[at-l] I don't remember....

Fri Jan 4 21:02:12 CST 2008

...where I stopped sending my 'hike flashbax' from....so, I'll start 
here...and, go to 9 years ago tonight.

12/30/98

 I made good time to Cold Spring Shelter. Again, it was too cold to stop 
anywhere. It was 15 degrees at the shelter, according to one of the 
college students that were taking up far more than their share of the
room. I ate a quick snack on the table next to the shelter, and was on
my way. It didn't snow or rain any on this day, but it never did get
above 20º.  I ate lunch inside the restroom at Wayah Bald. (Hey, I was
'resting' in the 'rest'room. Alright?) There were lots of dayhikers out
on this day. As I neared Winding Stair Gap, I made a deal with myself
that if somebody was at the parking lot and they offered me a ride, I'd
take it. I was thinking it was time for another series of showers.

Before I even got to the road, a woman offered me a night at her house.
(Well, her husbandido was standing there, too). "Do you have a
shower?"...

This is where I met the guy I named 'Tank'. He had the heaviest pack 
I've ever seen.  All I shall say is he had 13 MREs with him. Yes, that's 
what I said. (He had a whole helluva lot of other stuff he didn't need, 
too)  He was the nephew of the people who had given me the ride and 
place to stay.

 The next day,New Year's Eve, they dropped me off at Winding Stair Gap, 
and dropped
Tank off on Springer. It was well past dark when I got to Carter Gap
Shelter. There was a Marine on leave there. He had a great fire going. I
stopped for a snack and warmed myself by the fire. He was amazed when I
put my snack bag away and strapped my pack on. "Where you going?" he 
asked.  I told
him I had to get to the next shelter. "That's 7 miles." "Yeah, I 
know.Happy New Year to ya." I said as I walked away.

I had a blast hiking up Standing Indian Mountain. It was a beautiful
night and I was listening to a great college football game. (The folks
who put me up the night before were at this game in Atlanta. I STILL can't
remember who played, even though OB has told me. I think it was Clemson 
and probably someone else.) It was about 10 when I got in bed for the 
lasttime. I woke up at 11:30 to a group of flashlights shining in the
shelter at me. When they saw me, they turned and left. I never saw them
again. I'm guessing it was a group going up to the summit for the New

Year's countdown. This was the first New Year's that I was asleep at 
Midnight since the early 70's. I didn't mind. By the way, it was cold 
and there was snow on the ground.

New Year's Day was damp and chilly. Not raining. Not cold. Just damp and
chilly. I met two guys at Plumorchard Gap. We were talking about 
football for some reason.  I said "Hey, did Boomer (Esiaison) say 'No 
shit' on the Monday night game?" One of the guys said "See, I told you"
to the other. Pittsburgh and I had watched the Monday night game
together and I was sure that he had said it. I got to Dick's Creek Gap
in mid-afternoon. I got a ride and checked in at the jacuzzi-roomed
Holiday Inn Express. A hot soak and steak dinner later, my buddy
Pittsburgh was there for more football watching.

The next day, 1/2/99 was horrible. It was raining or sleeting most of 
the day. I
had to get on my hands and knees and crawl across the summit of some
rocky mountain (Tray Mtn, I think). I believe I was in Sassafras Gap
when I took this picture (http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/frozface.jpg)
My eyelashes were covered in ice.  I trudged on in the muck. I got to
Unicoi and was glad to find my buddy Pittsburgh there. I wasn't certain
 he would be there. We went to Helen for more showers and pizza.

The next day, 1/3/99, was just cold and no rain. I cruised along pretty 
good.  I
stopped at Blue Mt. Shelter and talked to three kids from Alabama. I
said "Ain't 'Got You Where I Want You' a great song?" One of the kids
said "Hey, I saw them in concert New Year's Eve." I thought that was
cool. The more we talked, the more I found out about them. I actually
have met their grandmother. she lives in Bloomington. Small world, of
course.

I hiked on. When I got to Hogpen Gap parking lot, a man there asked me
if I was 'going camping'. I said "Yup. Couple more days anyway." The
Trail was covered in chunks of ice for several miles through this
stretch. I had this picture taken on
Cowrock Mtn (http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/cowrock.jpg) It was about
5:05 when I got to Neel's Gap. The store was closed. I looked in and
somebody came over and opened the door. There were three people inside
counting money and prepping the store for closing. They let me warm up
and drink coffee. It was FREEZING out. My beard thawed. They gave me a 
can of pop. I
started up Blood Mt. right at dusk. There were people, and fires, all
over the rocky summit of Blood Mt. I was listening to the Packers/Niners
game and the radio and didn't even stop at the shelter. Did I mention
that it was cold AND windy?

I got to the shelter turn-off for Woodshole. I almost passed it because
there wasn't a sign for southbounders >:-|   I walked for what seemed
like miles down the blue-blaze. I stopped two times and nearly turned
around.  When I got to the shelter, I was amazed to find two other
bodies inside. One was awake. We talked a bit as I was setting up for
the night. Did I mention it was freezing? I asked if they were just out
for the weekend. The guy I was talking to said "Naaah. We're
thruhikers." "Northbounders?" I asked. "No."  "Who the hell are you?" I
asked, thinking that all the southbounders ahead of me were long gone.
"I'm QP. That's Windbraker."  "No F***ing way. I've been following you
guys for 5 months." We had a nice chat that night. I felt like they were
my long-lost brothers. (I knew that they weren't, however, because my
long-lost brothers are both in prison) It got down to 5º or less that 
night. 5º is cold.

1/4/99  This morning brought me the most excruciating pain of the 5
month journey. I had left my boots out over night. They were frozen.
They were frozen. It took 12 minutes to put them on. Then, there was the
trip to the privy (stainless-steel-seated privy). It was about 16
minutes of physical inactivity. My feet were frozen. It took over an
hour to get the circulation going enough to warm my feet again. They
hurt so bad that my stomach hurt. Somewhere in that first mile and a
half, I passed Tank. He was definitely struggling. He said that I was
right about a lot of the weight he was carrying. I told him to make it
to Neel's and have Jeff go through it. I hiked most of the day
leapfrogging with QP and WB. I liked them and liked having someone
around for a change. Especially someone who was excited about the same
thing that I was excited about. We spent the night, 9 years ago tonight,
together at a fridged Hawk Mt. Shelter. I couldn't find the spring.

Again, it was 5º or less. This time, my boots were in my bag.
 (Footnote: QP's pee bottle from Woodshole S. froze and he had to carry
a bottle of frozen urine all day. We laffed. Well, not QP)

Something I shant forget about that night at Hawk Mt. is this:
The Tennessee Volunteers were playing for the national
championship. QP and WB are from the Knoxville area. They both had
walkmans and were listening to the game. QP's radio wouldn't pick it up.
So, WB broke his headphones and gave one earpiece to QP. They snuggled
up together and cheered as I slept, dreaming of the next day...

-- 
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
ALT '03 KT '03
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/

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