Date: 2007-05-24
From: Russel Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The morning is quite brisk, but welcoming. I slept in my thermal long-underwear pants and shirt, and also with a sock hat on. This morning, I put my gloves on and begin preparing my oatmeal. My goal is Double Spring Gap Shelter, just south of Clingmans Dome. From looking at someone's map, I know that there are going to be some steep climbs today, so I want to get a good headstart on the day, allowing ample time to finish and hang out with whoever might be at the shelter!Michael is out a few minutes before me, but in those few minutes, he manages to hike far enough ahead of me where it takes me 20-minutes or so to catch up with him! I've unwisely left my long-underwear pants on under my regular pants, but decide to tough it for 2.9-miles until the next shelter, Spence Field, where I can then remove them. The thermal shirt, though, is quite welcome, as I can always push the sleeves up and pull down the zipper, which goes all the way down to my sternum!The hike to Spence Field is beautiful, and I can't complain about the terrain, rocky though it may be. At the shelter, I meet at least 10-people, I gather, all from New York. It is two separate groups, they insist, as half of them are from the City, and the other half are from Upstate! After some small talk, we determine that one of them knows a good friend of mine who lives near Rochester! I tactfully remove my pants, out of sight, and talk for a few more moments before pressing on. One of the groups is cooking breakfast burritos, replete with eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, and peppers, it looks like. I must've been drooling, as I was on the verge of offering them $10 for one of them scrumptuous looking items! I wisely resist, saving my money, and press on.North of the shelter, the Trail traverses through an area wide open with sweepingly beautiful vistas. There is hardly a cloud in the sky, unlike yesterday, where I sat out a nasty rainstorm at Mollies Ridge Shelter! It is very rocky here, with a few scrambles, but it is so beautiful that I don't mind at all! It's not only the sweeping vistas that are beautiful either! The tall grass, blowing in the wind; the ancient boulders strewn across the field; the occassional tree, old to be sure as this forest is mainly virgin!The Trail meanders up the beautiful Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountains! So far, apart from Blood and Albert Mountains, these are the two most beautiful sections of the Trail so far! I descend to Beechnut Gap, where I meet a nice couple from Tennessee. They tell me of their college-aged daughter, about my age they say, who set out to hike the Appalachian Trail the previous year. She made it all the way to New Hampshire, they tell me, before she had to stop to go back to school. Hell, if it was me, I tell them, I would've put school on hold (as I am doing right now, actually), figuring school will always be there, but my health and agility to make this trek might not be!The rest of the hike to Derrick Knob Shelter is not as difficult as the NOC ascent, but is easily as steep as the Albert Mountain climb. Many hikers have complained to me about this section, from those who have hiked it already to those looking at it on the elevation profile on their maps. What the hell do these hikers expect? These are mountains, not beaches they're hiking on! For me, these climbs are awesome, being completely straight up for short spurts in a handful of places! Awesome!I stop at the shelter to rest and get some water, as I've been drinking more today than I usually do... the climbs to here were literally that intense! As I'm getting my new fancy-schmancy water pump out, up comes Michael from the stream! He must've gotten ahead of me when I stopped at Spence Field! The look on his face, and the words coming out of his mouth crack me up. I haven't a clue as to what he's saying in his ebullience, as his heavy French accent becomes all the more heavy when he's excited! After filling my Camelback and resting for a few moments, and eating some food, to be sure, I press on. Michael is ahead of me, and I hope to catch up with him, as he is not only the funniest person I have met, but easily the happiest. Things like humor and joy and happiness are contagious, I think, and I want some of his to rub off of me. I'm completely happy and content with what I'm doing, but the more the merrier, right?The Trail North of here includes many steeps ups-and-downs, and not a shortage of rocks. It's only a 5.5-mile hike, Wingfoot says, from Derrick Knob Shelter to Silers Bald Shelter, a relatively short hike; but, it seems to take much longer! I eventually tire of the severe ruggedness, and in my annoyed state, curse the Trail for being as rocky as it is, and find myself looking ahead and around every curve, only in the hopes of seeing the roof of the next shelter.After what seems to be an eternity, and while climbing yet another steep, rocky "up", I catch up with Michael. He immediately brightens my mood, as he is laughing at how rugged the Trail is, and how the shelter seems to be further than 5.5-miles! Lord, what will it take for me to possess a mentality as healthy as his, able to find joy even in the trials, in the tribulations of life? I think I said something like, "Where's the fucking shelther!?!" only to find it just a few minutes North of my catching up with Michael. Patience is a virtue, eh? And like riding a bike, one must practice the virtues to "perfect" them.This shelter reminds me of Low Gap, back in Georgia, because of the voracious bugs! They've been present at nearly every stop along the entire Trail, but usually aren't severe. Low Gap Shelter and right here, Silers Bald Shelter, are really the only two places! Again, I'm wishing I had my deet (I'm really glad I sent it home, as it was 99%, and surely a carcinogen!). At the shelter are four other people. There is a father and young son (maybe 10-years old, with his own backpack!), who shortly head South on the Trail. Then there are two others, one of whom kindly offers me his bug spray, as he sees me frustratingly swat bugs continuously, while trying to write in the shelter register! His spray is all natural, and works amazingly well, and with haste! I make a mental note to buy some of my own, if I see it in the outfitter in Gatlinburg, where my family and I are unfortunately going to stay (we've never been big on touristy places, especially gaudy ones like Gatlinburg. It's like Disney World or Myrtle Beach in the mountains!).After my entry, and some pleasant conversation, I head North to Double Spring Gap Shelter, only 1.7-miles more! As to why they put shelters this close together in some places, I don't think I'll ever know. I, for my part, refuse to stay where the bugs are so problemmatic, and also knowing that the shelter is a stones throw away!At the peak of Silers Bald, which is quite beautiful, I am rewarded my first upclose view of Clingmans Dome, with Mount Buckley just before it! I haven't seen this since the Wayah Bald observation deck! I can see from here that the forest is different, completely different. I hike on, and this forest transformation begins to take place, almost immediately, before my very eyes. It goes from looking like Spring to smelling like Christmas, what with the heavy smell of pine (spruce, I believe I read at wikipedia.org). And, yes, the hike to Double Spring is short, thank God, as I am quite tired!Coming up to the shelter, I see a guy with dreadlocks, and immeidately think it is Dred, whom I'd met at Fontana Dam. It's not him, but another guy along with a friend of his. The one without dreads thru-hiked a few years ago. Also along is a man who looks like a cross between Dustin Hoffman and Bob Dylan, named Robert! He fears he is having a heart-attack, and calls 911. Within an hour-and-a-quarter, around 7-rangers come from the Dome. It turns out Robert has "only" pulled a muscle in his heart. They offer to carry his backpack with them, allowing him to hike out that evening with ease. He declines, figuring he'll hike to the Dome in the morning, and see how he feels! What a tenacious 64-year old hiker! What motivation for me!Another hiker, Nate, also shows up. The first two guys I'd met (I seriously need to keep a small legal pad in my pocket to jot down the names of all I meet!) share some beef jerky and their pipe tobacco. They're also talking about doing a night hike, as the clear afternoon skies should continue into the evening. I decline their invitation to join them, as my feet feel like absolute hell. The night is beautiful, I must confess, with the moon so bright you could see your own shadow! Cat Stevens was on the mind of each of us who had parents from the 60s, to be sure!The night is cold again, but quite nice. A hiker earlier complained about this shelter, saying it was ugly and that there was no water source. I don't know what he was talking about, as it's no different than any of the other shelters in the National Park, and there definitely is a water source! An exhilirating water source, too, as it's right on the edge of a STEEP slope/drop off down the mountain side! The cold wind is billowing up and over the ledge here, strongly encouraging me to quickly gather my water for cooking and the next day, which will only take me 10.8-miles to Newfound Gap, where I will meet up with my parents.Sleep is strongly desired, but I tarry for awhile near the campfire, until 11pm, thoroughly enjoying the company of the other hikers, and the conversation! Nearing 11pm, though, my tired self can wait no longer! How do these other hikers do it? Then I remember they are out for short excursions, and I have been out for 15-days! I'm exhausted, and earn my nightly sleep!