April 8th - 35 - Iron Mountain Shelter to Abingdon Shelter.
At about 5 AM Live-n-Learn, Blink, and Haiku Pack up and head out looking to make Damascus tonight, almost 27 miles away. Dan and I feel less inspired and try 16 miles today and a short 10 miles in to town tomorrow. I worry that Tree Frog and Squirrel are upset that we got the last spots in the shelter last night, neither has emerged from their tent as I hike out around 9. Its a rainy and cold day, but the terrain on this section is pretty smooth.

Nick Grindstaff, Hermit grave with the flavor text "Lived alone, Suffered alone, and Died alone."
Real cheery stuff.

One of the highlights today was being treated to eight tenths of a mile of handicapped accessible gravel pathway. Triton catches up with us and we talk for a bit. The path goes right through a pasture and it passes some older farm buildings with views out to the valley.

There is a old shelter on McQueens Knob that is a side note in AWOLs. The shelter is in pretty rough shape with maybe room for 2 hikers. Someone has taken the liberty to carve Holiday Inn on the header beam, Dan and I get a laugh out of this. Blink told us yesterday that Rambo had zeroed at Kincora and with the intention of hiking the 46 miles to Damascas today. When I get to Abingdon Shelter, I wonder when or if he will come through. He surprised me before, and I believe in his ability. Water here is a spring down a few hundred feet behind the shelter. Hiking to get water like this is rough, most times I've already taken my boots off, and my camp shoes offer little support on technical alpine mountaineer like this blue blaze. I meet the other Tree Frog, the only other occupant at this shelter. Penguin Man is here too, camped out in the grassy area in front. Penguin Man cooks with Esbit tablets, although lighter than my canister set up, the smell alone guarantees I will never use that fuel. It makes me think of burning mothballs with some sort of terrible acid.

Dan and I stay up until 9:30 well after dark when we see a headlamp coming down the hill. Rambo, in shorts and a t-shirt, stops in for a Powerbar. I give his some Snickers and Water and he presses on into the night.

April 7th - Day 34 - Kincora to Iron Mountain Shelter

Well its raining this morning. Between that and the real mattresses everyone is sleeping on, its a slow morning. I spend a bit rearranging my food supply. There is a bit of a debacle when Bob shuttle people out to Watauga lake. He said its his only shuttle today and I am not packed up. I though Dan had worked something out with him to go into town a bit later. So I end up standing in the rain with Bob looking dumbfounded about not being packed. Everyone heads out to the truck except for Dan, Turtle, Live, and I. Turtle is going to zero. Dan convinces Bob to going into town and make another run out to drop us off at Watauga. I feel bad about wasting his time. I think a lot of trail legends feel a pressure to perform. They love what they do, but often the trail community can take them for granted. I feel this way about Bob and Fresh Grounds, both of whom are amazing people, but often pressured by trail folk into being so. I imagine this can be stressful.

The three of us hike fifteen miles or so to Iron Mountain shelter. We run into Tree Frog and Squirrel getting water from the stream. This must be the water source for the shelter. We stop and chat, and fill up on water. I head up to the shelter and there are only 3 spaces left. Tree Frog and Squirrel have to tent out in the drizzle. I feel bad about this. I meet, Triton (AT'11), Steady(triple crown), and another hiker. Triton asks us about a Ridgerest he accidentally dropped a few miles back. I saw it but was in the zone a went right past it not even using any brain cells on it. I initially don't like Triton for his brashness and being from Staten Island. but, just like many other New Yorkers, I would eventually warm up to him. Blink eventually showed up toting the sleeping pad with Haiku, and peace was restored to the galaxy.

April 6th - Day 33 - Mountaineer Falls to Kincora
Even though all the people at the shelter last night were hikers, I sometimes get un-easy around large groups of people I don't know. Most morning are chaos when there are this many people in a shelter, so I try an get up and out early. I get up this morning around 5:30, Turtle is the only other hiker up . Turtle is a gruff older gentleman enjoying a smoke and an early breakfast, he hikes by the slow and steady method, but we are about covering the same miles everyday.

I eat and am hiking my 7. Dan and Live are the next I see. We hike 16 miles by 1:30pm, it must have been pretty smooth or downhill. Kincora is a legendary hostel in its last year. Bob Peoples is the owner and a true hero of the AT. Bob takes us 9 miles out to,Watauga Lake, the next road crossing and Live, Dan. and I slackpack back and stay at Kincora. The same crowd as last night is here at Kincora tonight. With small groups of hikers here, its takes the form of a house party. The kind of party where you sit around talking and elevating legs. A community meal is made in the kitchenette area of the hostel. Good times are had by all.

I don't have very many pictures from hiking today, so here is Neil Young and Booker T.

April 5th - Day 32 - Mountain Harbour to Mountaineer Falls Shelter
So I've slept one month on the trail. I feel slightly accomplished, this is twice as long as any backpacking trip I had been on so far. It was just the beginning, the intro, 390 miles walked, almost 1800 more to go.

Fresh Grounds was right. this morning i was treated to what I can only describe as a thanksgiving style feast of a breakfast. Its seemed like all the counter space in the kitchen was covered with another tasty homemade breakfast food. Sausage, egg, and cheese stuffed potatoes were my favorite. Nutella dipped fruits, a brief foray into luxury, I had to remember I was on trail.

When we hit the trail at 11am, the already great day, just got better. The first part was steep through a valley up towards some un-named wooded high point I was sure. There were a few open field walks with bluebird skies. I one such places there was a big sycamore tree that 7 of us managed to climb into. When someone felt hungry we all stopped and ate a sunny lunch by the Elk River.

Handsome Dan by the Elk River enjoying a winter hiker delicacy, sun softened Clif bar.

The trail skirts the edge of this river for a while. Not too far longer Mountaineer falls and the shelter, carrying the current trend we stop and snack, a few of us take turns going under the falls. Now when we arrive and see the shelter a new, clean three story, its an almost unanimous decision to stop here for the night. Not even ten miles to the day, tomorrow Ill have to punish myself.

Th water source for this shelter is the stream feeding the top of the waterfall and may be the only water source I sat at and enjoyed for this long. In addition to Dan, Live, Blink, Halfmoon, Rambo, and Mama Bear; soon Fun Size arrives and says a much larger hoard of friends is on the way from Overmountain. Sunbear, Grease, One-Day, Facts, Haiku, Wrong Leg, Canary, Joules, Turtle, and Hard-to-Kill show up tonight. Its cool to see this many hikers in one spot randomly in the woods.

April 4th - Day 31 - Overmountain Shelter to Mountian Harbour
Well, I get out of my sleeping bag to cook, eat breakfast, and watch the sunrise. 3 Mile, Mama Bear, and Halfmoon follow suit. I may have hyped the sunrise a bit last night. It's still park, stars are out as I lay out my cook set and food bag. It's a little chilly an there's a slight breeze coming up from the valley. It's very silent in the woods. So when the first bird calls out, its sound pierces the morning air. Slowly getting brighter. My expectation far exceeds the truth of the sunrise. By 8 when everyone is up and I am headed out on trail the sun has just peaked out Hump mountain. for some reason I thought it would rise through the valley all picturesque like. But the Overmountain shelter was in a valley protected form the mourning sun, one of the last places to get light this late winter morning.

The Overmountain Shelter

The hike today is another one of the many great hikes on the AT. Through the Roan Highlands bald, up and over Little Hump and Hump. Up on Hump with Dan and Live, we watch a small heard of deer crossing the bald below us.

Live-n-Learn and Handsome Dan hiking up Hump Mountain.

Just as we are nearing the treeline, Tree Frog and Squirrel caught up to us and noted that there was a thunderstorm coming in. Sure enough the clouds were upon us and the our pace picked up a little on the decent.

At the road, with the rain still threatening, we took a three tenths road walk Mountian Harbour. Fresh Grounds had heralded this place as having the best breakfast on the AT. Coming from Freshy G himself, these words hang heavy in our mind as we checked in. Yes, I'll have the breakfast. Blink, Rambo, Live, Halfmoon, Dan, Mama Bear, Cheeseburger, Baggie, Tree Frog, Squirrel, took the shuttle to get BBQ in town and re-up on snacks. It was still afternoon as Rambo broke into the collection of VHS in the hostel, Braveheart is up first. Squirrel and I hitched to go get PBRs. Cheeseburgers bithday is tonight, so these cause to celebrate... not as though we needed one. Finally got my mail drop that was bounced from Hot Springs. Another great night on the Appalachian Trail.

April 3rd - Day 30 - Greasy Creek Friendly to Overmountain Shelter
We are greeted with flashing light, rain, and the sound of revving ATVs. Connie's neighbor is out doing who knows what at 4 and 5 in the morning. He comes by in between ATV runs to flash lights into the bunkhouse. What a people person.

16.9 miles today. Not initially sure if we would hike out. It's pouring rain and thundering in the valley, but conventional knowledge is silly on the AT. When its thundering, go to the highest point you can. Up and over the last 6000 foot mountain until Mt. Washington in NH. Roan Mountain was a great hike, stared a little sloppy but the sun came out around noon. There was even ice after 5000 feet or so, giving it that air conditioned feel. Most of the upper mountain is in the wonderful smelling coniferous forest. The summit is up a side trail from the Roan High Knob Shelter. I just pick up water and eat lunch. I meet Cheeseburger and Baggie for the first time, a couple hiking together, tomorrow is Cheeseburger's birthday. A round of high five were had to celebrate this mountain. I initially wanted to stay up here on the mountain, but another storied shelter is only 8 more miles, and it's all downhill.

Blink headed in to the Overmountain Shelter

I read about the Overmountain Shelter before coming out on trail. It is worth all the hype. Huge open barn. Hikers just find some flat space and lay out. there are 12 hikers here tonight are no-one is within an arms reach of another. I think I had read that the sunrise is supposed to be magnificent so maybe ill try to get up early.I run into Tree Frog and Squirrel again as they're setting up camp at Stan Murray shelter. Rambo, Blink, Dan, Halfmoon, Live, Mama Bear, 3 mile, and Trutle are here. there are some sections pitched up in the lower floor.

NB The Overmountain privy is absolutely top notch. An unforgetable destination for all visitors to the area.

April 2nd - Day 29 - Leap Frog Cafe to Greasy Creek Friendly

Fresh Grounds is up at three or four in the morning. I think he may have run into town to get more supplies, but by the time the troops have mustered, he is whipping up banana pancakes, bacon, and home fries faster than comprehension. I am hiking by 9 AM. The first bump of the day is a bald that has a 360 degree view, we see our next climb up ahead; Unaka Mountain. Unaka is a unique mountain on the AT, I am sure that all thru hikers can remember Unaka just by the name. the summit has no views but instead is completely in coniferous trees that block out all sunlight. It is one of my favorite summits, we sat and ate lunch in a silent beautiful mountaintop forest.

The AT headed towards Unaka Mtn.

WE hiked about 16.5 miles total today to get to greasy creek gap. The hostel was another six tenths of a mile off trail. AWOLs guide says go east on the jeep road. to the west there is a very distinct road bed, but to the east there is a campsite and some rhododendron. Rambo was hiking in front of us and missed the turn off. Mama Bear, Blink, Live, Halfmoon, Dan, and I venture off trail to where we hoped there would be friendlies. We all each considered heading back to the trail at some point on this spur trail. between the derelict building and garbage dumps, this didn't seem like the right place. sure enough we eventually came upon a bunkhouse with trekking poles outside it.

Greasy Creek Friendly

Since reading about this place in AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, the co-proprietor's husband has left and she is left working to try and buy him out. There is a crazy neighbor who seems to hate hikes, and probably just anyone in general and the two have been at war since the hostel opened. In truth both parties and a little mentally unstable, but there is nothing wrong with that, aren't we all a little crazy. Connie, the owner, sells smiley face stickers that you can immediately exchange for a beer or glass of wine, as long as you promise that you are of age. Her way of getting around liquor laws. I liked rockets approach of ignoring legality completely, but this is kinda fun. So I buy a couple beers and we sit out on the front porch cooking and eating and watch a thunderstorm come through. Good times are had by all.

April 1st - Day 28 - Erwin, TN to Fresh Grounds Leap Frog Cafe, Mile 348.8
Slept in until 8AM. Caught the 9AM shuttle into town, Uncle Johnny's is located on the outskirts of Erwin. Re-stocked on lunch foods. I've been eating pepperoni and cheese in a tortilla. I weigh my pack before I start out. It checks in at an all time high for the trail of 40.5lbs. Turrrrrible,

I don't leave uncle Johnny's until twenty of two. Real late start. We only hike 8 miles. Blink, Live, Rambo, Halfmoon, Mama Bear, Dan, Turtle, and I are here for the night. I love Fresh Grounds but my pack isn't getting lighter. Tonight is another banner night on the AT. Here is the excerpt from my journal:

"Legendary man, legendary night. Fresh Grounds made popcorn in a cast iron skillet and set a laptop out and we watched "the Other Guys" under the stars. Eight thru hikers & a trail god sprawled out on tarps and in sleeping bags."

Photo courtesy of Fresh Grounds Leap Frog Cafe Facebook. Handsome Dan(on cooler), Turtle, Goliath, Live-n-Learn,Rambo, Blink, Halfmoon, and Mama Bear (clockwise).

"Fresh Grounds is getting exhausted from 3.4 week of cooking for thru hikers for donations. I feel like he is pressure by the support and lack of support he has gotten. Even non-hikers contribute dollars to keep the Leap Frog Cafe open. Last year he went 808 miles up trail. but he is going to take a week off." Fresh grounds had a rough stretch this year. He had to put down his dog, and he got hit by an 18 wheeler all within two weeks and he still went out and put on hiker feeds. Fresh Grounds is a truly amazing individual. We caught him on a bad night. Someone the night before had messed up his cooking system and he is dealing with a lot of external problems. The hikers and community keep him going but also create pressure and problems. Its truly amazing what Fresh Grounds does and I don't think he gets enough respect for it.

Fresh Grounds recommends we stay at the Greasy Creek Friendly tomorrow night. He knows the proprietor Connie well and speaks highly of the place. We would not be disappointed.

March 31st - Day 27 - Bald Mtn. Shelter to Uncle Johnny's Erwin, TN
Got a late start on trail, everything is pretty frozen up here. Not hiking until 10 ish. I catch up to Walk Worthy who has been following the NCAA march madness. He informs me of UCONN's come from behind victory against Michigan. As the hike drops in elevation the temperature gets more bearable. with the sun out, one could say its almost hot. the last 10 miles before Erwin are beautiful, I love the smell of pine forest and this section before No Buisness Knob traverses through plenty of it. At the shelter Live and Learn and Blink catch up. they are slack packing today after ditching out of the snow yesterday. I meet Halfmoon and Mama Bear a mother daughter team who are slacking with them. Only six miles left until town.

View into Erwin, TN from the trail.

I rent a bike from Uncle Johnny's and ride to the Valero to buy beer. The south is weird about their booze. The north is very open about their alcohol problems, they don't use laws to try and stop them. The  two mile bike ride on the flat is more than I wanted, but I owed squirrel a beer. We spend another night having a great time, sitting by the fire talking. Rumors around that fresh Grounds is set up only a few miles down trail. Should be an exciting day tomorrow.

March 30th - Day 26 - Devils Fork Gap to Bald Mountain Shelter
I walk outside the shed we are staying in and see all white. Oh good, there's snow again. The other hikers staying in the shed are Walk Worthy and his nephew.  We all eat and gear up for the trip out into the cold. We get the second trip out the trail head are the wind is whipping snow into the air and its cold. Two hikers decide they'll wait it out another day. Dan and I march onward. As soon as we are under tree cover the wind dies down and we just have to deal with the cold and snow drifts.

Handsome Dan geared up for a walk in the snow.

Its a burly hike once on the ridge up to Hogback Gap Shelter. Periodic drifts up to our knees and we are breaking trail. We stop for a late warm lunch at the shelter and chat with Journeyman. he tells us that they had 10 people last night crammed into an eight person shelter, and that one hiker slept in the doorway. That hiker was Live and Learn, who undoubtedly got caught in the rain storm and stumbled into a full shelter. Journeyman and I have an unexpectedly meaningful conversation about life and travelling. He is zero-ing at the shelter to try and dry some gear out.
Sam's Gap is less than 2 miles further and a previous thru named Yonder (AT 07) is set up with trail magic. I meet back up with Dan cram 3 brats down and we make a final push eight miles up and over Big Bald.

Dan and I are good hiking partners, both logically minded with similar life experiences and opinions. We share musical tastes and coordinate our Ipods on this climb to "Joe's Garage" an album by Frank Zappa.

The summit is well earned, we push hard to get here. Long cold uphill rewarded by a windier, colder summit. Fueled on Adrenaline and snickers bars. I will never tire of 360 degree views from balds. 

Big Bald summit victory.

Sunset looking back at Big Bald

At the shelter we run into Ginko from Germany, Professor Turtle, Grease and his parents. Ginko draws elaborate sketches in the shelter logs and, Professor Turtle writes blurbs about flora and fauna of the trail, sometimes with samples included. Its been a long day, but I can't be happier to be on the AT.

March 29th - Day 25 - Hemlock Hollow Inn to Devil Fork Gap
Dan sorts out a slack pack from here to 20 miles up trail at Laurel Trading Post. Its a nice hike, but I am itching to get back out into the woods for a night. Laurel Trading Post cost 32 dollars for dinner and a bunk, and not even a shower. $32 for little more than I would have gotten in the woods. There are six bunks in a one car garage bay and the heater is broken. The bunks are a two by four frame with chicken wire and a thin foam pad to sleep on. I don't blow up my Big Agnes pad for fear that it may pop. I do eat a burger, so it evens out a little. If I hike the trail again I will stop at neither of these places. 60 dollars more I could have spent supporting other hiker institutions like The Doyle.

I guess my point is there are all sorts of accommodations on the trail. Sometimes you need a shower or want to get out of the weather. Sometimes you don't need to stay inside. There are some places worth staying at regardless of conditions. There are also some places I would avoid at all costs. In my experience there are places, more so early on in the trail, that nickel and dime the shit out of hikers. Maybe Ill start a running list of the stay and not stay places on the AT. I did a lot of research before my hike but only heard of a few dos and don'ts for hostels. Kincora for example, is a great place to stay, run by a great man who truly cares. The Doyle Hotel, its rough appearance and owners can be a lot for some people to handle. but you live in the woods and these people really care about hikers. If I could do anything about it I would have more lodging dollars go toward Pat and Vicki at the Doyle than places like Hemlock Hollow and Laurel Trading Post. Save it for people who care.

March 28th - Day 24 - Rich Mountain to Hemlock Hollow

"No decision is a wrong decision on the AT"

This is the conclusion Dan and I come to sitting on the porch of the Hemlock Hollow Inn. Everything works out.  I got a hot shower, not that I deserved it only being out one night. Four Fingers is here, so Live opted against staying. Gandalf, Midnight Sparkle, Copperhead, and a few others are here. Chainsaw is the caretaker here, the irony in the name comes from the fact that he is missing more than a couple front teeth... Its a good night, sitting around a campfire with new friends and beer. I take a very sketchy shuttle into town with an obviously intoxicated Chainsaw, not the best judgement on my part, but I needed those Swiss rolls. There are very many hostels on the early part of the trail so it is too easy to get sucked into the comforts of the real world, but eventually everyone learns the real fun in the AT is out in the woods. Save the hostel dollars for when you really need it.

March 27th - Day 23 - Hot Springs, NC to Rich Mountain
Pack up at the hostel with the intent of leaving town. A mail drop from Bozeman is still not in so I wait with Dan and Live at the Hikers Ridge Ministries. Queen Diva is the trail angel in charge of this wonderful institution. She bakes cookies for and takes pictures of hikers coming through and is all around just a good human being. We would watch her facebook page later on through the hike to see how many hikers were coming through.

Its getting later and later on in the afternoon. My mail drop still hasn't come in. Word of the community dinner reaches our ears. Sunbear, Packrat, Dan, live, and I decide to stick around to eat and then night-hike out of town to avoid lodging costs on one more night in town. What a great idea.

Many friends show up for the community dinner. At 7:30 the sun starts to fade and five thru-hikers head up the mountain. This is my first night hike, and the first of many great night hikes. It starts off with a beautiful sunset over beauty spot.

Sunset over Hot Springs, NC

I hadn't met Packrat until today, but he shares wild stories from his previous through hikes including my personal favorite about the time he was taking a vow of silence and got pulled over by the cops for crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge too many times. He also talks about frequently pulling off trial to explore for caves. Dan renames him sling blade for his accent and appearance and every time we pass a cave together we call out for Packrat. He is a good kid, I imagine he is consistently misunderstood. I don't quite understand him...

A moment that will stay with my for the rest of my life takes place as we are resting on a bench by a small pond. The frogs are out, but all else is silent. Delirious but full invested in the spirit of the hike, Dan whips out "Freaks come out at night" an 80s rap song by Whodini. This song perfectly captures this moment, and would become the theme of many night hikes to come.