Date: 2006-04-21
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: moderate rain

Smith shelter - Overmountain shelter. 12.9 miles. Trash 62.woke up about 6:30 to a dreary sky. it had rained during the night and was raining again by 7:00. no privy and I really had to go--but really had no urge to get pelted with cold rain while I dug a cat-hole and took a squat behind a tree, so I waited it out a bit.finally left at 9:30 with Natty Boh, who was feeling much better. the rain hadn't ever really ceased and I began the day with my rainjacket. after 5 minutes I had stripped it off and 10 minutes after that I had put it back on. It would be that kind of day.the ascent up to Roan High Bluff(6150) was steep and relentless, and especially difficult in the rain. It was a long steep, winding stair full of roots, rocks, puddles and mud, and trudging up there with my soaked boots,I could picture myself climbing up the Secret Stair in Mordor, following behind the creature Gollum as he lead me up to a likely doom.Caught up with 42 near the top and the two of us finished the summit together. Both of us were soaked and freezing and we ducked into Roan High Knob shelter to warm up.Great shelter with a trapdoor leading up into a loft which had two closing windows. we were soon joined by Natty Boh and the 3 of us put on dry clothes and began to much on food.warm and content sometime later, we began to take turns reading aloud a "One-Story"(short story) edition I'd brought along to entertain ourselves. By the time we'd finished, Mudflap, Daisy, Andy Dufresne, and Hellbender were all warming up beside us.I finally got motivated and left a few minutes later, though I couldn't bring myself to put back on the cold wet shirt I'd been wearing before, so I just wore my fleece vest beneath my shell. I walked outside into a cloud surrounding the shelter and probably the whole top-half of the mountain. for the first 5 minutes I splashed through a flood of rain, unable to see more than 15 feet ahead.eventually I left the cloud behind me, but the trail would remain muddy and slick the rest of the day. and even with my trekking poles, I managed to fall twice before I'd finished the last 6.8 miles to Overmountain shelter.Overmountain is a large red barn supposedly made famous after its use in a Patrick Swayzee movie. there were a lot of hikers already there: Able Jack, Chainsaw, Double-Shot, Squarl, Car-Bomb and Lichen. The six of them had been hanging out up in the loft all day, having zeroed from the day before--not wanting anything to do with hiking in such nasty weather. They had apparantly spent the day looking out the loft's large open window and harassing hikers as they passed, taunting each of them in ridiculous, joking voices, questions like: "hey hiker--where ya goin? are ya hikin' down the pretty path?" and "are those ultra-lightweight shorts you're wearing?" they'd been laughing all day long, but at the same time, growing delerious from having spent all day in a barn.I learned that Squarl had defeated Squirrel in an arm-wrestling competition and along with bragging rights, Squarl was now claiming in his register entries to be sponsored by Pop-Tarts.I'd met Double-Shot back at Ms. Janet's house but at that time had no idea the young hiker (19 I think) was a master of the Christopher Walkin impersonation. it wasn't long before tears of laughter were rolling off my cheeks as I listened to Walkin's voice joking about lost watches and hiker-trash.Hellbender and Andy Dufresne showed up a little after me and were soon followed by Dinosaur-a 22 year old blonde that got her name from carrying her father's old exterior-frame pack--a piece of gear about as old as a dinosaur. As Dinosaur came up the trail towards the barn, I heard Christopher Walkin call down to her: "Hey hiker...1984 called. they want their pack back." when Double-Shot turned back away from the window he added (in his normal voice): "a whole day in a barn...never again.""well this trip is about NOT HIKING almost as much as its about HIKING," the ever-witty Able Jack said, and he was right. He and Chainsaw had been sitting up inside their sleeping bags, chain-smoking since my arrival."hey hiker--are you bedding down here for the night, hiker?""go on now...GET!"I glanced around the inside of the wooden barn at all the holes and cracks lying between the boards, allowing numerous slivers of light to shine through the walls from every direction. the sky, having finally cleared, was darkening at the onset of dusk, but my laughter would continue for hours.Random Register Entry:"THE BALLAD OF NATTY BOHCome listen young children to the story I tell,the story of Natty Boh and his journey to hell.it was dark and dreary, the fog had settled in,Natty was drunk on whisky and gin.   he stumbled outside in the deep of the night,and to ward off the ghosts he carried his light.some tree yonder calling for him to pee onbut when he turned around the shelter was gone.the shelter had vanished in a swirling mist.natty boh cursed, oh how he was pissed."help guys," he shouted, but his voice went unheard,no help appeared to his desperate word.he picked a direction, off he stumbled.in the woods grandeur, he now felt humbled.42 went to rescue, but to her dismay,he remains lost to this very day."Natty Boh where are you?" 42 did intone,but Natty was gone, swallowed by Roan.beware fellow hikers for the ghost of the Knob,run far and fast should you hear his vengeful sob."-by Natty Boh, Sleepy the Arab and 42