Date: 2004-04-18
From: Mill Ridge

To: Buzzard Roost Ridge
Miles today: 8.0

9:15 PM Buzzard Roost RidgeThe party last night lasted well past 3:00 AM. I woke suddenly near midnight when the music suddenly was turned up loud, and there was drunken singing, but I soon went back to sleep. When I woke at 3:00 the music and singing was more subdued. I¢m really glad I went to investigate before dark, because I could have indulgent and even affectionate thoughts toward the revelers. They really weren¢t much louder that the frogs except that one time near midnight.I enjoyed getting up before sunrise to hurry up to the top of the Mill Ridge to take a sunrise picture to the south, the direction of Asheville. Where I had seen city lights the night before, there was a layer of mist, while all the mountain tops showed blue against the pink sky.I went back to my camp and made breakfast, then packed up and was on the trail shortly after 9:00 AM, pretty good for me. The morning was beautiful. I couldn¢t resist climbing the Rich Mountain fire tower for a great view of Asheville and Hot Springs. There to the north, Tennessee looks so flat in comparison.The afternoon hiking was pretty close to hell. It was hot. There are no leaves on the trees and shade was practically nonexistent except in the little space of tree trunk shadows. Most of the shadows were big enough to shade my head or a leg, but not enough to be worth the effort of taking off my pack to rest, except for necessary business. Finally at 4:00 PM, I reached Spring Mountain shelter where I could take off my pack and sit down.Then when I stood up, my shorts caught on a big steel staple at the edge of the platform, and it ripped the hem of my shorts. The privy smelled terrible, the water was down a long steep hill and the flies were terribly pesky. Still, there was water, there was shade and there was a table to facilitate cooking of supper ¢ a huge bowl of vegetable cous cous soup with chickweed and dried tomatoes. Tang with salt perked me up so I had the energy to get water and make supper. So, it wasn¢t hell after all. I had everything I needed. I left the shelter at 6:35, considerably refreshed, to enjoy walking in the beauty of the evening shadows. My tent is set up on a little grassy spot under a tree right beside the trail. It is quite cozy. I have a half liter of water which should easily get me through the night and down to Allen Gap, where I will make my breakfast and watch for Drew.I feel quite satisfied with the improvement in my ability to hang a bag away from animals. I am learning to work with the properties of tree limbs and nylon line. It took me less than 10 minutes tonight and about 15 minutes last night. I guess I am not a hopeless weakling after all.I thought about the fact that it is Sunday and I have no worshipping community here on the trail. When I was walking alone in the morning, I enjoyed singing hymns, praise songs and a couple of show tunes ¢ "O what a beautiful morning" and "The Sound of Music." Gabriel and Shadow were closer to me than I thought while I was singing about the beautiful morning. Gabriel said the singing sounded good to him, and I should keep singing but I¢m still reluctant to add my sounds that could conflict with the bird songs. I didn¢t feel badly about competing with the sounds of trucks and motorcycles on Highway 25 near Tanyard Gap.Here at my little tiny campsite, I heard what I expect was a deer browsing briefly by my tent, and now the fluttering of moths trying to fly toward my headlamp. I should turn off the light and put them out of their misery.