Date: 2004-05-23
From: Hot Springs TN

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

Sunday 5/23 - 15.0 miles today. Hot Springs to Low gap......or deep gap....something like that.(ok, so it's allen gap....at least I got the gap part right) What a day.I had set the alarm and of course slept in. I was out the door by 6:45 though. The little town was deserted this morning. I crossed the french broad river and started to climb climb climb. And then I climbed some more. I was walking along an old road for a while and I always think I am going to get lost on roads. It's hard finding those blazes sometimes. And I was soooo groggy this morning....no more benedryl for this girl. I swear I could have fallen asleep while hiking. I had a nap in mind when I found a little pond that actually had some wooden benches. Perfect place for a cat nap right? Wrong! Two snakes within four feet of me by the water and I believe they were both copperheads. They just give me the creeps. And the bullfrogs were talking and fish doing whatever they do and for some reason I got the creeps. The bonified heebie jeebies. I don't exactly know what the heebie jeebies are but I am pretty sure I got them. I decided to forget the nap and press on.!Something jumped in the lake and I swear it screamed before it jumped which of course made a few explitives come out of my mouth. Now I am walking through high grass and I'm scared there are more snakes.....and then I see this powder stuff in the air. I finally figured out that it was coming from some plant....everytime I brushed the stuff a powder would come off. Of course I think it is poisonous so I am trying to hold my breath cause I know I am inhaling this stuff. If the whole trail were like that quarter of a mile I would be home watching american idol!And later that day.....I started thinking about Terri and I was climbing this mountain and on the radio came that Josh Groban song. "you lift me up, so I can stand on mountains" So, I hiking up the mountain.....sweat dripping off my face and crying like there's no tomorrow......and it's thundering.....and then I start laughing. (yes, I am taking my medication!) I am so grateful to be out here doing what I have always dreamed about. No matter what happens, I made my dream a reality. And even if I don't get to finish it....for whatever reason.....I'm proud of who I am and proud and honored that I have made it this far.And then......Elton John is singing tiny dancer and I am climbing again and four ft in front of me.....again.....is a copper head coiled right in my path. More explitives....(thanks Stacy!) I must have stood there for 5 minutes. I was nice and hot and frankly he scared the crap out of me. He finally slivered off the trail.....and I got even more scared cause I couldn't see him. Have you ever seen a fat 43 year old woman with one boob and a thirty five pound backpack running uphill? No?? Well, thank your stars because I don't think it was a pretty thing! Now, the thunder is getting closer and it is so dark it is like night and it's only 3:15. But do I stop? Noooooo. I didn't see lightning so I wasn't too worried. When the lightning did come I must have looked like a cartoon character. I kept going though. The rain felt great on my bug bites and it has been so hot.Tonight I am hiking near a major road....which I do not like to do on my own but 15. miles was enough and I needed water.....so, here I am.night nightsparepocketp.s. Hope your flight back to Houston was uneventful piggy!oh, and I can't forget to say thanks to the three lads from ireland who gave me a great tip on a good water source. thanks guys,