Date: 2004-05-10
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Cody Gap
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light rain

In the morning it was time to pack up and hit the trail. A bowl of Total Raisin Bran made me happy. I think Adam went for breakfast at The River¢s End. There was a hiker box in the kitchen where I dropped off some tang, cocoa packets and powdered milk packets. Hiker Box:Hiker boxes are great. They¢re found at most hostels and many outfitters along the AT. It¢s a kind of swap box. Hikers leave excess stuff for other hikers to take for free. It is hard to buy just the quantities needed and no one wants to carry more than needed to get to the next resupply. It¢s also really nice for those trying to get by on a shoe string budget.Adam caught up to me at Cheoah Bald (5,062¢). We both sat in the grass and just soaked in the view with a snack or two. Balds are mighty nice places. Adam had started the AT with a friend but he had gotten nasty blisters right from the start. He had to get off the trail in the first few days. This was a familiar story. Adam was hoping to see him at NOC but we got there too soon. He got hold of his friend while at NOC and they planed a rendezvous at Stechoah Gap which was a bout 14 miles into this day. His friend greeted us a mile or two before we got to the gap. It was a good reunion.At the road crossing in Stechoah Gap they said farewell. Their plan was to spend the night back at NOC and then Adam would resume hiking from Stechoah Gap tomorrow. I was kind-a sad to loose my hiking partner but we planed to meet up in a couple of nights at the shelter at Fontana Dam known as the Fontana Hilton. It was all good.I crossed the road and hiked up the trail to a sign just inside the woods as they drove away. Looking back there was a moment of recognition. That¢s right. This was where my hike had ended some 24 years ago. This is where I started that long hitch to a train station in Greensboro North Carolina. What a relief. I had made it here and all was well. The trail lay ahead and nothing stood in my way. Yeah.The trail climbed steadily for the next 2.4 miles to Brown Fork Shelter, my intended home for the night. It would only be a 16 mile day but that was alright. Adam would have an easier time catching up. There were some older folks, 60+, at the shelter and some younger ones, 20ish, too. Some of them were smoking which immediately set me on edge. Keeping my distance from the shelter I fixed dinner. The younger folks conversation indicated that they were more interested in packing in more beer than covering any miles. This was even more distressing. They were all nice enough but just put me ill at ease. A family of three showed up, mom, dad and teen son. They got water and moved on even though it was late. Certainly this was due to the company. After eating dinner I decided to move on too. About a mile down the trail I was happy to find the chance to commend the dad on getting his young teenage son out into the wilderness. He was appreciative and let on that it wasn¢t always easy. Maybe not but it is well worth it.A bit further down the trail there was an amazing sight. There was a tree that had simply exploded. There were huge shards of wood all over the place. It wasn¢t clear that it had been struck by lightening because there was no obvious burn mark. Maybe it just twisted in the wind beyond the breaking point. What ever happened it appeared to be fresh.The light was waning and my gumption was failing. Then there it was, Cody Gap and there was already a tent there. OK, maybe the tent wasn¢t for me. There were two guys, one 40ish, the other in his 20s. This was the first backpacking trip for the younger guy but he was having a blast. The other guy it turned out had been hiking in the Wind River Range of Wyoming so we had lots to talk about. The stars were bright that night. My tent was snug and comfy. The miles for the day turned out to total 18.8. This was 5 miles further up the AT than that first attempt 24 years ago. It felt good.