Date: 2005-04-20
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 40We were up and ready to leave the shelter by 8:30 a.m. Just Feeblin' Along left just before 8. He was walking back to his car that was parked @ Sam's Gap (US 23 and I-26). He had offered to shuttle anyone to a restaurant 2 miles away--he would make runs every 15 minutes to the restaurant. When we got to the gap He was not there but there was a cooler with cokes in it so we helped ourselves. As we were going up the mountain we saw him come back and 4 other hikers that had been @ the shelter were just getting down to the parking area. They went in to the restaurant for breakfast. The trail was lovely today. Before Sam's Gap the trail was nice with few roots and rocks to walk over. It was just a pleasant hike without a lot of effort. The ups were there but they were gradual. And the wild flowers and trees are gorgeous. In the past few days we have seen so many buckeye seedlings along the trail and today at one elevation the buckeye trees were the only trees with leaves to provide a bit of shade. As we were walking down toward Sam's Gap I looked at the flowers (and some of them would be considered weeds by many people) and I just thought about how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to be out here on this sunny day enjoying God's creation in this very fantastic way. I could not keep the tears from my eyes.On the other side of the gap we climbed gradually uphill. The gap is at 3800feet and we are climbing eventually to Big Bald which is at 5516 feet. We ridge walked and it was so nice. I could not keep my eyes off the flowers and other plant life. Again, the spring beauties were so numerous that the scent of them filled the air. Mixed in with them was the yellow of the trout lilies scattered throughout. I felt like I was Dorothy on the yellow brick road with a fairyland garden of flowers all around me. As far up or down the mountain on either side of me all I could see were the flowers. Every now and then there was a group of bloodroot flowers or trillium (today they were mostly red ones), or ramps popping up all over. We came to a ridge that was grassy with a view to Big Bald far across the way. It took us several hours to get to it and it was the steepest climb of the day, but it was so worth it. Once on top there is a 360* view. It was breezy but we sat down on one side of the mountain which blocked the wind from us and the sun warmed us when it was not behind a big puffy cloud. I called Toto at work but he was not in the office and could not reach him on the cell phone--probably no signal where he was. I talked to my oldest daughter and then transmitted my e-mails and received some as well. We stayed on Big Bald for about an hour and then headed for the shelter which was only 1.1 mile away. I had thought it was further. And a beautiful walk it was--still surrounded by spring beauties and the trail was nice. We had met a bunch of trail maintainers earlier and there was evidence of the work they had done. Trees blown down across the trail had been cut out making it unnecessary to climb over, under, or around them. The maintainers are volunteers and do a wonderful job.The shelter is a double decker. The hikers already here had taken the lower deck and there is no ladder or way to get to the top easily so we opted to set up the tent. I needed to set it up anyway just so Toto can be reassured that I am capable of doing it by myself. Anyway, Piker said that last night (at the last shelter a mouse was crawling on his arm when he woke up and one had chewed a hole in one of his stuff bags. A tent is more private, too. After as many nights as we have spent in shelters I am ready for the tent.For our evening meal we had mashed potatoes with a packet of chicken added (and of course margarine) on a round tortilla shell. It was so good and we each had 2. T-2 says he is ready for a pizza with everything when we get to Erwin. A trail angel that lives near here came to the shelter this evening with beer and Little Debbie oatmeal cakes. Why do they think everyone wants a beer? The oatmeal cake someone shared with me was delicious. Thank you, Bill.Everything is quiet at the shelter and it sounds like the wind has kicked up. Hope we are not in for any rain tomorrow. I guess we'll take whatever comes but I would like to have just 2 more beautiful days for T-2 since he'll be leaving the trail once we get to Erwin, TN.Good-night.