5/17/00
Day 56
Curly Maple Gap shelter, TN
660.1 miles

Well, well.  I haven't written in several days so I guess it is time for a boring recap.  I ended up staying at the Laurel Creek Cabins, rather than Kincora, because I found I wanted comfort rather than economy.  Camped out the next night at Sugar Hollow.  Wasn't even listed as a campsite in the Databook, just a symbol on the map, and yet 6 other people showed up after I got there.  The next day involved some climbing, and beautiful views from the balds at Doll Flats, Hump Mountain, and Little Hump Mountain.  Spent the night, by repeated reccomendations, at the Overmountain shelter, a converted barn that could hold 40 or more, with the front side looking down into a gorgeous valley.  The next day involved more climbing, up through some more grassy balds, and then up and over Roan Mtn. (6,285 feet.)  Then down, down, down until I finally arrived at my planned campsite at the romantically named, "Greasy Creek Gap".  Today was a long haul, at 19 miles.  The highlights were the spruce forest atop Unaka Mtn. (the trunks of pine trees, a carpet of needles, and no understory plants - supposed to provide Northbounders with a preview of the Maine forests), the view from Beauty Spot (aptly named), and the little grasshoppers, sometimes dozens and dozens of them, that scattered on and off the trailbed at my appoach so that the sound of their hopping into the leaves was almost like rain (sort of reminded me of the locust scenes from that really bad sequel to "The Exorcist" starring Richard Burton).  Oh, and I saw my first raccoon this afternoon.  Actually, since he was out during the day I'm probably lucky he didn't turn out to be rabid and chase after me.

Surprisingly, I've got this shelter to myself.  It's only 4 miles North from a hostel near the town of Erwin, TN, so it's too close to get used much by Northbounders.  I'm sort of wishing I'd thrown my tent up when I got here, since the gnats have been on the attack.

I finally used up the last shot on my first roll of film up on Hump Mountain.  I haven't been taking many pictures because I decided long ago that most landscape/scenery shots never do the subject justice and they all end up looking the same.  I haven't been taking pictures of plants and flowers, because I don't think they would mean much to me later on.  I haven't been taking pictures of wildlife, because nothing will hold still long enough for me to get the camera out.  I think I'll start trying to take more pictures of people once I flip-flop and get to know someone for more than a few minutes or a day.

Miscellaneous notes:

1. The hot spell ended, and the last few days have been good hiking weather, although today it started warming up again.

2. Depending on the elevation, I've seen some of the Rhododendrons in bloom.  And also a plant with similar looking leaves, but a different flower, called Mountain Laurel.  Occasionally I've seen a bush with very showy orange flowers that I think is called a Flame Azalea.  And I saw my first Lady's Slipper (or as a girl in my hiking club accurately described them, "scrotum flowers") a few days ago.  I'm still seeing plenty of Trilliums here.  Not just the white and blood-red I know from Maine, but also a yellow variety and many shades of pink.

3. A recurring mental image is perhaps worth mentioning.  As you know, I was a big fan of Monty Python.  Do you remember the skit they did about a Scotsman named Ewen McTeagle?  Terry Jones played the part with a blonde beard and a kilt.  The joke was that he was supposed to be a revered poet, but all his so-called "poems" were just notes he wrote to people begging to borrow money.  Well, during some of the voiceovers, they showed scenes of Ewen trodding through the moors and highlands, a cane clutched in his hand which he used with a grim determination as he marched up the hills.  Well, whenever I find myself "trudging" uphill, my hiking staff stabbing into the ground, the image of Ewan McTeagle comes into my mind and makes me smile.

4. The last few days have brought one conclusion inescapably home to me, "I need to buy more snacks!"  During the day my body is calling out for the fat, sugar, and salt that only junk food can provide.

5. At one time you asked me for my critique of Rubin's book [That's ON THE BEATEN PATH, by Robert Alden Rubin, published in hardcover by the Lyons Press, available wherever finer books are sold - Don], recognizing that my great talent is not to create art, but to tear down and denigrate the work of others.  I think that I forgot to mention one point.  The subtitle of the book uses the word 'pilgrimage' and he presses that theme extensively in the beginning of his book.  I realize that it's something of an artistic device to make his story hang together, but I disagreed with the premise before I started hiking and I still do now.  I think that it's a popular myth that everyone who hikes the trail is seeking to "find themselves."  Certainly the AT affords one plenty of time to think, and some are consciously using it to reflect and sort things out, but not everyone.  There are as many reasons for being here as there are people out here.  It's too late tonight for me to discuss my own reasons, but if I haven't already, I guess I should soon.