Date: 2013-04-04
From: Rock Gap

To: Wayah Rd. - Aquone Hostel
Miles today: 9.8

It started raining during the early morning - quite steady - and was in full force by the time everyone started getting up (around 7). We didn't have any shelter mice during the night which is a big concern when sleeping in a shelter so my first experience was positive.Everyone is heading to Franklin today. It is a cold, wet, rainy day and no one likes to hike in this. I had already made the decision to go to Aquone Hostel due to the glowing reviews they receive. It is run by Wiggy (past thru-hiker) and his wife, Maggie. They are originally from the UK but decided to open the hostel after Wiggy's 2010 thru. It has everything a thru-hiker wants (except Wi-Fi - I am using their computer to update my journal).Tortoise also wanted to go to Aquone so we set off in that direction. I was curious to see how my wet gear would stand up to these conditions and thought it would be a good time to test it when I was staying at a nice warm house. We made it to the first road crossing (just under 4 miles) when Tortoise said her gloves were wet and hands were freezing. She decided to go into Franklin and get a shuttle to the hostel. I continued on - I wasn't cold and the rain wasn't driving - just a constant drizzle. The walk goes up to Siler Bald and I wanted to see what it looked like since Socks went up there now and then when she lived in this area. You pass a couple of waterfalls and it is really pretty. As I went up in elevation, though, the rain soon changed to ice and covered the trees, weighing them down so they blocked the trail. It was a surreal landscape with the fog and ice covered trees. I was moving fast and staying warm so wasn't concerned. I only saw two hikers during the last 6 miles of my hike - one was a weekend hiker with an umbrella going Southbound - the other was (get this Socks and Blueberry) - Rob, the bearded hiker dude! This is a guy that we first ran into during the hostel stay outside of Woody Gap. He started the trail with a full thru-hikers beard, just a young kid. We kept running into him - on the trail, in Hiawassee, and now in the middle of an awful cold rain on Siler! I will probably summit with that guy!About the same time I saw Rob, the trees started falling from the ice. A full branch crashed to my left and exploded in a myriad of ice particles. Whoa! Time to get off this mountain, Little SAS! I made my best time today - almost 10 miles in 4 1/2 hours. I made it to the Wayah Road crossing where I was able to call the hostel. Maggie said transport would be there in 20 minutes. This is the first time I became concerned at my situation all day. I was fine whilst (putting a little British in there) walking but standing around for 20 minutes in this weather - not a good idea. She told me to get cover, but where? I finally found a big tree with some magnolias and stood miserably and cold until Wiggy arrived. I was freezing - another lesson learned.All has a happy ending. I am at one, if not the, best hostel on the trail. I just had a nice homecooked meal with breakfast ordered for tomorrow. I had a hot shower the moment I arrived and feel most human again. Plans are to continue on to the NOC tomorrow - sunshine is in the forecast - another new day. (NOC is the Nantahala Outdoor Center). Socks and Hoop will meet up with me on Saturday and we'll discuss plans for the Smokies. Conditions have been very bad there this year. There has already been one fatality. I am not out to prove how bad-assed I am - I am just hiking the Appalachian Trail.On a side-note - my one foremost goal that I didn't want to share because I didn't want to jinx myself, fell literally by the wayside. That goal was not to fall down - I took a slip coming down Siler in the mud - I didn't do a total faceplant (note that Dad), but still a half-fall. At least there was no one around to see me wallowing in the mud.Everyone focus on sun and blue skies...