Date: 2013-04-16
From: Spring

To: Doll Flats - NC/TN Border
Miles today: 18.9

A spider had set up camp in my shoe. He was quickly evicted. I've got miles to walk. K-Fox was up and out very early and the Peace Core crew left just as we (read I) was getting up. Great Legs was nice enough to wait for me even thought he only tends to stay with people for a day or two. I was dreading climbing Roan. At the bottom we got water. I just wasn't feeling it today. My legs are burning more than usual and I don't know why because I've been getting stronger and my pack is just about as light as it's ever been with all the stuff I unloaded onto Emily.I eventually made it to the top where Great Legs and Short Cut were. The bathrooms are unfortunately locked until May 24th. There used to be a big hotel on top of Roan but it was dismantled in 1927. A chimney is all that remains. We stopped off to see Roan Mountain Shelter, the highest shelter on the AT. It's the first fully enclosed shelter I've seen. Also, it's the first uphill trail to the shelter I've been on. The rest are downhill because they build them in valleys and near water. Fitting I suppose that the trail to the highest shelter would go up. The shelter had a loft as well. Movie Star had scrawled his name both on the outside of the shelter and on the window (a very rare feature) in thick black marker. I've never met the kid but I'm tired of seeing his name everywhere I go. I love downhills but the climb down Roan was like a creek bed. Very rocky. After that we went over two beautiful balds. Balds I think are my favorite. Views on all sides. I was playing the catch-up game. Great Legs would wait for me at the top because I was - still - struggling. Caught up to him again at Stan Murray shelter. K-Fox and Star Man were there. I noticed many small blisters on my forearms. They looked almost like sunburn blisters but they were fluid filled and my arms had only seen an hour or two of sun in the past couple days. Star Man thought it might be poison oak or something else. Great Legs made a comment about me being contagious and took off. I think he was joking but I didn't see him for the rest of the day.Kept going and stopped at the side trail to Overmountain shelter. Wanted to go see it because it's a converted barn that sleeps at least 20 (most sleep 6-10) but I didn't want to add .6 to my day going down and back. Took a break because I hadn't stayed long at the last shelter. Waited for Star Man to catch up and talked with him about the upcoming miles and potential campsites. As we climbed the hill we could see the barn/shelter in the distance. It definitely looked cool. We then had to climb Little Hump and Big Hump Mountains. Little Hump went up over the bald then turned back the way we'd come and zigzagged all the way down. I was not in the mood. On the way down I stopped and filled up on water. I wanted to camp at the base of Big Hump Mountain. The book said there were campsites at the bottom and I was mentally checked out. When I got to the base of Big Hump Mountain though, it as just an open grassy field. Great in the middle of the summer, but very very windy today and probably very cold at night. I sat and waited for Star Man's advice. He agreed that this was a bad place to camp. He was my cheerleader that we could make it up the mountain and he talked my ear off the whole way up. It was exactly what I needed. The miles and the time flew by. It was incredibly beautiful all the way up and over and down the other side.We got to Doll Flats by 6:45. The last time we ever see NC. Two states down! Handstand, Minnesota Pete, and another couple I didn't meet were camped here. Star Man wanted to push on but eventually decided to stay. He doesn't hike that fast, but he puts in a lot of miles by doing long days. I barely managed to set up my tent because it was so windy. After I had it staked down I decided to move it so it was more aerodynamic and the wind wasn't blowing right at it's side. Bad idea. As soon as I unstaked it, it turned into a big sail and it was all I could do to hold onto it. Minnesota Pete and Star Man had to come over and help me. Cooked a big pot of parmesan noodles for dinner and it was AWESOME. I love food.