Cherry Gap Shelter

5-31-12
AT miles hiked today: 8.7
Total AT miles hiked: 359

This is Nice Lady coming down from Beauty Spot Bald today. It rained on us about an hour later and then stopped after another hour.

I met Three Moons, Snake Charmer, Megamind, Nice Spot and others at the hostel last night. I just want to remember their names.

I'm still a little damp after that rain, especially my shoes, but my clothes mostly dried out while I hiked. I loved the pines on top of Mt Unaka and the hiking today was nice, though my pack weighed 39.1 pounds when I left Uncle Johnny's hostel. I just don't like this hiking with 5-6 days of food, and it seems even worse after slackpacking yesterday.

From now on I will see how I can get food more often and carry less at once. Also, I am interested in a little alcohol stove, but I would have to get a whole cooking system, like fuel and a pot and dehydrated foods and use a lot more water to cook and do dishes. It will cost me money so I may not do it.

We didn't start hiking until about 12:15, when Sam dropped us off. We first met him and his sister, Ester, at Big Bald and met them again at Uncle Johnny's. We lost Eagle Eye after her birthday party last night. She plans to catch or rejoin us, hopefully tomorrow.

I am in my tent behind the shelter despite the predictions of rain due to a tropical storm hitting the southern coast tonight and tomorrow. Two Dogs was in the shelter and warned us about his snoring, so I tented. Maybe it was stupid, but I really do love my privacy. We may go slower tomorrow, just to the next shelter, hoping for good weather and views on Roan Mountain and the balds beyond.