Date: 2009-04-18
From: Clyde Smith Shelter, NC/TN

To: Overmountain Shelter, NC/TN 
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Cell noneOG notesWe woke up later than expected 7:40 am. We were so comfortable that we accidentally slept in.We pressed yesterday (instead of going to the hostel I mentioned yesterday) because we figured it would be a nice night; we didn't realize it would be that nice. Also, the shelter was 2 miles closer to Roan Mountain, so 2 miles less hiking today.The hike up Roan was so much different today than in 2006. Back then we hiked in the rain and late afternoon. I'm very slow going uphill and I get slower the longer I go uphill. The big difference about today over 2006 was the weather. Today was beautiful. The sun was shining and the temperature was warm. I saw the mountain in a whole different light. The weather was so nice we actually explored the top of Roan Mountain and took in the view. In 2006 we hurried down the trail to get out of the weather, and besides we were in a cloud and couldn't see much anyway.We hiked down the backside of the mountain and into a tourist area called Carvers Gap. It had a parking area and a section of the AT was set up as a park walking trail. It was so strange to see so many people dressed in cotton clothes, some even smelled pretty nice. The big plus for us was we dumped our garbage at the parking area, less weight to carry the next couple of days.The local hiking club was building a trail relocation today. They were already gone by the time we hiked it, but we could tell it was new. The old trail is so rutted from water erosion that they need to build new ones and let nature repair itself.We're in a shelter that used to be a barn. It is called Overmountain Shelter. C6 and I are sleeping on a platform under an overhang. I think the sun will shine in our eyes and wake us up tomorrow, that ought to be nice. C6 notesI worried about Roan Mountain for naught last night. It was intense, but not as bad as I feared...maybe because I had made it far worse in my mind. It was very steep and intense, but a pretty hike, and the bluff at the top was a nice reprieve. Many stopped and took a long break there.We hiked on a section of trail that seemed to be quite new. When we arrived at the shelter, we found out that "1 Pint" was the very first person to hike the new section. The trail maintainers who finished the section were there to open it and made a little ceremony of 1 Pint being the first person on it. Cool!Here at the shelter is "Toots" and Allen. Toots hiked the whole AT last year. They came in just for tonight and brought lots of desserts (chocolates, ginger snaps, brownies, and Butter Fingers). They also brought 2 dozen eggs to cook for us in the morning. I asked how they got the eggs here without breaking them. Turns out their car is parked only one mile away and they carried the eggs in their hands. This is truly special trail magic! Thanks, Toots and Allen!The weather prediction calls for 80% chance of rain tomorrow. It's been heaven to have 3 days of beautiful weather. Don't know how many days it's supposed to rain...I hope not many. Hiking in beautiful weather is so nice!Old Goat & Check Six