Date: 2004-05-07
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

Wayah Bald FiretowerStart: US64 - Winding Stair Gap @ 1500Finish: Cold Spring Shelter @ 2250Miles: 15.8Weather: Warm and sunnyBreakfast: NoneLunch: Left over Fat Buddies - 1/2 chicken and friesDinner: Chicken alfredo, fudge round, lemon-lime Gatorade, Snickers popables, trailmixTrail Conditions: Well maintained. Usual fare of rocks & roots. Several good climbs to Siler & Wayah Bald.Animals: Goose, chipmunks, bees, rabbit, hawkPeople: Jim, Hans & Brit, Kevdog, Repeat, Sunpig, John Herman, Snatchy & Monk, Ponderer, Simon I woke around 1000 still feeling full. Sweet. I packed up my stuff and checked out at 1100. I dropped my stuff off at Snatchy & Monk's room, as I wasn¢t ready to leave yet, and they were zeroing for the day. At 1200 I proceeded to consume my left overs from Fat Buddies. Delicious. I said my goodbyes to John Herman and I meandered over to the library.I checked my email and sent a letter to Misty, via USPS. Don¢t screw it up post office. I got back to the Haven and chatted with Monk a bit (Snatchy was gone) and decided I needed to get hiking again. Unfortunately, Ronnie was not around to give me a lift. I began walking the several miles through town to get to US 64 and thumb a ride. However the cards were in my favor, as about a mile into my trot, a dude in the USPS parking lot offered me a ride. Turns out the guy was named Jim. He is currently doing a hike and was zeroing in town and had his car, and he was shuttling several other hikers: Hans & Brit and Kevdog. Turns out H&B have been one to two days behind me and were anxious to talk. Jim bused me to the trailhead and I started my hike. Siler's Bald View from Siler's BaldI made good time on the uphill to Siler¢s Bald. Enroute I crossed paths with Ponderer, a SOBO section hiker who started in Shenandoah in February. I also ran into Simon who was on Siler¢s Bald. A very nice view from atop there. I passed on to Wayah Bald where I ate dinner at the watchtower and caught a fantastically beautiful sunset. While eating a section hiker named Repeat (who was with family) came by to watch the sunset. We chatted for quite sometime and he gave me his phone number if I ever needed any help. Thanks Repeat, you¢re a nice man! Sunset from Wayah BaldSince the sun went down, it meant that it was dark out¢¦..and I still had six miles until Cold Spring Shelter. I donned the headlamp, said a prayer, and ventured into the dark woods alone. It was my first night hike and needless to say a bit spooky. I can¢t describe the trail, as I didn¢t see much, however I hammered out the six miles in 1 hour and 40 minutes. I managed to not get eaten by any bears¢¦which is a good thing. My scariest encounter came as I approached the shelter and my light illuminated two yellow eyes and I heard a fierce growl. I figured I was as good as dead if it were a wolf. I yelled I was a hiker really loud several times and the folks in the shelter awoke. Turns out it was a hikers dog and was leashed. Whew! The shelter was full so I threw my bedroll on the ground and promptly fell asleep. I was exhausted.One Year Reflection