Day 40 - Tuesday, April 30, 1974 - Cherry Gap Leanto to Grassy Ridge Leanto

18.6 miles - 328.2 cumulative miles

Leo and I both slept out under the stars last night.  It was a beautiful night.  The moon was bright and the stars were bright.  Woke up around 7 and went down to the leanto where Rick and Louise were finishing breakfast.  Had my oatmeal and coffee.

Got going around 9:00.  Long hard day.  Lots of climbs and steep descents all morning and a couple of real steep ascents in the afternoon.  Had a fantastic view from some cliffs on top of the last mountain before Hughes Gap (Little Rock Knob).  Long descent from there and then the climb up Roan Mountain.  Took it slow and easy.  Stopped every half hour for some water.  There was no water all the way from the spring where I ate lunch to the top of Roan Mountain, supposedly.  And seeing as it was a hot, humid, sunny day I was quickly dehydrating.  Had only a quart to get up Roan Mountain.  Made the top with just enough water and searched for water up there with no luck.  All the fountains were disconnected.  Leo and Rick and Louise planned on camping up there, and I got there way ahead of them and not being able to find water, and seeing as it was getting on towards 7PM, I decided to go on down the mountain to a picnic area in Carvers Gap where there was plenty of water.

Little Rock Knob

Roan Mountain

Decided not to stay there, but pushed on the 1 1/2 miles to the shelter over completely exposed and open balds, close to 6,000 feet elevation.  Got to the shelter around 8:15 and found a guy from the night before, and 2 others: one hiker going southbound who had been at the Trivett House last night with Rick.  The pack was waiting for him and he's all set now.

Carvers Gap

Round Bald

Day 39 - Monday, April 29, 1974 - Erwin TN to Cherry Gap Leanto

15.2 miles - 309.6 cumulative miles

Got up around 7 and went over to eat.  Came back and made final preps to go off.  Left around 9.  Rick headed towards the Post Office and Elk Park by road, and I headed towards the AT and Elk Park by trail.  Got a ride right to the trail from a farmer.  Started on the trail at 9:30 and reached Curly Maple Leanto around 11.  No one there.  Continued on over a nice relocation and made good time.  But as the day progressed my feet began giving me increasing trouble.  Both heels hurting with a definite blister on my right.  My little toe on the right is redeveloping it's blister.  There are a few other sore spots.  My feet just continue to give me trouble and cause me pain, while otherwise I am in great physical shape.  I just can't really enjoy hiking completely with bad feet.

Beauty Spot

Got to Cherry Gap shelter around 5:30 and found Leo and Rick and Louise there with 2 other guys who were eating and then moving on.  Had ham cheddarton for supper with coconut cream pudding.  Fantastic spring here.  Wish they were all this great.

Cherry Gap Leanto

Day 38 - Sunday, April 28, 1974 - Erwin, TN

0.0 miles - 294.4 cumulative miles


Woke up around 7:30 and after I took a shower we all went over to the Elms for breakfast.  Hotcakes and sausage with 2 eggs, orange juice and coffee.  Rick and I went down to the laundromat and store in the afternoon.  Rick tried to get in touch with his pack with no luck.  Leo left around 1:30.  We decided that I'd go on to Elk park on the trail and Rick would go to Elk Park to get his pack by hitchhiking.  So as we ran out of money or pretty close to it, we called home and ordered $400 sent to Hampton, Tennessee, where we will be 2 days after Elk Park, where we have $50 coming.  Pretty poor day mood-wise for me.  Took a long walk around Erwin - nice town.

[A bit of history about Irwin from Wikipedia since I don't have any pictures:

History

The town of Erwin received its name by a mail mishap. On December 5, 1879, the name of the town was Ervin, in honor of D.J.N. Ervin, who had donated 15 acres (61,000 m²) of land for the county seat. A typo made by post office officials caused the name to be recorded as Erwin. The mistake was never corrected.
Erwin earned some notoriety in 1916 when the only known public execution of an elephant in Tennessee occurred in the community. Mary, the elephant, had killed her handler, Wallter Eldridge, in nearby Kingsport. As home to the region's largest railway yard, Erwin was the only community with the means to carry out the death sentence. An estimated 2,500 people turned out at the local railway yard to see Mary hoisted by a crane and hanged by a chain around her neck. The first chain snapped, but a larger one was found and the peculiar task completed - she was hanged for half an hour before being declared dead.
Between 1916 and 1957, the Southern Potteries plant operated in Erwin along Ohio Avenue. The plant produced a hand-painted dishware known as Blue Ridge that became popular nationwide in late 1930s and 1940s. Blue Ridge pieces are still popular items with collectors of antique dishware.
 


Mary being executed on September 13, 1916 before a crowd of over 2,500 witnesses at Erwin.

This is just too bizarre, but unfortunately it is true.]

Day 37 - Saturday, April 27, 1974 - No Business Knob Leanto to Erwin, Tennessee

5.7 miles - 294.4 cumulative miles

Looking down on the Nolichucky River

I finally got to sleep at around 3AM and then Rick got me up at 5:30.  We ate and left around 6:30.  Made good time.  Reached road to Erwin around 8:30-9:00.  I didn't feel too good until we started seeing some good views of the Nolichucky River and the town of Erwin.  A good view always picks me up.

It was quite warm this morning as it was last night.  It was like summer in town.  We walked for a couple of miles on the road before we got a ride another 2 miles to the Post Office.  Got our money and ran into Barry outside of the PO.  They were in the Morgan Motel, so we went there and had to take their room.  They were gong to check out at 1PM, so we were all in the room together for a few hours.

Barry came back from the Post Office and said there was a package for us there.  It was my 2x tele-converter for my camera.  Also got a note to call home.  Rick's pack was sent by Greyhound to Elk Park.  His present pack frame is broken pretty bad.  Had trouble getting in touch with the bus station in Elk Park, mostly because it doesn't exist.  Got in touch with the nearest station though.  Hadn't received anything yet.  Would like to have the new pack sent here.  Not much chance of that.  May have to hitch to Elk Park to get it.

The Nolichucky River and Erwin in the valley

Erwin is a pretty nice town.  Good size.  Will go shopping tomorrow.  Got free passes to the YMCA sauna, bath and pool from Barry and Joe.  Hope we can use them.  Leo showed up later in the day and is again staying with us.  Bought us beer.

Day 36 - Friday, April 26, 1974 - Sam's Gap to No Business Knob Leanto

11.9 miles - 288.7 cumulative miles

Got up this morning at a fairly reasonable hour, before sunrise, but didn't leave until 11:00.  We sat around cooking a pound of bacon all morning.  It was good, but it sure was a late start.  Made the 12 miles we did pretty rough.  Hiked up Big Bald 2 1/2 miles from the camp site.  Fantastic views and a rough climb.  We could see everything we've hiked over for most of the past week.  We had lunch on an old picnic table down a ways from Big Bald.  Old weathered tables there in the middle of nowhere next to the trail among a bunch of dead trees.

Frying bacon - and another mysterious hand signal

Trout Lillies

Spring Beauties

 

From there we went down and up to Little Bald, which wasn't even bald and then down most of the rest of the way to Spivey Gap.  The remaining 4 miles from the gap to the shelter were beautiful.  Two and a half miles were very gentle descending with a mile before it of mostly level hiking.  There were 3 people at the shelter when we got there.  One was a guy (a thru-hiker) we met this morning at out campsite while we were cooking bacon.  The other two guys were doing the trail a week at a time on their vacations (section hikers).  While we were cooking our supper our friends from Connecticut (Matt and Ted) showed up.  Seems they had met the owner of the resort near Big Bald on the bald and were invited to spend the night there.  Had a big dinner and a $22 room all on the house.  And we had thought they would be long gone ahead of us.

Abandoned log cabin along the trail

View from around Little Bald Mountain

Leo came in around 9:00.  Almost thought he wasn't going to show up.  Matt and Ted saw him on Big Bald at 3:00.  He was taking lots of pictures.  I took quite a few myself.

I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but here I am, writing this at 2AM.  Can't seem to get to sleep.  Have moved my sleeping bag outside.  The bunk was no good.  We've got 6 miles to do plus 3 1/2 to the post office in Erwin in the morning before 11:30.  Hope we can make it!

Day 35 - Thursday, April 25, 1974 - Locust Ridge Leanto to Sam's Gap

13.1 miles - 176.8 cumulative miles

Long day.  The two guys from Connecticut and the other hiker all got up and going before sunrise.  I got up too and got the fire going.  I was really anxious to get moving.  They all left pretty quick, heading as far as they could - 25 miles if possible to the next leanto.  We got going around 9:30 and Leo left around 10, I guess.  We planned on 12 or 13 miles to a campsite beyond Sam's Gap.

We hiked through farm country most of the day.  Passed cows in the pastures, farm houses, a cattle drive, the whole bit, including being barked at by a tinny hound dog puppy.  But the trail was really rough.  It was on private land most of the way, so they had to keep it simple.  It climbed straight up some really steep mountains as well as straight down.

I was feeling pretty good all day and really moving along.  No real aches or pains and I was able to climb with less effort than ever before.  Also, I went without moleskin or band-aids on my feet all day with no problems.

After 9 miles and not many views we reached Sam's Gap.  I got there around 2:30, Rick arrived at 3:00, and Leo showed up at 4:30!  We put our packs in the cemetery back from the road and walked down 1 1/2 miles to the small store/gas station in North Carolina.  There we got a few things we could use but could have done without, as well as snacks: ice cream sandwiches, tomato juice, cherry pies and milk.  Got a ride from a guy from a nearby farm in a VW.  Up to the gap and set off 3.1 miles to the campsite.

In that distance we came across some fantastic open fields with beautiful views.  The sun was sinking down and it was just beautiful. I stopped and took pictures a number of times.  Leo did too and didn't get in until after the sun had set.  We set up camp, got a fire going and started cooking creamed tuna and noodles.  Finally got to eat around 10:00.  Had hot chocolate with marshmallows which Leo bought.  Roasted a few.  We also had ramps with our supper - wild onions that grow wild all over the mountains here.  Good.  We have been finding evidence of Barry and Joe being a day or two ahead of us.

Day 34 - Wednesday, April 24, 1974 - Jerry's Cabin Leanto to Locust Ridge Leanto

6.4 miles - 263.7 cumulative miles

Only picture for today - found in Devil's Fork Gap

Woke up this morning and looked out at the new day and decided it wasn't worth the trouble getting out of the sack.  It looked and felt like winter out there.  Grey sky, wind, and cold, cold, cold.  It was positively disgusting.  So we all just laid there until 10:00, waiting for who knows what.  Finally Rick got up and started the fire slowly.  Leo and I got up after he got it going.  So we sat around and eventually got our coffee and cream of wheat going.  The two guys from Westport Connecticut showed up while we were in the middle of breakfast.  They had stayed at Little Laurel last night. 

We finally got out at 12:30.  Leo left around 2:00.  I trucked out fast today over the 6 miles we decided on doing.  The trail was real nice and easy and I made it to the shelter at 3:00.  Rick came in 5 minutes later.  Leo came in another couple of hours later.  Our friends from Westport Connecticut were there and decided to spend the night.  Possible frost tonight.  So we packed up our bunks with leaves and filled in some of the cracks in the shelter.  The weather cleared during the afternoon.  Should be nice for a day or so.  Have 25 miles to go to the next shelter on the trail.  Will have to camp out tomorrow night.  Had spaghetti tonight with pudding for desert and a sour dough biscuit.  Eating good these days.

Day 33 - Tuesday, April 23, 1974 - Spring Mountain Leanto to Jerry's Cabin Leanto

14.1 miles - 257.3 cumulative miles

Nice sunny day today after rain last night.  I got up quick and got the fire going from the coals left over from yesterday.  They were still hot even after the rain.  I went down the path to the spring and spent a half hour taking pictures of flowers before breakfast.

Left the shelter at 10:00 and hiked quickly down to Allen Gap and stopped at the store at the gas station there.  Talked to a couple of ladies while we ate ice cream and cupcakes with milk.

View from Camp Creek Bald Fire Tower

Finally got going at about 12:00 and started climbing on the other side of the gap.  Stopped at Little Laurel Leanto for lunch and then climbed up to the fire tower.  Hard climb.  Good views in all directions, but it was windy and cold.  All day it was mostly clear.  There were cumulus clouds all over and they would hide the sun occasionally making it quite cool.

White Rock Cliffs

We proceeded on down the rerouted section of trail off the ridge and up to White Rock Cliffs with a fantastic view.  From there we continued on a rocky, watery and muddy section of a half mile or more.  After that there was a long stretch of nice trail on the Tennessee side of the ridge.  Finally made it to the shelter around 6:30 and made a fire in the fireplace inside the shelter.  Rick came in 10 minutes later and Leo after another 15 minutes.  Having noodles with chicken sauce with bread for supper.  Should be good.

Large burl

Leo and Rick

Outhouse at Jerry's Cabin with scenic view.

Day 32 - Monday, April 22, 1974 - Spring Mountain Leanto

0.0 miles - 243.2 cumulative miles

Making biscuits while Leo does a little photography

Slept late this morning.  Didn't wake up for good until after 8:00.  My knee was really bad last night.  I finally got up and took aspirin.  Seemed to help.  We slept on the 3 half way good bunks.  Had to tie two of them together.  I guess we all made out okay.  We didn't really feel like getting up and after checking the weather report on the radio we decided to take a layover day.  90% chance of rain in Tennessee and 80% chance in North Carolina.  But it didn't rain a drop all day, not until 6:00pm.

The big thing today was food.  We had cream of wheat this morning with granola, wheat germ, cinnamon, sugar and milk.  For lunch we had Bisquick biscuits with honey and Vienna sausages.  For dinner Leo tried his sourdough and came up with some great biscuits.  Then he made creamed tuna on macaroni noodles.  All this and a bit of wine we bought in Hot Springs.  Can't beat that for a trail meal.  Leo is definitely expanding out food horizons.

Had some visitors today, too.  Paul from Atlanta and Joanne who works at the Mount Le Conte Lodge in the Smokies stopped by about 3:30 on their way from Hot Springs to the next shelter.  Also Rick and Louise arrived about 5:30.  When it proceeded to start raining, they got out their tent.

Day 31 - Sunday, April 21, 1974 - Hot Springs, NC to Spring Mountain Leanto

7.6 miles - 243.2 cumulative miles

View from fire tower

Woke up at the usual 7AM.  Got up and the three of us (Leo, Rick and I) went to Henderson's for breakfast.  Had 2 eggs, sausages and pancakes.  Really good for only $2 with orange juice and coffee.  Went back and got into letter writing and repacking.  Then Rick and I went to Henderson's to look for postcards.  We got one of the store owners who was in the restaurant to get us some toothpaste from the store.  Said we had to hurry and get out of the store before people started leaving church and caught him opening up for us.  Took showers and checked out after noon.  Went to the laundromat, then back to Henderson's for lunch.  Called home.  Should have money in Erwin Tennessee.  Rick's new pack has been ordered and should arrive in Elk Park, North Carolina.

Went back to the laundromat and took off on the trail about 2PM.  Rick and Louise are staying over another night.  Hiked slow and had a rough time with our 50 pound packs.  Stopped for pictures a few times and made it to the fire tower at 5:30 - 5 miles.  Talked to the forest ranger there.  First occupied tower we have seen.  We were hoping to spend the night there.  Pushed on 2 1/2 miles to the shelter and got there about 7:30.  Went out and got a ton of wood in case of rain tomorrow.  Having big dinner tonight.  Mackerel chowder.  Leo saw a wild turkey today.

It was a warm day - another secret hand signal

Leo