Date: 2013-04-05
From: Newfound Gap

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Day Twenty eight - Newfound Gap to Icewater Spring ShelterLast night we made a rule that this morning if your pack wasn't in the vehicle and ready to go you couldn't come to the pancake place. It worked! Everyone was ready on time! There is a free continental breakfast here but when you are leaving town for a few days you want your last meal to be memorable. And it was! I couldn't even finish my plate! After breakfast we headed to the trailhead in the pouring rain, I don't know why someone didn't suggest staying another day. When I put my new poncho on it ripped so we made a pitstop in the men's restroom (I was way outnumbered) to duct tape my poncho (thanks guys)! Then we headed out. My pack is the heaviest it's ever been and within minutes I was uncomfortable. I had purchased larger powerade bottles to use as water bottles but hadn't made the adjustments so they could ride up front with me, instead I had foolishly put them in the pocket at the back of my pack (always,always, always pack your heaviest items closest to you). Other than the rain, ice and fog today's trail would have been perfect. We knew we would be climbing up for the first three miles but the trail had a gentle grade to it. There were icy patches but the up didn't seem so bad. If only my pack wasn't killing me! I didn't know how I would manage to be able to keep up with the rest of my band. Turns out Hobo was freezing cold and when we stopped for lunch at the first shelter he had us all convinced (except Quaker) that we should just stay here. Quaker stayed but you could tell he wasn't happy about it. I wasn't happy either, I want my doggy back but it just didn't make sense to go back out in the cold rain. We had already missed the Jumpoff (a steep cliff with awesome views) because of the weather today and if we had kept going we would have missed Charlie's Bunion (another famous spot in the smokies) as well. Hopefully we wake up to sunny skies tomorrow and make up for lost time. Turns out staying was the best idea ever. The weather turned for the worse and soon there was a layer of ice on everything. I'm so glad we are in a shelter right now! The group in here tonight is awesome! Barbarosa was on the top platform entertaining us with his penguin moves, Hobo was catching up on his journals, SonDriven was snoring away and the rest of us were chatting, reading or listening to someone's music. Good times! Supper tonight was my heaviest item (pepper jack cheese, some of Hobo's summer sausage and a coffee). I will cook the good stuff when all the heavy items are gone. We are all in our sleeping bags now chatting away. I am so surprised at how easily I have adapted to living a pilgrims life even on a rainy day. I am totally enjoying the hike, the incredible views and even the communal shelter living that I thought I would avoid. People have been so friendly, so willing to help or share anything they have and trust me we have so little out here. I don't think a day has passed where another hiker hasn't offered me something or vise versa. Tonight I am using someone's sleeping bag liner, earlier I had candy, half of a chocolate bar and even sips of someone else's specialty hot chocolate. We are all hiking individually but at the same time it feels like we are all in this together. I love it!Confessions of a thru hiker:We were talking about caffeine addictions and a hiker says "I was getting headaches so I just started putting coffee in my cheeks like chewing tobacco and sucking on it. My headaches went away, you should try it."Trouble"Grant yourself a moment of peace, and you will understand how foolishly you have scurried around." Chinese proverb