2017 Appalachian Hike

Today was very good. I got up early as usual and got a good shower and shave. Crazy Larry made scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and biscuits and gravy. I ate until I was full and drank lots of coffee. 

Engineer and I were going to leave together but that didn’t happen. He wanted to wait until 9:00 when Subway opened so he could get a sandwich to take along. It was after 8:00 and was twiddling my thumbs. I didn’t want to wait. I told him I was taking off and that I was sure he’d catch me. He never did. 

So now I’m doing something I haven’t done yet. I’m camping completely by myself. I got to the Lost Mountain Shelter at 2:30 and didn’t want to stop yet. I read in my guide book that there some campsites on Whitetop Mountain five miles ahead. 

I saw Maple Syrup here. He wanted to go to another spot eight miles away. So we hiked together for about an hour and I couldn’t keep up with him. 

I have seen Maple Syrup several times over the last couple of weeks. In fact he was at the Super 8 in Erwin Tennessee after the big snowstorm. I was having difficulty with my blog app. He helped me figure it out. He’s Canadian. Very nice young man. He’s not the Canadian that talks to much. 

Today’s hike was pretty much all up hill. I gained 3000 feet of elevation in the twenty miles. Luckily it was mostly cloudy so it wasn’t so hot. Actually I’m wearing my coat now because it’s so cool up here. 

The view I have from my campsite is amazing. I hope it clears off tonight so I can see the stars. There is no tree cover here. 

So I’m in between shelters. I like being around people but I’m finding this very peaceful and beautiful. 

There is an amazing piped Spring at this site coming right out of the side of the mountain. 

Now as I write about my gear I’ve covered my bear canister because it was timely. Then water filtration and foot wear because they were the most important. 

Now to my favorite piece of gear. My trekking poles. 

I had never used them before so I had to learn how to use them properly. I LOVE them. They are so much help. 

The biggest benefit is climbing. I’m telling you, when used properly it is so much easier going up hil. There is a way using your arms and upper body to get in a rythm that helps propel you up the hill. Another big thing is the many stream crossings where you are stepping across on stones. I use them for balance in that case. And then when I’m descending, especially taking a big step down they help with balance and softening the impact. 

They are also good for drying and airing out socks at the end of the day. 

Also good for pushing thorny bushes that are hanging over the trail out of the way. Or you can use them to fling the snakes off the trail. Some hikers trekking poles double as tent poles so they can be lighter weight. I saw a guy that uses his as a selfie stick. I’ve heard that some use them as a fishing pole also. I’m sure there are many more. 

I do love mine. That’s one of the reasons I was in a bad mood for a few hours after I broke mine. Of course falling in the mud didn’t help my mood either. 

The sun is going down and it’s getting cold. I’m getting into my tent and sleeping bag. Hopefully Engineer will catch me tomorrow.