Date: 2013-03-30
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

It rained lightly over night but only for a few hours. I stayed warm and dry and didn¢t have issues with H2O pooling under my tent. As I was breaking camp, Burrito from the Hiker Hostel arrived from the north. He asked the entire camp whether anyone had seen a stray dog. My first thought was, ¢I didn¢t know you had stayed here too.¢ But as he continued speaking, it became clear that he had not. He said he had lost Salsa three days earlier when a trail runner spooked her and chased her down the trail. He seemed distraught when we all answered that we had not seen her. I later found out he has been holed up in Franklin while waiting for Salsa to resurface. A few of us took his phone number in case we spotted her. He had also placed notes in the next few shelters, leaving his contact information. I sincerely hope she gets hungry enough to approach a friendly backpacker or is found by a local. She is microchipped, and Burrito¢s phone number is on her collar, so I hope there is a happy ending to be had.On a lighter note, the morning felt much warmer than it had been. I hiked in just a T-shirt and my rain pants, which is a nice change from the ordinary. Most people were aiming for Rock Gap Shelter, a 12.1-mile day. That would put us at a short 3 from a shuttle pickup to Franklin, NC.A few miles down the trail, we came to an impressive overlook, one of the most stunning of the trip. I took video and photos and took pictures of others that showed up. Two of them introduced themselves as Yank (from MI) and Blue Bonnet (from southern Louisiana). As we walked down the trail, we talked about LA cooking, including gumbo, jambalaya, and boudin sausage. It was so mouth-watering we had to stop talking about it.Albert Mountain was our biggest climb of the day, and it turned out to be the biggest climb of the trip. It was about a 400-foot climb but over just 0.3 miles, which means it was practically straight up hand-over-hand climbing. It was tough, and we all complained, but the payout was spectacular. We were rewarded with the best views yet, with a fire tower to boot. I made it by 1:00 p.m., and most folks took a lunch break. It was a nice opportunity to reconvene and socialize as a group. Towards the end of lunch, I asked if anyone was vegetarian. All said no but asked if I was. I said I was attempting it but simple starches and sugars weren¢t going to cut it. They immediately gave me a number of helpful suggestions, including olive oil, vegetable protein, and soba noodles. I plan to be in Franklin, NC, tomorrow and will take the opportunity to properly resupply.The afternoon hike included, once again, mostly downhill sections. However, by 3:00 p.m, the dogs (my feet) were barking, so I stopped at Long Branch Shelter to give them a break. There I met Mello Johnny who was also resting his feet and making some hot tea. I admired the newly built, glistening shelter and took a few minutes to pick up some trash left by a careless hiker.Back on the trail, I managed to pick up an NPR station and blessed out on This American Life and other programs.By 5:00 p.m., I rolled into Rock Gap Shelter. The place was already full with many of the hikers I had spent my day with. Tent space was at a premium, so I had to go downhill about 100 feet to set up camp. I set up my tent, then went back to the shelter to cook dinner. Ramen was the main course, and it was oh so much better than the instant potatoes I¢ve been living on for days. During dinner, there was suddenly cheering and hollering from my fellow campers. They were cheering, unbeknownst to me, a fellow hiker returning from his hitch into Franklin with beer and boxed wine. Hallelujah! Although we couldn¢t be in Franklin for the official Hiker Fool Bash, we made our own party in the woods, complete with Peeps! Even though I hadn¢t been there when the plan was originally hatched, the goodies were for all to enjoy, and enjoy we did around the campfire for hours. I went to bed at dusk and honestly not 30 minutes later, it began to rain, and it rained heavily and steadily all night. My spirits weren¢t downed, though, because I knew a town day for laundry, resupply, showers, food, electronics charging, gear drying, and respite was a nearo (short hike) away.