Date: 2004-10-25
To: Nantahella?!?!
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, my decision to take off, both good and bad. It was definatly good because I was spending too much time alone and would have more fun with more people out there. I was bad for two reasons. One- It made me realize that I could call Kristin anytime, anywhere, and quit the Trail, which hadn't seemed likely before. Two-It made me soft. Even after just 130 miles you earn a certain mettle that makes you move on, starting up again was like being a newbie at Springer again.   Anyways, I had Kristin drive me back down on the 14th, and I started hiking on the 15th. It was really hard to leave her that day at the NOC but I noticed some hikers just ahead of me so I wanted to meet them. Turns out it was three older fellows named The Chief, Maylar, and the Old German. The chief had already section hiked the whole Trail and the other guys were pretty experienced too. They saw me coming, we stopped, talked and started hiking together. They went slower than my usual pace but it was so fun being able to talk to people I didn't care. Now, the climb out of Nantahala Gorge is hard, up almost 3000 feet in just a few miles. I got winded a lot quicker than I would of if I hadn't stopped hiking, but I still had some good stamina. When C,M and TOG, stopped for a lucnh break I decided to push on to the next shelter, Sassafras Gap Shelter. Right as I got there it was empty and it was strting to rain. Remember the other times I had people in shelters with me? Never had more than 3 others. That night at Sassafras there were 19 people!! I was having the time of my life. Lots of people to talk to, lots to do. Listening to the rain and thunder from the safety of my spot in the shelter.   I got up and left early in the morning, before everyone except for Happy Feet, a hiker about my age. The first half of the morning was covered in fog all the way down to Stecoah Gap, where I snapped a great picture of the rolling fog in the valley. Here is the part that completly confused me though. Coming up from Stecoah gap to Brown Fork Gap Shelter was by far the hardest climb so far. It just went up, up, up, and was very very, steep. After getting up it, I ate lunch at Brown Fork Gap and pushed on an easy hike to Cable gap, my destination. Trouble was though, Sassafras was supposed to hold 12 people and we had 19 in it. All of them said they were going to Cable Gap, which was built for eight. Since I once again got there faster than anyone else I decided to move on to Fontana Dam and go back to Farrell's for the night. On the way down to Fontana I can here a bear wondering around just out of sight, so I tried to hike a little fast. Great views of the Dam on the way down that day. Met Tennesee Jack, a teacher for a university in Tennesee, but kept hiking alone. Called Farrell from the dam and went to take some pictures while I waited for him. For those of you who haven't seen Fontana Dam it is an Amazing site. At 480 feet high, it is the largest dam east of the Mississippi, and the At travels right across the top. Farrell got there after awhile and we went to eat, and I stayed the night and the next day at his place. (Was soar as crap after that hike out of Stecoah.) Write more tommorow if I have time.