Date: 2007-03-12
From: Flint Mtn Shelter, NC

To: Big Bald Mtn Shelter, TN
Miles today: 19.0

The Polar Bear Crew woke up at daylight and left very early and respectfully quiet. I woke up around noon, I guess. It is getting harder to wake up in the morning as this will be my 7th day hiking without a day off(zero). I am doing pushups, curls, and drinking my protein powder to keep my upper body strength & mass. I dont want to look like a T-Rex dinosaur when Im done. This was going to be my big day. I wanted to at least get to Big Bald. The section to Sam's Gap is tough, though. This is a section that does not get alot of attention because people are getting excited about Erwin. The climb up Frozen Knob is a real killer. I ate a big breakfeast and had everything packed so I could take short power breaks all day. Well, I got down to Devil's Fork Gap in about an hour and then up a hill & over to Rector rd. This is real old fashioned Tennessee country hear. Dogs are barking everywhere, you hear gunfire in the distance, & old rusted cars are scattered in front of homes. I hike the big climb up Frozen Knob. About 1/2 way up, I see where someone has left a tent and a whole campsite area in shambles. I wanted to go down and take a look; but, in this area, I could get shot as well. I resisted the temptation & kept moving until I got to Flat Rock where a good spring is and took a power break. Then I headed off over about 5 up's and down's. Over in the distance, I saw The Wolf Creek Snow Resort. I could see the snow slope with cabins that are built right up against Big Bald. Without all the leaves on trees, I can see how close civilization is to the trail. It wont be long that the area around here & the NOC will be like Pennsylvania. Pretty much going through peoples backyards. Finally get to the Hogback Ridge Shelter and there are a bunch of college kids from the U of Minn, Duluth. They are way away from home. I should have said gather round, gather round when I sat down at the picnic table because that is what they did. I think they liked my accent(Texas/Nashville mix) and that I was a thru-hiker. They were lead by "butter" NOBO '03. They gave me some snacks and I left them. They were so much fun that I almost stayed; but, I wanted to see Big Bald at sunset. It was not long until I was at Sam's Gap. There were signs here warning people to not go to the "cafe"/hippy farm down the road. It was from the Madison County Board of Health. Evidently a hepatitis outbreak! I kept going. It was about 8 miles to The Big Bald Shelter & I was "on fire". I am really getting in good shape. I basically climbed that whole mountain without stopping to rest. I did stop to catch my breath around the top. It got dark before I summited. The wind really started howling and the temperature was dropping. Big Bald is around 5500 ft. I was starting to question my judgement of going over this bald in the dark. I did reach the top of the bald and the view was something else! I could see the lights of Erwin, Tn & Burns, NC. It was difficult coming down the bald. It seems that the ground had just recently thawed out and the whole bald was all mushy. I did fall one time pretty violently. Luckily it was all soft. I did get muddy. I finally got to the shelter and no one was there. I quickly took off my wet clothes and hopped nakidly into my sleeping bags. I thought that even though the bald was scarey and spooky; it, was nothing as dangerous as my night on Muskrat Creek or Brown Fork Gap. Im a good winter camper now, at least for the south.