Oops - I counted my days wrong! Today marks day 32; No Business Knob Shelter should have been Day 31.
-- Stats from Day 32 --
Beginning Point: Uncle Johnny Nolichucky Hostel
Ending Point: Curly Maple Gap Shelter
Daily Mileage: 4.2 miles
Total Mileage: 343.1 miles
Weather: Surprise! Warm and humid.
Well, today we had intentions of doing great things, however after breakfast, my gumption sort of died. Dan had been hiking on pulled shins for the last few days and didn't mind the rest either. So for a change, Stephan was the one who wanted to push on. However Stephan alone did not comprise a moral majority, but Dan and I compromised by agreeing to hike the 4.2 miles to the shelter after the heat of the day had passed. Sometimes the appeal of town treats is too alluring.
We found the shelter empty (first time thats happened) and settled in; we looked at the maps and At Companion guides to plan our next leg of the journey into Roan Mountain, when off in the distance we begin to hear voices. First we see Yogi and Shoe, then Terrapin and Goofy! They were slack-packing south from Iron Mountain Gap, about 20 miles north of where we started today. Slack-packing means they left their full packs at the hostel they stayed at last night and got a lift to Iron mountain, and they cut off about a 4000 ft climb, which we still have to do. We are very jealous of their planning and hope to catch up to them in Damascus.
I have a few wildlife observations to make in this entry... The first is about blackflies. Apparently these aren't as toothy as their kin in the northern states, but they are quite annoying because they dive-bomb your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth and nothing you do will drive them away. I think I am going to have to break down and get some bug repellent. As I sit and type, I hear the buzz of annoying insects near my head.
The second is salamanders. While filtering water this evening, I noticed some movement and discovered a cute little guy about the length of my index finger. I don't know what kind it was, but I snapped a photo and enjoyed watching his finger-like gills twitch.
Okay, enough for now. We are planning to get an early start tomorrow so that we can try to avoid the heat.
Steph
www.hikingat.com
Posted by steph at June 1, 2004 04:40 PMI am not one of those who think that the people are never in the wrong. They have been so, frequently and outrageously, both in other countries and in this. But I do say, that in all disputes between them and their rulers, the presumption is at least upon a par in favour of the people.
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Posted by: vimax extender at October 7, 2004 08:25 PMI am not one of those who think that the people are never in the wrong. They have been so, frequently and outrageously, both in other countries and in this. But I do say, that in all disputes between them and their rulers, the presumption is at least upon a par in favour of the people.
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