Date: 2009-05-24
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: The Place
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

Short day to get back to Damascus today. I felt almost like I was coming home--I knew where everything was in town and where I would be going for food and lodging. I finished the hike in about three hours, which felt good and gave me plenty to time to relax and complete the few chores I could on a Sunday.During the hike I saw two bears--a cub and its mother--they ran in opposite directions and then stood up to look around and find each other. I was glad they were running away, but I wish I could have gotten a picture or two.I made it back to Damascus! It felt a little like coming home--I knew where everything was and that there was a bed waiting for me.I managed a 120-mile week and it felt pretty good overall. I (obviously)have had less time to write during the last couple days because of the increased mileage and generally ending later in the day. I'll do what I can to catch up, though.Friday I got a late start from Kincora (after 11) and hiked until seven or so. I passed by the Laurel Falls--beautiful place--and walked alongside a riverbed for a couple miles; it was quite relaxing, easy-going trail. Sadly, that changed abruptly. I suddenly found myself climbing 2,000 ft for a mile and half (!!), it was like I was back in GA! It was a little easier this time, but it still hurt a lot.Once I finally got to, the top, it leveled off at 'Pond flats' and my elbows stopped dripping sweat. Yeah. It was that hot.There really wasn't a flat spot at the top, though, just the illusion of it. I went back down the mountain just after I summited and hiked down to Watauga Lake.It was here that I met Somolian (Strider 2). He was older and didn't have any kind of remarkable stride. I was disappointed and upset by his (former) pirating of my trail name. Oh well.I walked aroung the lake for a while. Well, the rest of the day really. The trail ran parallel to the coast for the next ten miles or so (though it did climb some)and crossed it on a dam somewhere along the line. When I finally reached the shelter I could still hear someone singing 'Amazing Grace' from the marina! Once I finally made it (the last few miles felt long), I had to go find water.What an adventure. First, I misread/misunderstood the guidebook and went the wrong way up the trail. Then after the deer scared me by running away--I finally figured out that I should turn around and got back to the shelter just in time to watch my pack fall over. While picking stuff up was annoying, it did wake up Lucky and Tattoo, who pointed me in the right direction. It was .3 miles. Straight down hill. about .2 down I met a couple (out for the weekend) and chatted until the sun nearly set. I then proceeded down to the actual water in the twilight...and saw a bear cub! It was running away and unaccompanied at the moment, so I felt fairly safe.But tragedy struck once more when I returned to the shelter. I found that half of my dinner (one pack of the rice) was moldy. I woke up early Saturday morning and left before eight. I leap-frogged Tattoo and Lucky some in the morning, but ended up hiking mostly alone again by ten. When I was passing Tattoo the first time, I wasn't paying attention and tripped on a root. I stumbled and kicked on of my hiking poles, but I stayed on my feet. The pole bent 90 degrees. Luckily it was cheep and malleable enough that I could bend it back to almost-normal.A few hours later I found Odin, El Peregrino de Santiago (the Leprechaun) and some trail magic. Chocolate milk. Mmmmm.El Peregrino ran away (to bury gold?) and made it to Damascus (23 miles further) in the next few hours before dark. I passed Odin quickly--he looks like he really doesn't know what he's doing (still?) and made it to the next shelter. I stopped for a long, relaxed lunch and then I took a nap. Altogether it was a two hour break. Lucky caught up and decided to stay, but I pressed on. After I talked to people for half an hour, that is.I met a troop of Boy Scouts and talked for a while about Philmont and hiking the trail. The leaders each gave me a pack of tuna before I left.Not long after that, I found a guy who has a website full of backpacking food (backpackingchef.com?) by the name of Chef Glen or Glen the Chef. We talked about food-of course-and the trail in general.After that I walked the last eight miles nearly uninterrupted. i got in at seven and got settled in with another set of weekend hikers. It was yet another pleasant night.