Date: 2007-03-22
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Campsite past Wayah Bald
Miles today: 10.5

Tonight we are tenting at the campsite just past Wayah Bald. Wayah Bald's elevation is at 5342 feet, the second highest elevation that I know of that we have hiked to. The highest has been Standing Indian Mountain at 5498. The third highest has been Albert Mountain at 5250 feet. Actually the climbs today were not too bad--fairly gradual, but long. We had hoped we might feel like hiking a bit further today but decided to stop here. My feet are hurting and I think that all the climbing took more out of us than we realized. We were dropped off by Ron Haven, the owner of the Budget Motel in Franklin, N.C. at around 9am after being shuttled to the good ole boys' local diner. Ron thanked us for stopping in Franklin and asked that we send a picture to him after we finish the trail. And he made sure to tell us that if we needed anything between Winding Stair Gap and Fontana Dam to give him a call. A nice person that loves to help out hikers.The campsite has ended up being pretty full tonight with us, Buckles, Bucket, Crankbait, Dog's Life, Zubie, Mingus Khan, Billy the Kid, and Goldster. The last 4 hikers named are younger hikers. It seems there are quite a few older hikers out which is good to see. Crankbait has his name because he makes fishing lures and loves to fish. So he and Toto have a lot to talk about--fishing! A hiker, Montana Steve, that we had never met before came into camp this evening. He and Toto hit it off right away talking about sports.Today we came upon 2 hikers out for 4 days. When I caught up to Toto he was talking to them and one of them asked Toto where he retired from and when Toto told him the other hiker said that he also retired from the same agency. So they had a lot to talk about--mostly about how glad they were to be out of it! They promised to talk more on up the trail when they saw each other again. However, after we stopped at our campsite at 3pm they came by and said they were going further so we may not see them again. We have been seeing quite a few little blue flowers that we think are called bluets. I don't recall seeing any others. Wildlife has been scarce. We have heard a few birds and lots of woodpeckers. Lots of coyote scat along the trail and once I saw bear scat but no other animals.The woods are still pretty bare looking through them as the leaves have not started popping out in the higher elevations. Soon though, we should start seeing more flowers. We remember seeing trillium and bloodroot in 05 hiking into Fontana Dam.My feet are tired and sore and so have come into the tent to get off of them. I am sure I will fall asleep way too early. Everyone else is just outside close by around the fire that Toto started when we first got into camp. It has certainly felt good and the hikers that came in later have appreciated it. I forgot to memtion that we brought subs to the trail from the little deli in town. Charles and Nancy had carried some in and were eating them at Muskrat Creek Shelter a few nights ago and they looked so good we decided to do the same thing. We told the man fixing them that we needed them wrapped well since we would be taking them hiking and he did a fantastic job. They were as good-looking as if they had just been made. We ate the first half early in the afternoon while climbing up the mountain and the other half after we got to camp and had set up the tent and gotten water. So no cooking tonight.Well, that's about all I can think of to write tonight. We hope to get out of here early in the morning and go for as long as our feet hold up.