Days 13-16, April 15-18
Muskrat Creek to Rock Gap
and Franklin, NC
My phone ran out of battery power, so I'm catching up with a multi-day post. First, a SHOUT OUT TO DR. SMITH: my hip is doing great -- THANKS!
Muskrat Creek Shelter
The Trail hasn't been as rough for the last 30-plus miles, but it is still challenging. There have been what seem like never-ending climbs. The temperature has been in the high 70s with light winds and the humidity around 85 percent. As long as there is a breeze, the hiking is pleasant. When there is no wind, it's hot.
There has been a gnat and mosquito hatch. That's another reason to hope for a breeze, to blow the little suckers away. Otherwise, they're buzzing around you and getting in your eyes, nose, ear, and mouth. You actually breathe them in. At sundown, they go away. I purchased a mesh head cover in Franklin, NC.
Rocky has been very popular on the trail. Hikers keep asking to take a picture of the dog with the backpack. Apparently, his picture has been posted on several Facebook pages, and hikers are actually seeking him out.
 |
| Yup, Rocky's a rockstar! |
Rocky and I stopped for lunch on top of Standing Indian Mountain. When we looked across the valley, you could see the AT winding through the mountainside.
We stealth camped near Beech Gap.
Our night was uneventful, but not so for those who stayed at Standing Indian Shelter. They had a bear take down eight hanging bear bags. One was an Ursack (an expensive ballistic material, supposedly bear-proof bag), and the bear ripped it to bits. The bear also made off with a hiker's wallet. I've concluded that hanging bear bags are bear pinatas.
 |
Note to Self:
Do not put wallet in bear bag
According to a ridge runner (trail guardian) we met, Chloe, a hiker abandoned all of his hear and hot-footed it out of the mountains during last week's severe rainstorms. Chloe was carrying 30 pounds of wet gear off the trail.
I've fallen three times in the first 100 miles of the AT. All were from slippery roots. Roots are my nemesis, and the AT is a slippery root garden.
Rocky and I made another AT hikers' milestone; we passed the 100-mile mark just before starting our climb to the Albert Mountain Fire Tower. The last quarter-mile to the tower was the steepest climb so far. It took almost 50 minutes to climb.
The tower provided fantastic views of the mountains and valleys.
We camped near the Long Branch Shelter. We arrived just as the sun was going down. We filtered water, set up camp, and cooked dinner.
I fixed a rice and chicken dinner, which I shared with my picky-eater dog. Rocky has refused to eat dog food (kibble or dehydrated canned) since the start of the AT. He likes cheese sticks, dog or people jerky, and pretty much whatever I fix for myself. I anticipated sharing some of my meals with my Gormutt, so I packed extra. This latest food resupply I didn't buy any kibble but added extra "Dan" food for Rocky.
On the morning of Day 15, April 17th, Commando looked up the posted Mecan shuttle (Franklin City shuttle) schedule from Rock Gap to Franklin, NC, and we realized that it was arriving an hour earlier than we thought. We raced around packing up camp and tossing everything into our packs.
Highlight from Sally -- Cool Video!
We all met Commando in an earlier post. He and Titanium (Dan) have been hiking at about the same pace and often stop or camp near each other. Commando is creating video episodes, one every few days. They are wonderful, and Titanium and Rocky appear frequently in them. With Commando's permission (thank you!), here is a link to the latest:
We made it to Rock Gap with time to spare. We were sitting on a fence rail, and the shuttle passed us by. We ended up contacting a private shuttle. The private shuttle was overbooked, so Rocky and I ended up riding in the back of the shuttle driver's pickup truck. It was actually fun. Just another unplanned AT experience!
Day 16 (April 18th) was a zero (no hiking) day in Franklin. I have been literally walking the soles off my boots. The treads are delaminating from my Keen boots. After several hours of being put on hold, I got to talk to someone who had the authority to warranty my boots. I have a new pair ordered that will catch up to me later. I was able to glue my current boots together using Barge cement. I'm taking the rest of the tube with me just in case.
Day 17 begins with a shuttle from Franklin back to the trail, and we will be on our way to further adventures!
Got any bear spray, just in case? How about one of the little marine air horns from Walmart that work well on dogs in Louisiana and Mississippi? The horns are small and light.
ReplyDelete