Date: 2003-04-15
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: scattered clouds

start Cody Gapdestination Fontana Dam NCI am awaken by the sound of Pushing Up Daisies as she opens her door.Well,okay ,she doesn't open her door,but rather unzips her tent flap.She retrieves our food bag and tells me she is hiking on up the mountain .We arrange to meet later.I can't quite convince her that morning starts sometime after 7:00 am. I lay there and listen to the birds.I have not heard so many as this.The woods are alive with them. I fix me a bagel with peanut butter and some Tang.I enjoy eating breakfast surrounded by the morning songs of the birds.I check out my daily devotion,the verse is Isaiah 40:8.Very appropriate for where I am today.In a matter of minutes,I have cleaned my entire house,and am packed up and ready to hike. As I hiked around a bend,I come upon a father and son out turkey hunting.We converse for awhile.The father asks how long the trail is,and how far I am going.I tell them I am hiking for polio and the son wants to know what polio is.We have a lesson right there on the trail.We talk about the Hemlock fungus,and the devastation caused by the pine beetle.The father says "Well,one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth"I share the morning's verse with them.A gunshot splits the air,as their friend across the gap gets a turkey.I wish them luck and hike on.As soon as I am out of sight,I take off my bright red Appalacian Trail Bandana from around my head.I do not want to be mistaken for a turkey from a distance!Back in Franklin,I found a pair of the loudest shorts I have ever seen.In a moment of insanity,I buy them to hike in.They are bright red with big blue flowers.Gaudy is probably a good description.I am wearing them today,so I hope hunters will not think that flame red turkeys are on the prowl. There are fewer knee grinding up hills today,and I enjoy the views along the trail.I spend some time thinking about yesterday's events.I want to be sure that I have let go of all of the hurts that I needed to and that none have hidden in the far recesses of my mind or heart.I feel really great,releived to be free of some of those weights that so easily beset me. I meet the older gentleman who was on the trail yesterday with his wife.He is out for another day hike.He tells me he is 78 and his wife is 76.They live in an"old folks home "in Ashville and have to get permission to leave .We just tell them"We are going hiking"he says with a smile.I shake his hand and tell him it is an honor to meet him.I see no one else and before I know it,I am looking over the valley at Fontana Dam.I grab a granola bar for lunch and slowly walk along.The smells of the trail are almost hypnotic.Smells of pine and oak,warmed by the sun.There just seem to invigorate me.By early afternoon I am hiking into Fontana where Pushing Up Daisies is about to fix lunch.We are offered a ride to the restaurant where the buffet is on for another 30 minutes.The sheer delight of hot running water and soap fills us with joy. We sit down to enjoy this meal.We drink glass after glass of sweet tea.I will not tell you how many plates of food we eat.I will tell you that we cleaned them all,and PushingUpDasies even helped clean one that belonged to a hiker friend of hers that was there. We walked over to the post office to pickup PushingUpDaisies food drop.While she did that I called for the shuttle to The Hike Inn where we will be staying for the night.It's not long before Our ride arrives and a few minutes later,we are deposited to our room.I had sent a mail drop here,so while I took the first shower Pushing Up Daisies went to get my box. I finished my shower and stepped into the room to find a T shirt spread neatly across the end of my bed.I recognize the shirt as the 2003 shirt from our Rotary Run that was held the previous week while I was on the trail.For a moment my brain goes into sudden death overtime,as I try to figure out where the shirt came from.I first thought that PushingUp Daisies had opened my food box and got it out.Then I rememberd that I had bounced that box from NOC.I opened the motel room door and was looking at a green truck similiar to ours.The Marine Corp.license tag convinced me it WAS our truck.I spy Jerry coming around he end of the truck.What a pleasent surprize!!I had not expected to see him until the middle of May.We rode into the town of Robinsonville for supper.On the way,we passed Stecoah Gap and picked up 2 hikers to go with us.at first they were not going to go, but promises of a stop at the ice cream store changed their mind.While eating,I was honored to give Charles his trail name of Rocky.It was because his profile reminded me of Slyvester Stallone that I named him Rocky.It was a great day.total miles 8.7