Day Four

Stayed at Springer Mountain shelter last night. It was a quite a storm.

Rain or mice?

 Rain or mice?

I took the mice because everything is still wet, but luckily we didn’t see any mice.

Today’s nature inventory:

A tree with bright orange flowers.

Mushrooms with mauve tops.  (editor’s note: Sure they were mauve, Tripper…)

A 2 ½ inch salamander in a very pretty shade of orange

I saw hundreds of little white flowers all over the ground, as well a a bunch of white flowers that were the size of quarters.

I passed through a tropical style area where the flowers looked like they came off a tulip tree. They had yellow leaves with orange centers with a dab of light green in the center. They reminded me of my dad’s tulip tree when we were growing up.

I also saw leaves with little spots on them. The spots were dark pink edged with light pink centers. There are all kinds of rocks; agates to quartz to fools’ gold.

I stopped by to see Long Creek Falls. This guy at the falls asked me if he could lift my pack, I said ‘Sure’. After he lifted it, he turned to his wife and said “About 60 lbs.” I did NOT want to know how much it weighed! Those three miles to this shelter were hell! All I could think about was how heavy my pack is. And everything is heavier when it is wet. I kept thinking about all the things I’m gonna ship back to Lyle when I get to Neel’s Gap; 2 hats, sunglasses, extra shoes, clothes, all those pairs of little white socks that I used to wipe out my tent. Oh yeah, and that stinkin’ two man tent that Bub wanted me to buy. I’m either going to mail it home or trade it.

Later, I made it to Hawk Mountain shelter. Me and five guys. They were setting up for a campfire. YES!

I had hiked 7.5 miles today, and that was enough. The sun is going down and it is getting cold.

Note to hikers: Buy your boots ½ size larger to avoid ‘boot bump’ and get those boots sealed against water! Be sure to purchase a pack cover for your back pack- and pack LIGHT!