Date: 2014-03-26
From: Sam's Gap

To: Erwin Tennessee
Miles today: 0.0

Sam's Gap is where everything changed! I got there with Windscreen around 4 pm knowing that we had about 9 more miles (all uphill) to go to the next shelter and a snow storm on its way for later that night. Windscreen had taken a nasty fall the day before and his knee was starting to really hurt while I was experiencing really bad shine splits...As windscreen was 35 miles from home he decided to take a zero (smartest decision ever) so he got a ride from a buddy. This meant I had 9 miles to go with only 4 hours of light... As you will learn I am afraid of the dark and don't like to tent on my own, so that only meant one thing: hauling @ss up that mountain! While it was up hill the terrain was surprisingly forgiving. The climb was gradual almost all the way. I passed the Priest about an hour and a half into the climb (which soothed my soul a little as this meant someone would find me if anything went wrong.) On once I got to the top of the mountain I had the most spectacular view from the bald (I can't recall it's name...) I could see 3 mountain ranges I had already passed behind me and I could see many more mountains I will be passing in the future! On top of the bald I figured I would be at the shelter soon but as the sun was setting fast I kept on moving north. Upon my descent I saw three people on the next little mound I was going to climb. I couldn't quite make out who they were but just the sight of them made me happy! (It also made me start to be concerned whether or not I would have a spot in the shelter) a little bit later I did arrive to the shelter to find a spot I could occupy with a few more spots to spare. I would be spending the night with: Springside, Straight away Bob, Green Bean, Deep Blue, Fancy Pants, Radagast (I don't know how to spell that one... The wood wizard from the Lord of the rings...), the priest and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Later that night Tog and Wikipedia joined us. I was so happy to see the guys and to have arrived before dark... I can't quite explained it in words! Green Bean was kind enough to get me water as he was headed down to the spring, in the mean time I cooked my dinner (a fancy smancy mountain house meal! Ya mail drops from my parents!) We had an amazingly beautiful sunset that evening. But as always on the trail once the sun is down everybody gets in their sleeping bag. I was out pretty quickly and only woke up a handful of times to turn around or to a snort from a fellow hiker. All in all it was a peaceful night. At 7 am I started to hear people getting up so I figured I would check the scene out...IT WAS A WHITE WONDERLAND! !! While that's all great and dandy when you are looking through a window with a heater by your feet it scared me half to death... I did the math ... OK so I have 16ish miles till I reach Erwin... and started throwing things in my bag, changed my clothes, ate a honey bun all at the same time. I wanted to make sure there were plenty of hikers behind me so if i got in trouble (I haven't really ever hiked in the snow before) they could hep. I was about the 5th person out so I had plenty of footsteps to follow (shout out to Radagast for blazing the trail you rock!) I am still struggling with that torn rotation cuff so I walk with one trekking pole... which means less stability. I slipped and fell 4 times throughout the day, but these were my softest falls yet! (The tally by the end of the day for my entire trip was 18..) 8 passed Springside and Straight Away Bob and met some hikers I had never met before (socs, blaze, and animal planet) After a quick break with the priest at No Business Shelter I powered on (it was getting really cold!) Not 5 minutes later the wind started to blow really hard and it started to snow vertically. .I got a but of wind burn on my nose an d cheeks but decided to muscle on as I knew town was only 5.7 miles! The footsteps of the others were filling with snow fast which motivated me to go even faster even on the up hill, which is uncharacteristic of me, just to get to town faster. I only stopped once to take a picture of Erwin as we got a glimpse a mile or so before the town. To put it mildly these 24 hours (less actually) was the most intense time on the trail! I pushed myself harder than I though possible went at a higher mph rate than I though for longer than I had ever done before in my life. The after math... my shin split (I had ignored it all this time) has gotten really bad! I am currently on a hotel room (with three others of course) trying to decide whether to zero tomorrow or not...Even with the intensity life is so amazing out here on the trail! I wouldn't trail it for anything!Till later! (Go hike!)P.s. I walked through a drive thru today! Epic P.s again.. sorry for any spelling or grammar errors typing on a phone is more difficult than I thought it would be...