"Hiked 16.4 miles to Double Spring Gap. It was full so we had to camp out in the field. Freezing cold night."
By far my shortest entry thus far. I must not have been very excited to write this night. As a result I can only draw on my pictures as to what I did today.
I came around a corner and saw Sunbear standing a few yard off trail in the fog smoking a cigarette with his hockey stick and leather hat. This lends to the mystery and legend of the character.
We also meet a ranger on trail and proudly display our papers. I guess it was a good thing we bought those permits as unconstitutional as they may be.
I remember getting to Silers Bald Shelter and being exhausted but there is only 1.7 miles to the next shelter which is right before Clingmans Dome. So I decide to push forward. The shelter was full with reserved guests; a college group and some old folks. So the thrus pitched up out in the field and quietly jested at these people. Even though it is freezing cold I remember sitting at the bench cooking and eating with Live, Haiku, Wrong Leg, Blink, and Dorothy just laughing my ass off, these are good people. The leader of the college group is a Gossamer Gear trail ambassador and he sees me setting up my tarp and he comes over and talks to me about ultralight gear. It is clear he is an ultralight nerd. Nothing wrong with this except his look of disgust when I tell him that; yes, I have an 18 ounce shelter but my pack weight is still 30 pounds loaded. He gives me his card and says I should check out ultralight backpacking forum, I am think to myself, yes ,yes I will do that with all the free time I spend on the internet out here....
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