Date: 2003-06-06
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Well first of all, if you have a choice, stay at Roaring Fork Shelter. It¢s much nicer than Walnut Mountain! Second, Happy Birthday, Mandy! Hope you got my postcard in time. Third, the day. Started out with another stiff morning climb. Several of them, as a matter of fact. The climb out of Brown Gap was almost unbearable. Isn¢t this supposed to be getting easier? I still get winded, and today my gluts were burning. I can fly on the flat stretches (what few there are) and even the downhills, but a mere 1% incline and I lost steam. I even tried eating something for energy, but it didn¢t seem to make any difference.Once again, the top made it all worth it! Max Patch is probably everyone¢s favorite spot, but I¢ve got to add it to my list. I pushed to the top from the road with no rest, Hal just behind. (I beat him this time). ¢The hills are alive with the sound of music!¢ We thought for sure we saw Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.Max Patch is a huge bald with an incredible panoramic view. Thankfully we hit it on a beautiful day! Peeling off layers to the bare minimum, we plopped down and had lunch. A south bounder came along and shared some gossip from up ahead. The trail grapevine is not to be reckoned with.Overkill, or Jonathan I think was his name, knew several things about me! It still catches me off guard to meet people who have heard of me. Hal keeps telling me I¢m famous. I just feel silly.I didn¢t want to leave Max Patch ¢ could have stayed there all afternoon. But ¢miles to go before I sleep,¢ and I dragged myself away.So, trying to get as close to Hot Springs as possible, the three of us came on to Walnut Mountain Shelter after a brief rest at Roaring Fork.Walnut Mountain is really in a nice spot. Situated directly off the west side of the trail, it sleeps six and looks out over the lush forest to the east. When we arrived, it was already full of six boisterous young boys, their two chaperones tented nearby. I scouted out a great campsite just up from the shelter for Anne, Hal and me. The more time I spend with these people the more I like them. I think (I hope) it¢s mutual. Hal asked me last night who was the neatest person I¢d met so far. I have to say Anne, the reason being she is pure mom, and yet she hasn¢t lost herself in being a mom. She¢s out here pursuing a dream of her own, doing something for herself, and not feeling guilty for it. And why should she? The strength and experience she gains will be an asset to her family when she gets home.Friday night has always had a special feel around my house as I was growing up, the week having come to a close, the day of rest ahead of us. It was always kind of a family time. We always had dinner together (veggie burgers and potato salad, or potato soup in the winter!), and then my sisters and I often sat around painting our nails or something while my parents read.Somehow tonight I could feel that specialness, eating dinner with my week-old friends, knowing I¢d be resting tomorrow. We managed a fire even Chris, Ben and Willie could have been proud of, and relaxed around if for a while.