Date: 2011-04-09
From: Pecks Corner Shelter, NC

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

Longest day of the trip. I got up a little later than I wanted to, but got on trail at just before 10:00. Everyone was gone from the shelter, which I actually prefer in the morning. I got to eat a big breakfast and check out the journal. Cheap Chardonnay and Torch (Murray and Dave) are just four or five days ahead, which is exciting. I saw Cotton, Natty, and Wayland just up from the shelter running a little behind me. I did my first 90 minutes pretty easy and felt good. I did my 30 minutes of stretching and rest and set out for Tricorner Shelter for lunch. Cotton and Natty caught me just before, and Wayland rolled in a bit later. Cotton finally got to interview me on camera. I think it went fine, but it¢s not the most comfortable thing in the world. I was the last one out of there, and met Stefan from Germany just as he was coming in. He said he¢d heard thunderstorms for the evening. After a bit, I caught Wayland, then Stefan passed us. I hiked with Wayland for two hours, then stopped for 30 minutes to stretch and he want by. I passed him about an hour later getting water then was surprised by a trail that was only 1.6 miles before the shelter. I¢d made good time and my feet still felt pretty good.After that was supposed to be up about 500 feet then down to the shelter. Just as I was going up, the weather started getting bad and I heard thunder. The up turned out to be all high on the ridge forever, so I went pretty hard. I was worried about the storm coming. It kept starting to rain a little then a little harder. I stopped to put on rain pants and jacket and cover my pack, then of course it stopped. I got to the shelter at 6:45 and most of the gang from last night was here. They made fun of me for the full rain suit. I found a spot to set up my hammock just as the rain started up again, and Cotton came down to photograph the process. He was also personally interested, so I had him try it out. I had to set the tarp first because of the rain and he got some really cool low shots of me setting up the hammock with the light coming through the tarp. The shelter folks went to sleep early, so I had dinner by Cotton and Natty¢s tents with them, Chris, and Wayland. Wayland played some of his songs and sang and Natty accompanied him on harmonica extremely well. The sunset was incredible. Cotton took pictures of Wayland and Natty playing and me cooking. It was actually one of the best moments of the trip. The rain came back, so we scattered then met back up for just a minute when it let up. The lightening was going in the mountains in the distance with some good bolts. The rain came back, so we split for good. It¢s been wind and rain off and on since, but it¢s very warm. I¢m sleeping without long johns for the first time. So, last night in the Smokies, biggest day of the trip. I¢m doing a lot better than I thought I¢d be when I left Fontana. It¢s eight miles to the end of the park tomorrow, then a couple to a little hostel. I have no idea what I¢ll do when I get out. I¢ll see how I feel but take it easy no matter what. The radio also just said storms tomorrow. These Smokies aren¢t going to let us go easy. I would be as unsurprised to wake up to 90 degrees as a foot of snow.