Hope and pray the snapping branches don't fall on tents below.
The wind was fair gusting through the trees as I was breaking camp today, which made it a tricky task to get my tent folded up and secure. The gale continued as crouching low to create a low profile I forged my way above the treeline to the top of Big Bald. The force of the wind at the top made it quite difficult to keep my feet as the swirling blasts knocked me off balance. The dark gray sky threatened rain that never came and by mid-afternoon the sun made a brief appearance.
I met a young female hiker at Bald Mountain Shelter as I took some respite from the wind. She'd had to take a few weeks off the trail because of a case of pneumonia. She'd jumped back on as soon as she felt well enough and had picked up the trail name Wheezy because of her rough breathing. Quite a lesson in perserverance and despite her setback, she was full of youthful optimism, an ever present smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. There were a couple of Germans that I spoke with as well. It's always nice to see a foreign contingent enjoying the great American outdoors. Both were avid hikers that had made the flight across the Atlantic because "there is nothing quite like this in Europe".
A steep descent into the Nolichucky River Valley left me on the outskirts of Erwin, Tennessee, my resupply stop. I started walking along the road into town and without even sticking my thumb out to indicate that I needed a lift, a guy in a pickup truck pulled onto the shoulder ahead of me and offered me a ride into town, dropping me off at the good old Dollar General. A short time in the shop to buy what I'd need for the next few days and I was back on the road out of town. Same thing happened, another local asking me where I'd like to go without even trying to hitchhike. Got into the cab of his pickup and, lickety split, I was back at the trailhead. All I could do was thank these kind strangers and shake my head almost in disbelief at my good fortune. Experiences like this tell me that there are a lot of kind-hearted people out there. Hitching can be a dreaded and in some very few instances a dangerous thing, but by and large the people I've met who've given me rides have been so very nice.
Four trail miles was the distance from Erwin to Curly Maple Gap Shelter and it was well nigh dark by the time I reached it. Pulling in late, there was absolutely no room as hikers were packed in like sardines, lying shoulder to shoulder. The tent pads were all taken as well, so I was left trying to find a suitable space somewhere to camp. I found a small space between a tall pine and the arching branches of rhododendron bushes. A tight squeeze to be sure, but there were no other options. I made sure everything was battened down because the word in Erwin was that there is supposed to be a rough round of thunderstorms tonight. Fell asleep feeling a tad uneasy.
Blowing on Big Bald
Butterfly Mid-Afternoon
Nolichucky River Valley
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