughing I did all I could for her which was to offer my snot soaked paper towel so she could wipe off some of the mud. It's a disgusting thought I know but she was grateful and I would have been too. I am not convinced that there is anything slicker than that Tennessee mud! Not even baby powder on a marble floor! We had lunch on a rock near the top of Little Hump mountain and enjoyed the warm sunshine and the amazing view looking back over much of the terrain we'd hiked. It's incredible sometimes to think about how many miles I've hiked, each one having it's differences. We further endured the mud over Hump mountain but at least there were areas of grass on the side we could at times walk on to avoid it, unlike Little Hump which only had thorny growth on the side of the trail that grabbed and snagged my clothes if I got too close. On the backside of Hump mountain the snow and ice mixed with the thawing mud and WE put on her microspikes for a few miles not wanting to take any chances of a fall. Once we got thru those areas the last 5 miles became unremarkable trail of dry brown leaves and steady descent to a small bridge in a Gap near the parking area where Lee was waiting. Our feet were covered in dry mud, mine right up and over my gators and up the inside calf of my leggings from my feet touching them as I walked and slid. We were a sight. At the camper we left our shoes outside and gathered up our shower items as well as the requirements for the laundry and headed to the bathhouse. We showered and I threw our laundry in and rinsed out WE's microspikes that were full of mud. Lee went up and finished the laundry for us while we had dinner of salad with leftover rotisserie chicken and garlic knots. It was delicious. WE told Lee about our schnapps conversation that took place over hot cocoa. We'll see what happens with that. I talked with Brian for a few minutes and was in bed at 7:30 already dosed with NyQuil. We'll be sleeping in until 6am because we have a shorter day planned over Unaka mountain tomorrow. Shorter miles but a 5,000 footer so we'll be climbing and I'm hoping there's none of that Tennessee mud!