Date: 2005-04-18
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: US Route 19E (Mountain Harbour Hostel)
Miles today: 15.2

DAY 38I awoke early this morning. I am anticipating a long day, ending hopefully some place where I can get some medical attention for my shin. This thing isn¢t getting any better.As is normal for me while hiking, I had to answer nature¢s call first thing this morning. I couldn¢t even take the time to put in my contact lenses before I left the cabin to find a suitable spot in the woods. After finishing my business in the woods, I realized I didn¢t know where I was. With my poor vision without corrective lenses, I didn¢t recognize familiar landmarks. I spent more than a few minutes groping around in the wood before I found something familiar and made it back to the cabin. This was not a great start to what was going to be a long and painful day.With breakfast out of the way, I was packed and on my way to Carvers Gap. There are toilets and a large parking area there, but I saw no one. It was another great day for hiking: clear and cool. Most of today¢s hike was over grassy balds, and the views and scenery were spectacular. I am extremely fortunate to have such a great day going over the Roan Highlands. The day took me over numerous bald mountain tops to Yellow Mountain Gap. I found the signage at the Gap quite interesting from a historical perspective. The ¢Overmountain Men¢, the Tennessee militia came over this Gap to join the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War battle of Kings Mountain. This was a turning point in the Revolutionary War, as after this defeat the British Army ultimately began a long retreat to their final surrender at Yorktown. By the way, during this retreat the British were harassed by my namesake, the original ¢Swamp Fox¢, Francis Marion of South Carolina. To the right of the Gap, down below, is the Overmountain Shelter. It is a large red barn that is popular with thru hikers. It would have been a good lunch stop today. However, I was not about to walk down to the shelter and back up to the Trail with my sore shin. I proceeded over several more balds and saw only one other person on the Trail today: a female southbound section hiker. The views from the Trail were spectacular, but I couldn¢t linger too long as I was moving slowly enough. I was wondering just what is wrong with my shin: do I have a fracture?Eventually I hobbled down to the Apple House Shelter. In the shelter I found information about the facilities available at US Route 19E. The road was just half a mile ahead. I learned that there is a bar to west that seems to have overnight facilities for hikers. Mountain Harbour Hostel is 0.3 miles to the west of the Trail crossing of the road. The hostel seemed to be a better destination considering my condition. I expected I would have a better chance of finding some medical assistance out of the hostel.When I reached the road, I turned left and headed downhill to the hostel. On the way a dog ran out of a property and charged at me. I clutched my hiking stick like a club and prepared to defend myself. However, the dog backed off and continued to bark at me as I continued to the hostel. This is the only dog incident I have had during my 38 days on the Trail. At the hostel I met Terry Hill, co-owner of the hostel with his wife, Mary, and checked in. The hostel is actually over a stable and has kitchen facilities, laundry and bathroom facilities. It is in a beautiful setting next to a stream. I have a king size bed in a loft overlooking the main floor of the hostel. Unfortunately, I have to climb a ladder with my hurting shin to get into the loft. There is only one other hiker here tonight, ¢Freedom¢, a likable older man from Ohio. We had a great dinner prepared by Mrs. Hill. We had so much food that we couldn¢t finish it and save some for tomorrow. Mrs. Hill prepares meals in the Bed & Breakfast building they also own up the hill. Mr. Hill delivers meals to us in the hostel.Mr. Hill told me there is a clinic in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, three miles west of the hostel. He will take me there tomorrow morning. I fear that my thru hike may end here if this shin problem is serious.