Date: 2009-04-09
From: Neels Gap, GA

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Summary --I am sitting here in the comfort the Fontana Lodge, in a chair, not leaning on my elbow in my tent trying to hold down a tablet page with one hand while trying my best to write with my gloved other, and all my clothes are clean, and I'm clean, and sharing a room with four other of my types, laughing at the rediculous observations each of us make, like aliens on holiday, knowing we are here only for a short while, soon to return to our work. The big news here on the trail is, like the big news everywhere, the weather. The rain of the week or so ago is old news, bad as it was, it was managable. Last Friday night I tented at Wine Spring with two boys from Mississippi, we found the spring all right, but none of us found any wine. Anyway, the wind was blowin' hard at sunset, and I set up a clothesline to dry my things from the days before rain, and the wind blew damn cold all night long. A bright sunrise slowly warmed the tent and convinced me I deserved another hour sleep, which I took along with a leisurely breakfast, all of which resulted in a noon start. I had no intention of walking 19.1m that day, but I ended up at Nantahala Outdoor Center about 10:30, set up the tent on the side of the road, and was up before the General Store opened where I got directions and provisions to shower and do the laundry and clean all my gear, all on a beautiful 74 degree sunny Sunday. Ready to hit the trail, nope, not yet, gotta call home first, then after, as I was hoisting my pack looking through the General Store window, I spied two bags of Fritos which I quickly purchased and sat outside devouring them, when the unmistakable grilling hamburger aroma caught me and my attention, and my curiousity and cranial craving drew me across the way, where I promptly ordered a nice salad and a nice greasy swiss cheese bacon burger, all washed down with 2 fake beers. Oh, 4pm, time to hit the trail, destination about 10m. As things went I ended up tenting, in drizzle, at the Sassafras Shelter 6.9m out. Did I mention my dislike for shelters with their snorers and mice? The next morning was a damp start, and soon little snow balls, not flakes, were bouncing all around me and the mountain mist was freezing on the most delicate plant stems and gossamers. Ground spider webs collected the snow balls like pockets of laundry soap amoung the brown leafy floor. About three hours in fatigue was setting in early, my legs needed rest, and Brown Fork Shelter, 9.1m, would be the destination. I arrived to a full shelter, one I was willing to put up with, but my impatience led me to a tent site by the spring where I set up as the serious snow, now flakes, not pellets, began to fall and the more serious wind began to howl. Now, the tent fly has plenty of gaps and is by no means air tight, unless you are in the beginning of a somewhat major 6-8" snowstorm, then the gaps thankfully fill right in fast, and remembering the weather forecasts at the NOC, this was the beginning, the next day would be colder and windy. I decided then the next day, which was really Tuesday, would be a zero day, a trail term usually meant as a day off the trail to relax, restock, etc, but I needed rest, I was low on food, planned for the Fontana Dam resupply, and I didnt want to make a bad situation worse. Survival mode. So Tuesday I spent fasting and trying to sleep 'til 4pm when I had a hot meal and went to "sleep" again, thinking of how the day before when I set up the tent I saw three "perfect" six pointed snowflakes on the floor of the tent, and then still seeing them there two hours later. After a very bad night's sleep of trying twice to decide which end of the tilted tent was best for my cold feet, I packed up and went up the hill to the shelter to see who was there and my surprise was there were four friends I thought were days ahead of me, and they were surprised as well that I was "the guy down there in the tent". We made plans to share a room here, and here we are after a most wonderful gaitor lashed hike of 12.7m starting in the snow, knee deep at times, which later became slush, then mud as the sun worked on it as did the decent in elevation to a rediculous 1775', 55 degrees. So, tomorrow is a real zero day, when I wish to catch up on email responses and other such duties. Please keep the messages coming I appreciate all the interest and support from everyone. Goodnight.