Date: 2017-05-05
From: Neels Gap

To: Poplar Stamp Gap
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Day 4Friday, May 5, 2017 Neels Gap (31.7) to Poplar Stamp Gap (44.6)Miles: 12.9 miles in 7.25 hours with two breaks2017 AT trip miles: 44.6Total AT miles to date: 1338.7Weather: Scattered showers, gusting winds, 40sDinner: Curry Beef Noodles and a delicious Snickers barHikers: Waldo/Bill the Pony, One Sock and others at Mountain Crossings, two older section hikers (Rowdy and ?), a heavily burdened woman,  two day hikersDespite having my own room and queen sized bed, I still didn't sleep soundly, but hey¢it wasn't in a cold tent like it is tonight. Kudos to those hikers who were developing lots of character camping out last night. And likely tonight as well. The weather today still called for rain, but not torrential.My ankle was slightly discolored this morning and definitely slightly sprained, but as it turned out, not incapacitating. I returned to Mountain Crossings, where the trail resumes, to buy an elastic brace for my ankle as well as a long sleeve wool shirt. I have a insulating long-sleeve rayon/bamboo shirt for nights in the tent like tonight, but my daytime look¢the button down long-sleeve insect shirt wasn't warm enough to wear in the rain and get wet. I tend not to hike in my rain jacket because A) it gets sweaty and B) I use a hiking umbrella which does a fine job of keeping my head and torso dry, but as you might expect, not so much my arms. It was so easy to say I just needed a black merino wool long-sleeve shirt. No concern about how it looks. Shopping done! Call me crazy, but despite the day-long intermittent showers and cold temps, I still had fun. Or maybe I just had that special feeling you get when you wear new clothes for the first time. Or because it was one of those days when you kinda looked forward to uphill climbs because that's what keeps you warm. I also recognized this section of the trail from 36 years ago¢just after Low Gap and the shelter passed on the way to tonight's campsite. The trail began following an old road bed and I suddenly remembered that I must have stayed in Low Gap Shelter the eve before deciding I was going to go for the last pick-up point. The trail/road carves into the side of the mountain and you can see the shelter below. I clearly recall frost crystals pushing up dirt and ice formed along the rock face where a little spring was flowing and tonight's dinner water collected.My ankle gave me problems going downhill those first 5.5 miles into Tesnatee Gap this morning¢those miles seemed to take forever. I stopped for lunch on the exposed face of Cowrock Mountain, the only time the sun made an appearance¢albeit a very brief one¢before reaching the gap in a short downpour. But I felt little pain in the afternoon and the miles flew by quickly. Waldo/Bill the Pony caught up with me at lunch. We are both camping at the same site tonight. I best determine if he has a preferred trail name soon since our pace seems to be matching and he keeps making appearances in these entries. The wind is now howling and I¢m typing as the nylon walls pulse and billow. So I guess this part is not all that fun. On the upside, I apparently have an internet connection. So there¢s that.