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WEEK 5 - April 20 to April 26, 1981 |
April 20, 1981 (morning)
Took a half-day yesterday and went only to Nolichucky Outfitters for all-you-can-eat dinner and a stay in the cabin. It rained hard during the evening and night and is still threatening this morning. But, on to the next shelter.
April 20, 1981, (evening)
Stayed a little while (all day) and went into Ewing to buy a few things. Stuffed myself all day - sloppy joes, M+Ms, fig newtons, etc. I have plenty of food to get me to Elk Park. What I need is clothes! My thin pair of socks is shot and I threw away my hiking pants - wearing my "good" pants. My underwear is in tatters. A slight cut on my ankle back a few days before Wesser has resulted in some complications but all seems to be clearing up now. It has been more a nuisance than any real problem. The trip up to Curly Maple Shelter, only three miles, was quite an adventure with the stream swollen and raging from the heavy rain last night. The trail crossed it several times making it quite a feat to negotiate.
April 21, 1981
Arrived at Cherry Gap shelter (only twelve miles) in the early afternoon and considered the logistics of the remaining 27 miles between here and Elk Park - no plan as yet. Area around the spring here is a veritable flower garden - yellow violets, spring beauty, trout lily, red trillium, and the previously mentioned bell shaped flowers (dutchman's breaches). There are also some small trees or shrubs around that have clusters of five-petalled flowers. The deciduous trees have sprouted leaves and are decidedly tinted green. The woods of the last fifty miles or so have been very pretty but there hasen't been much picture worthy. I still have most of my second roll of film so will probably send the roll in the Elk Park mail drop back home. There are also more May Apple plants here. (Will miss them when they are ripe this year I wonder?)
April 22, 1981
The Grassy Ridge shelter no longer exists but I have reached a wooden shelter about three miles north of the beginning of the section. The old "cabin" on Roan Mt. is now available as an AT shelter and looks very nice with it's loft and all four walls. Gave some thought to going all the way to Elk Park, especially if there were no shelter to replace the Grassy Ridge shelter. Heard a differnt kind of chickadee (brown capped or carolina?) today while going up Beartown Mountain. I had lunch in the gap between Beartown and Roan Mountains and napped a bit on a rock in the sunshine. I don't know how long I slept but I suspect it was not too long. It neatly broke the 2100+ foot climb from Hughs Gap to Roan Mountain into two shorter climbs, though. The first part was actually the more difficult, done after walking ten miles and consisting of a 1400 foot elevation gain. I have now heard that Tom and Emily are continuing their trek, Tom carrying a pack and Emily walking unencumbered. They are apparently shuttling two cars back and forth.
April 24, 1981
I have just settled in to the brand new Monback shelter which is located near the "south" end of Watauga Dam. Yesterday I started from Roan Highland over Yellow and Humpback Mountains, both balds, in a little rain and a lot of wind. It was definitely an exhausting effort. I got about a mile past Elk Park before I realized that it was a mile and a half off the trail so I hid my pack and went into town to pick up my mail drop and to resupply. I bought too much food, as usual. Well, I always eat well after a stop. It turns out that there is a relocation that adds five miles to the trail between Elk Park and Moreland Gap shelter so combined with about 7.8 miles this morning, I dragged through a 22.4 mile day getting to Moreland Gap shelter in the rain just at nightfall. The shelter was crowded with a family of four, two woman through hikers (Sugar and Spice) from Gaithersburg, MD, and an older man travelling south (the first south bound hiker that I have seen in 400 miles!) The older man said that he had heard that there was a shelter on the south side of the dam but that he had not seen it. This morning's hike was pleasant and, after an initial climb, mostly level or downhill. The trail passes through Laurel Fork Gorge and is quite pretty in that area. I dallied, taking pictures of the laurel, the gorge, and the falls. The end of the section from 19E to 321 has been relocated adding about 6.1 miles to the length. From 321 to the shelter is another 1 1/2 to 2 miles so altogether I have travelled about 17 miles today - not a lot but I am quite tired. Probably the after effect of yesterday's long hike. At least now these relocations are behind me and I can try to work out some sort of schedule to Damascus. Virginia looms ahead! It has been gloomy all afternoon but no rain as yet.
April 25, 1981
Moved approximately 13 1/2 miles today getting to Iron Mt. shelter in the early afternoon. Met three more south-bounders who were on a short trip. I should now be able to get to Damascus early Monday as hoped. Today's hike was quite level and pleasant after the initial climb up from the dam. I saw a number of flowers in the dam area that I had not seen before. Unfortunately, it was overcast and I was not able to photograph them. One has clusters of violet-like flowers. Saw one may apple plant in bloom. I was glad I was not staying at Vanderventor shelter. The roof was in poor shape. There's a good view of the Watauga Valley from there, though.
April 26, 1981 (mid-afternoon at Abbington Gap)
I had already decided that, weather permitting, I would go beyond this point if I got here early enough. Despite having church service with the Girl Scouts at Double Springs shelter and chatting and having beer with the locals for an hour at the Rt. 321 road crossing, I am early. The hike was extremely flat. Like yesterday, it was cold in the morning but pleasant walking in the afternoon. In fact, it's been a bit too warm. Sighted along the trail today: three deer, pale yellow trilliums, white violets, a nuthatch.