Date: 2011-04-21
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day today, felt very good till the last few miles of my longest day ever. 23.5 miles is a long way to walk and you definitely feel it. Wanted to do a marathon day but it would of put me way to far past Overmountain shelter where I am staying tonight. This shelter is one of the more popular shelters out here due to the view, uniqueness, history of the area, and it having been in some movie. So we were now supposed to be here tonight but instead tomorrow night, and actually no one else is here from my group. We had planned to do something around 13 today and the rest tomorrow, but I got up at 5, had a good breakfast of blueberry and peach oatmeal with honey, an apple strudel pop tart, hot chocolate and coffee. That flavor is by far my favorite I found out and is not near as powdery dry. After breakfast I was packed and ready to go beforw anyone was even awake except Pappy and Daisy who came and visited while I was getting ready. As I mentioned last night I was in the shelter with a bunch of older guys and it was an extreme fart fest in their last night. I woke up well before them and was already packing before they pretty much all got up and started eating.So I started on the trail at 6:45 to the perfect temperature and was really moving and kept a three mile an hour pace all the way to the next shelter 9.2 miles away. Somewhere in there I decided if I got to the planned site really early I would do tomorrows mile as well and zero tomorrow instead while waiting for them to catch up. So at the first shelter I left a note in the shelter journal that if I wasn't at Hughes gap that I moved on to Overmountain shelter. At the gap I left a note under some rocks on the trail letting them know I moved on at 11:30. I had done 12.7 miles in 4:45. 11 more miles to get to Overmountain. At the first shelter the hostel had left some coffe in gatorade bottles with a note saying to heat and enjoy. So I had some coffee with my quarter pound of peanut butter gorp and honey tortillas. Back to the gap where we were going to stay the next 5 miles where all up hill to the top of Roan mountain, where in the late 1800's there was a hotel. Not there is a parking lot with restrooms and trashcans. Unfortunately the restrooms were closed but I did empty my trash. Shortly later I stopped at the Roan High Knob shelter which is the highest shelter on the AT. From there it was mostly down hill except over two balds and another small hill. The balds where very cool to walk across and seemed pretty popular with day hikers. After those it was just about 4 miles left and I was ready to finish. Trudged on to Overmountain just waiting to see it like in the documentaries, but that view is from Southbound I found out. At the shelter which is a larger and old converted barn the views into the valley are fantastic with several of the sleeping spots looking right out. They were all full so after everyone leaves tomorrow I will grab one of the good spots. I set up my tarp near the shelter where I have a good view but unfortunately it might rain so its closed up blocking the wind coming from the valley. Ate some chili tonight with slices of pepperoni and some gravy added along with some wheat thins. Retired early to the tent as I didn't have much time after getting here around 5:30 which is usually when I would start dinner. Tomorrow I get to enjoy the views all day and relax, since I have the time I am going to take bath in the stream and try to clean and dry some of my clothes. My shirt has some major salt stains all over it from the sweat. Also going to take the time tomorrow to take a lot of pictures and take a nap, hopefully by a stream in the shade. This will be my first trail zero so that will be fun and not hectic like in town rushing to resupply, shower and doing laundry.As I mentioned yesterday I lost my bear line, and being here with out Hover means I have no way of hanging my food. I am having to resort to hanging it on a fallen tree to avoid mice, if a bear shows tonight I might be in trouble, but we haven't had any bears that we know come into camp yet so I should be fine. Wind is really picking up right now and blowing my tarp around pretty good, hopefully it doesn't rain. Time to read and sleep.