Date: 2006-03-30
From: Blairsville, Ga

To: Stecoah Gap, NC
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: broken clouds

13.6 miles todayStecoah Gap, NCI am walking again!!!I wanted to do a couple of days without my backpack just to see how I could handle walking through the mountains, so Shortcut and I drove up to Topton, NC and are staying with a couple of her friends at their cabin way up in the mountains not far from Wesser, NC.I can look out from their deck and see Wesser Tower off to the right and Cheoah Bald off to the left.I guess I never realized how nice it would be to live above 3,000 feet, but I could see myself having a place like this someday.Shortcut and I got here two days ago. We drove to Tellico Gap yesterday and walked up the mountain to Wesser Tower just to see how I felt before we tried more miles.It really felt great to be back on the trail, even if it was just walking 1 1/2 miles up to the tower, then walking back down to the truck.We got up to Wesser Tower and there was a guy that said "Stumpknocker".He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him until he said we had hiked the Maine Wilderness at the same time 2 years ago.It was 50-50....last time I saw him, we were having fried chicken after finishing the Wilderness. I got to hike on that day, but he had to go back to work then.I also met some thru hikers and we all talked for a while, before Shortcut and I walked back down the mountain and drove back to the cabin, where her friends had grilled some New York strips for dinner. :-))The good news was that my arm felt good. I didn't carry a hiking pole in my left hand, but I felt like I might be able to as long as I didn't put any pressure on it.We drove up to Stecoah Gap this morning, parked the truck and got ready for my first hike of any distance since I broke my arm 23 days ago.Lone Wolf '99 was there when I pulled the truck into Stecoah Gap. I ran into him last year when I walked into Chestnut Knob Shelter about 11 pm on a night that was so foggy that I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me.He's doing a long section hike this year from Va to Springer.I decided to carry both hiking poles today, so we set off up the mountain heading south back to NOC.I am leaving my truck here tonight and Pike will take us to Fontana tomorrow to walk back to the truck if everything goes well with today's walk.We climbed about 2,000 feet up to Cheoah Bald and sat down for a 30 minute lunch break.The warm sun was out and made me feel real lazy...I could have just stayed there and taken a nap, but we were slackpacking and still had a ways to go.We stopped and talked to every nobo we ran into. There were so many, that I'm just going to write their names down now in the order we saw them; Sumo, Figgy Newton, Morning Fit, Outbreak, Merlin, CW, Lonesome Pole Cat, 64, Marcus Solo, Just Joan, Sir Lansalot The Brave, Carbomb, Elsbeth, Labdad, Bluebelt, Otter, Coheeba, Red, Andy DuFrain, Handlebar, Double Shot, Chewy, Sleeper, Bloomer, Ranger Cortez and Turtle Scout.It was great running into so many thru hikers and getting to talk to them. :-)))We kept walking and eventually got to NOC. It was a short mileage day, but I was tired....a good tired!!!I walked some miles and my arm felt good. I was really deliberate with my footsteps, especially in wet areas because I know if I fall on my left side right now, I would be in trouble. I'd probably just sit there and cry. :-))) I know it would hurt worse than when I broke my arm.I was hungry, but we were being picked up by Pike and Jenny, then heading out to Bryson City to an Italian restaurant, so I ordered a hamburger and fries and split it with Shortcut while we waited. Ha!!!I walked, so I earned a little extra food today. :-)))We sat there at NOC and talked to Conductor and Single Malt while we shared that hamburger and waited on our ride.Pike and Jenny showed up and took us to Bryson City.Dinner was great, but I haven't done much in the last 23 days, so I was tired...really tired. It was hard to keep my eyes open on the way back to the cabin.When we got back, I took a shower and crawled into bed. I think I was sleeping before I got under the covers. :-)))Today was a real confidence booster even though I've turned into an out of shape, slow hiker. Ha!!!