Date: 2005-03-29
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 45.4

Roan Highlands are so beautiful.   Another great section of trail. This is nice because for the entire afternoon through Roan, Jane Bald to Hump Mtns. are all over open mountain tops. Balds!   Nothing like walking over open mountains like that.   I was happy that there was not much snow up top. That's a pain.   Stumpknocker was finally happy to get a view from the Hump Mtns area.   He has never walked over those mountians in nice weather.   He at least got to see them both from the other mountian tops.   We stopped in at Over Mountain Shelter. We were going to spend the night until I looked around at the people.   2 groups, not hiking together, both with 2 men a few kids and a dog or 2.   Yeah I decided to haul butt out of there. That was just a head ached waiting to happen.   Not that I have anything against them but they hadn't walked at all that day. They arrived in at this shelter the night before and only hiked up to the top of the mountain that day. That meant they only walked about 5-6 miles at the most. Those kids had tons of energy. That meant they weren't sleeping which meant I was not sleeping. That wasn't happening so we left.   Good thing too, as we walked the trail out I looked over to see one of those idiots washing his dished in the spring.   I bit my lip and walked on. Remember people we have to drink this water and I don't wish to drink your dirty dish water. Wash dishes, yourself and your clothes away from the spring or other water sources. Well Stumpknocker's luck with the Hump mountains came back to him.   It was shortly before sunset we started to get fogged in.   That was not good. We had to get off Hump Mtn. by the time it got dark.   Night hiking is cool but night hiking in the fog is dangerous and stupid.   Our headlamps would be useless in the fog.   So as it got darker and darker we haul butt down to Doll Flats.   once we dropped in elevation the sky cleared up.   Only the mountain tops were fogged in. What a great moon rise it was.   A full bright orange moon rose above the mountains of Tenn. So beautiful to watch these simply things that happen everyday of our lives.   I love that we take the time to stand there and watch them. During the night we had storms passing through. We even had clouds passing right through the tent!   Our bags were soaked in the morning. We got up and haul butt down to US19.   We started hitching our way to Kincora Hostel at this point.   We were cold and wet and wanted to be indoors quickly. It took a little bit but we got a ride into town. It was easter sunday and there were no good christians to be found. A ton of people going to church but none that wanted to help their fellow man.   They suck! Finally a nice man picked us up and gave us a ride all the way to Hampton. That was awesome.   We called Bob Peoples and then continue to hitch to the Food Lion for grociers.   Bob came out and found us in the store and took us back to the hostel.   We made arrangements to have Bob drive us back to Hot Springs for the truck the next day.   After that we told him we would stick around and do trail maintence with him. I never helped out with this before but I really wanted to help maintain the trail with Bob.The next day it was a long drive back to Hot Springs.   I was looking forward to stopping in at the pub for some Yuengling.   Instead I got to go into the outfitters and buy a new Mtn. Hardware hiking skirt from Balitmore Jack.   Yeah I know it has no clue except if you consider beige a color, which I do not.   But all my skirts have fallen apart from the abuse of the backpack.   I think this one will last for a while. I hadn't seen Jack since last year when I passed through this area.   Always good to see old friends. We stopped at the store on the way back for cooking supplies. I had told a few northbounders I would cook dinner that night for everyone.   Stumpknocker and me loaded up the food cart with lots of goodies for hungry thru hikers.   I started cooking pretty late but everyone seemed like they didn't mind waitting.   It worked out great as we all sat down for dinner the door opened up and 2 very cold very wet skinny hikers showed up. It was the B's!   First thing I did was hand them a plate full of chicken parm.   That should help warm those bones! Everyone enjoyed it, which made me happy.   I think that made all those miles that the B's just pushed through so much better.The next day Stumpknocker and I headed out with Bob to help build new trail.   I'm going to build part of the Appalachian Trail. That is so cool.   And someone was going to trust me with a sharp tool, bonus!   It was fun. We had help from a college student who had to work so many hours of comminuty service.   We got a lot done in one day.   I really had a great time helping out.   It was so great that I offered to hike on but promised to come back in a few days to help with the trail maintence again.   After a dinner of left over Chicken Parm with Doc Holiday I got to sit back next to the wood burning stove and relax.   Another great day on the trail.