Date: 2003-05-21
From: Dennis Cove Road

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: light rain

Today began at the usual hour, although I did manage to sneak in an extra half hour's sleep, till 7. I never sleep well in hostels and shelters, and last night was no exception. Of course it didn't help that I was sleeping on a squeaky, too short cot (my own choice...clearly I didn't investigate it well enough.), and that I'd been nasty and irritable with another hiker about the phone usage right before I went to bed. At some point, I hope to learn to control my temper... I apologized to her when I saw her this morning. Anyway...I got my things together for the slack pack...made sure to cover all with rain gear, as we awoke this morning to the lovely sound of rain on the tin roof of the hostel. While the sound itself is quite musical, it, of course, meant a wet day of hiking. Thankfully, though, it was warm and not windy. It's one thing to hike in the rain, it's an entirely different thing when other conditions prevail. I got dropped off by Bob at U.S. 321 at!about 8:30 with another hiker named Blip. She had done the slack the day before, and was headed north. I started up the Trail for what turned out to be an almost effortless climb. The Trail was graded and featured looooong switchbacks...it hardly felt as if I was making an ascent. At the top, Pond Flats (which, as someone wrote in the Kincora register is neither a pond, nor flat) was a fairly level section. Then I began the VERY steep descent down the other side. I wasn't sure if I was better off going this way...it was quite slick!! It's a good thing I always have my trekking poles with me...I surely needed them at this point in time! I met Spitz, then Moose and Popsicle, and finally Hungry Hiker all headed north. For most of the day's hike, the scenery had been uneventful. However, as I got to the last 4 miles, that all changed. First of all, I must discuss my favorite flower on the Trail. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the rhododendrons, especially now that!they are beginning to bloom. The mountain laurels, however, get my vote. They are a very symmetrical 10-sided blossom that actually look a bit like a geodesic (sp?) dome just before they bloom. They are very funky, so of course, my favorite! They are all over the sides of the Trail right now. My next bit of exciting scenery was the Laurel Falls...truly the most spectacular falls I've seen so far on my trip, and ranking with the views from Max Patch Bald and Big Bald for highlights so far. I wished that I could have taken a picture, but I didn't have my camera with me, due to the weather. The final fabu sight for the day was the corridor of rock that the Trail went through after the falls. I sent my geology book home (it was too heavy), so I don't know what type of rock it was, but it made for an impressive set of walls for the final part of the Trail today. When I finished my slack pack, I went back to the hostel and had a nice warm lunch of lasagna (thanks Bob and Pat!), and got my pack together. Bob took me to the post office, and!I mailed some food ahead. Then I got back onto the Trail in the opposite direction (or, I should say, the proper direction), and headed to the first shelter. I had originally only planned to do 10.5 today, so I stuck with it. Besides the fact that I didn't sleep well last night, No Pepsi gave me a John Irving novel to read. I sat at the shelter for a bit, reading the register (I am a register junkie!), and Jason, Shelton and Mission (their dog), along with their friend Thomas and his dog Sage came along. I had met the first three in Hot Springs. They had some lunch and debated whether or not to continue on for a bit. Meanwhile, I read in the register entry by Blip that there was beer in the creek. I went down and found it...4 just for us...a nice bit of Trail magic! They decided, after lunch, to keep on hiking, so I'm alone again here. I've set up my tent, so I can get some sleep, and I'm just about ready to read for awhile. Sooooo, I shall end this missive for!the night. Looking forward to a long day of hiking tomorrow (hopefully not in the rain!), after a good rest tonight. Life is good!!!