Date: 2013-03-14
From: Nantahala River

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

"We carry our fears."This morning while replacing the belt buckle for my pack at the NOC Trailside Outfitters, I overheard a conversation between a hiker attempting to thru-hike the A.T. and an experienced salesman. The thru-hiker had a whole pile of things he wanted to purchase. The salesman was trying to dissuade him from doing so. The hiker said he was a Boy Scout and just wanted to be prepared. The salesman's response was that this hiker's pack was already 56 pounds and that is way to heavy. According to the salesman, one of the lessons to learn was the ability to determine what you don't need to carry. The hiker's reply was that his pack was even heavier when he got to Neels Gap, but the outfitters there convinced him to mail some things home. The salesman couldn't understand why the hiker was again trying to add to his pack weight. In a conversation with Dirty Bird about pack weight, she told me, "We carry our fears. We carry around the extra burden and weight of the things we are afraid of." For example, she told of a person who feared the dark and carried two huge flash lights. I think this principle rings true on the trail, and also metaphorically on our life's journey.Hoosier and I were in no rush this 21 degree morning. We enjoyed several cups of coffee with pancakes at the NOC riverside restaurant; plus good interaction with other hikers. One of the hikers we met and ate with was Z. He told us that his parents are citizens of Israel but that he was born here in the states. He graduated a couple of years ago from Berkeley University in California with a major in saxophone. For the past couple of years he has lived in LA teaching saxophone and successfully doing studio recording work. He was very open about how he is on the trail as a way to find out what is next for him. Hoosier commented that many on the trail are on a spiritual journey. Z agreed and said that he had become turned off and disillusioned by all the "celebrity-ism" and materialism in LA. He had found himself escaping to the hills and trails around LA to be able to think. That's when he decided, with no camping experience at all, to hike the AT. He started in early February with a 40 degree rated sleeping bag and nearly froze. He almost quit that first week, but was helped by a friendly outfitter to get new equipment, including a warmer sleeping bag. Here at the NOC outfitters he also purchased a new and lighter backpack. His other one was heavy and we were surprised that he said it no longer fit well because he had lost so much weight. He looks fit now, so we had no idea he had started badly out of shape. We like Z and can tell he is serious about finishing his thru-hike.We eventually started the 3,000 foot climb up from Nantahala River. Our goal for the day was a comfortable one, and we arrived at the first shelter much sooner than expected. The shelter is a large double-decker, and we decided to stay in it instead of setting up our tents. There are seven of us here for the night. One of the men is just starting his hike. This is where he dropped out last year and so he is starting fresh here this year. He is a large man and the trail name he has chosen is Amtrak. He says that is because he resembles a slow moving locomotive as he lumbers up the trail.It will be another cold night.