Date: 2014-05-05
From: Dicks Creek Gap (new hostel)

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: few clouds

Day 8: Dicks Creek Gap to Muskrat ShelterGood morning! I started the day with a breakfast too big to eat on my own. This made me feel a little badly because Head First said he hadn't been asked if he wanted breakfast when he arrived last night. I think he just assumed it was part of the price so missed out on breakfast while I ate maybe half of what was offered. I was the only one at breakfast today. Great homemade pastry though, definitely better than your average breakfast! We departed from the hostel and J drove 4 out of the 5 of us to the trail-head to continue north. Head First had not been feeling well last night and was still drained this morning. He decided to stay a little while longer and perhaps meet his friend, Ironhead, up the trail in a few days. It was a cool temperature to start to the day and we began with the usual initial climb out of a gap. Ironhead took off quickly while I lagged behind. I might see him again, or not. GOBNU and No Hurry were planning to stop a little short of my destination so I¢m unlikely to see them again. They were a hoot, telling me how they needed to call both their kids and No Hurry¢s parents to keep them informed that they are doing well...apparently both generations think the two of them are crazy. It was a low grade climb for two miles before I arrived at the crown of Little Bald Knob. From there, I followed a sharp, short descent to Cowart Gap and then climbed again, this time to a small roller-coaster consisting of two hilltops separated by a shallow saddle. The long descent to Plumorchard Gap Shelter ended when I finally caught up to Ironhead who was snacking at the turn-off. There were a number of small rises after the shelter but all in all, it was not a difficult hike especially with the wind keeping the heat bearable. I was hiking with Ironhead when we crossed into North Carolina where the border is marked by a small sign located on a tree at a narrow section of the trail. It is there that I met Nike, a thruhiker who was sitting on a boulder a little uphill of the path. We all took turns with photos at the tree before we starting north again. And then there were three! A very short hike later we passed through a long gap with a stream off to the right, crested a small hill and there, to our right stood a sign naming Bly Gap. Beyond the sign, perhaps the most photographed Appalachian Trail Tree. It was about 1 PM, and a perfect location for lunch and a break. Already at the gap was a couple with their service Bulldog, Annabel. While I had thought my break would be a solitary one, it was pretty lively given the crowd. I stayed a little longer just to have some time alone at the gap. Day 8- PhotosAs reasonable as the last few miles leading to the border was, North Carolina¢s welcome was not a well-tempered one beyond Bly Gap! It was a slog uphill to Sharp Top during the hottest part of the day. It took so much energy to make the climb, and the direct sunlight was brutal. Every once in a while there were patches of Rhododendron bushes where I would duck in and cool off a bit. I passed by Nike and then a bit later she caught up, now hiking with two guys. The younger hiker was Marty-the-one-man-party (great hiker name!) and there was an older guy visibly favoring one leg over the other, both were dragging on cigarettes as they ¢took the hill¢ and passed me easily. Let me reiterate the hellacious nature of the climb. I'm certain I sounded like one of those heavy breathers on a crank call when Marty passed by! The climb was short in length but straight up 600¢ mostly exposed to the midday sun. Once on Sharp Top, there was a bit of a reprieve via a gradual descent of maybe 150¢ before the second 600¢ assault up Courthouse Bald. At this point Marty and the other guy had passed me while Nike fell behind. My shirt was drenched and my skin felt hot to the touch by time I got to the top of Courthouse Bald. I knew there was one more climb before Muskrat Shelter, where I planned to stay for the night. I was drained. While I thought the break at Bly was a good idea at the time, I could see that perhaps it was a poor decision given the time of day and the sun exposure. I was brooding a little now. The thing is, it never lasts long because reality always presents the logical case: ¢I can sit there, and feel miserable but it doesn't move me any closer to my goal¢. Another lesson from the trail that applies well enough to life in general; feeling miserable is a waste of energy and focus. And on the trail, as in life, most times, I just try to slow my pace but keep going with the belief that at least every step forward is still progress! Fast forward to maybe a 1/2 mile south of the shelter, on my left the terrain climbs up maybe 25-40¢, I see paths leading from the AT up to a narrow ridgline. I took one up to a single campsite boasting a beautiful view of the valley and decided that it would be a great place for dinner if it turned out to be close to the shelter. It took about 5 minutes from there before I crossed the creek and arrived at the shelter/tenting area. I was thrilled! Ironhead had already set up his tent and was off gathering wood for a fire at the ring just outside his tent. I set up, grabbed some water, had a walk around the area and noticed some largish sheets of thin, pressed metal. At first I thought this was maybe roofing, but a bit later a hiker showed up (Superman, I think) and announced that a plane had crashed in the area a while ago, so I guess that's the metal that I saw. Day 8- Dinner and Sunsets south of Muskrat ShelterAfter gathering firewood, I mentioned the campsite to Ironhead and we both headed back there with dinner. I love how late it stays light here. We talked about family, he has two daughters both in their 20s, and he and his wife live near Columbus, OH. The sunset was superb, our western-facing view provided a dazzling array of pinks, reds, blues, yellows and a sherbet-orange. The sun shown down on distant lakes that appeared like silver sequins against the velvety green mountains and valley. Once the sun dipped below the horizon we headed back to find a number of folks in the area- Cinnamon Girl, Nature Bob, Superman, Travis, Roo (from Australia of course), and another 3 or 4 folks scattered around the camping spots and down by the creek. Ironhead made his fire, and I crawled into my tent, happy to finish up my journal and ready to drift off to sleep. Goodnight from Tent City at Muskrat Creek!More photos for day 8 of the trip can be seen at: 2000Miler_Day8