Everyone piled out of the shuttle and headed UP - 3,808 feet to 5,014 at Siler Bald Summit.
It was a beautiful morning. I was last to begin the trail. Dixie Grits had stayed behind at the Sapphire Inn to do some investment business. Snowman gave me his phone number and I called to tell him about Aquone Hostel thinking perhaps it would be a way for him to move forward and still be able to work.
Stopped to capture this beautiful waterfall and continued on.
Then I came to this little stream crossing and proceeded to slip ... as usual I had an audience but I didn't realize it until after I got back up.
I am definitely overworking my guardian angel ! I met Nails and Dirtdog (married couple) along the way. They were hiking South to North to spend another night in Franklin. Had a nice conversation with them. Nails thru-hiked many years ago and she is back this year with her husband. She had such a big smile on her face when she realized I was attempting a thru-hike as a solo woman. She told me she likes to encourage women to hike because it was such an empowering experience for her. They told me wonderful trail magic was ahead and not to eat lunch. I had gone to McD's for breakfast and purchased an extra egg and cheese mcmuffin which I brought along for my lunch. So I decided to wait for the trail magic.
Just before Siler Bald summit (below) some guys passed me -- not unusual (the passing me). They stopped at this beautiful spot. I kept looking around and they pointed the direction of the trail. I said I was looking for the stone tower ... they told me that would be 4 miles up the trail (which would be tomorrow for me) at Wayah Bald stone tower. That's a different bald ... well at least I was standing on a bald at the time. I referred to my little map and noted my location. They headed out ahead of me - that way they wouldn't have to pass me again.
This was a little rickety and bounced as I walked across. I guess maybe if there had been more rain, this would be a little creek. Detour walked with a little ways and I enjoyed his company and conversation for a little while before he stepped up his face and literally flew down the trail. The pace and agility of younger people is amazing. He is from NYC too and a devout Jew. He and Donny met one another just before beginning the trail but had not known one another before hiking together. He said he would see me at the trail magic. As an aside - Detour received his trail name because back at Neels Gap in Georgia he took a side trail for a view and then decided to follow the side trail because he thought it would take him back to the Appalachian Trail. He spent an entire day walking around Neels Gap and never moved North. I think one other time he did something similar and that's why he received his trail name.
As I approached Wayah Gap, I could hear voices and then I saw this sign pointing to Wayah Creek Picnic area. This was the trail magic Nails told me not to miss. So I walked down the little side trail. Meet Fresh Grounds !
I took off my pack (sweet relief) and took a seat at the picnic table -- the bench was padded which was a surprise and very much appreciated. The guys at the table were the ones I talked with at Siler Bald summit. Fresh Grounds loves hikers and it shows in so many ways. Before I knew it, I was holding a hot dog and then he gave me a cup of chicken rice soup. I had a delicious cup of coffee and a banana and then he handed me another hot dog and I ate it too ! Fresh Grounds was a hiker but now he believes God has called him to the ministry of feeding hikers. So he works (as an electrician, I think) and takes time off during the thru-hiker season to travel and cook for hikers. He uses his own money and doesn't ask for a donation but there is a cup if you'd like to give a little donation. He uses the money to buy more food to feed hikers. He told us he would see us again on the northern side of the Smokeys at Davenport Gap. He'll probably be gone before I arrive because I've had to take time off but what a blessing to meet Fresh Grounds and to experience his ministry. "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Matt. 25:35
The story of Fresh Ground taken from the Patriot's trail journal -- "I happened upon Fresh Ground, the Trail Angel who has been following us with hot dogs, fresh fruit and assorted goodies since GA. He made me an unbelievable breakfast of bacon, eggs and banana pancakes and told me that although he had originally planned to spend 6 weeks with us before heading home, he has decided to hang in there with us thru-hikers all the way to Maine. I asked Fresh Ground what it was that motivated him to do this for us. It was just the two of us and this is what he told me. After a lot of trauma and challenges in his life he found Jesus and was born again. His faith has brought him to Mexico and Africa doing mission work in some of the most impoverished places on earth. He had actually planned on hiking the AT himself this year but he told me the Good Lord had different plans. He kept getting signs that what he was meant to do was give support to the thru-hikers to ensure they achieve their goals by providing food and moral support. He started with $3000 of his own money to fund his trail magic venture and figured that it would last him about 6 weeks. An electrician by trade, Fresh Ground was able to get the time off and began his trail magic road show about the same time I began my hike in early March. In all this time, Fresh Ground has never asked for a dime but then the amazing started happening. People were so blown away by his unselfish love and generosity, that unsolicited donations began to pour in and other people, inspired by Fresh Ground began performing their own Trail Magic. Fresh Ground saw the additional funds as a sign that his mission was not done so he called his boss and requested an additional 5 months off. Fresh Ground must be as good an employee as he is a person because his boss told him his job is waiting we he is ready to come back."
It was just .1 mile back on the trail to Wayah Rd. and I called the Aquone Hostel. Maggie came to pick me up in about 15 minutes. What a neat lady. As she drove the winding roads to the hostel, she told me how they came to live in North Carolina and build the Aquone Hostel and cabins. They are originally from England (nice to hear that accent again and to experience the extreme politeness of the English). After her husband thru-hiked, he knew he wanted to live in the mountains and so they looked for property. Their home is now the down stairs part of this hostel. It's a beautiful place and was quite a respite for me during a day and night of bad weather. Below is the living room of the hostel and the next picture shows the kitchen area. I had a room with two single beds but I was the only woman that night so I had the room to myself. I met Tekawitha, a thru-hiker from Canada, who signs the shelter registers "hiking home to Canada." I think he told me he was a former Canadian military pilot and I told him my husband had been an Army pilot. I had first seen him in Franklin at the Budget Inn and I didn't expect to see him down the trail because I expected he would be a fast hiker. He's Catholic and we talked a little about the new Pope and watched a little television. Maggie is a great cook and we enjoyed a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing and mixed vegetables. We had raspberry pie for dessert. Tekawitha had his with ice cream. I was too stuffed and passed on the ice cream.
Tekawitha hiked out the next morning but I stayed because it was supposed to start raining early afternoon. Wiggy took me back to Wayah Rd. and I began a day hike. At first I thought I might do the 13 miles to Tellico Gap and he would come pick me up and take me back to the hostel for another night.
Most of the day looked like this along the trail. It was wet and cloudy. Below is a big tree that had fallen across the trail (pic taken after I made it around the tree). I couldn't see where the trail began after this but I had to get around it. I looked up and decided it was too steep to go around that way. I looked down and surveyed the situation and decided that was my best bet. I grabbed on to some of the limbs and carefully made my way around as I navigated the slope down hill and made my way back up. I could see the trail again once I made it around this enormous tree that had fallen across the trail. WHEW !
The John B. Byrne Memorial Tower at Wayah Bald after walking about 4 miles. Never saw another person along the way.
The stone tower is beautiful on a sunny day (from other hikers' pictures I have seen) and I think there is a nice view too. This was my view; I didn't climb to the top because I would have just been more in the clouds. I met and talked with a young couple who had driven up to the tower. The AT continues North on the back side of the tower and I walked on after making a short call to G-4 to give him my location.
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| Wayah Bald stone tower and paved foot path |
Decided to stop at Burningtown Gap (8.7 miles for the day) and called Maggie. She said Steve would be there shortly to pick me up. It was beginning to rain again and it seemed like the temperature was dropping. Burningtown Gap/NC 1397 is just a short ways from the Aquone Hostel. Again, had a nice conversation with Steve during the ride. I thought a lot about what he had told me as I got out to hike that day ... "Embrace the mountain!"
Decided to eat some of my hiker food for dinner as I was carrying too much food so I declined the offer of dinner cooked by Maggie. I know it would have been a great meal though. Meat loaf was on the menu; my husband's favorite dinner. I had the hostel all to myself this night. Took a shower and blow dried my hair for the second day in a row. Packed up a small box to send home in order to lighten my pack and planned the next few days of hiking. Used the computer at the hostel to catch up on my journal and watched through the windows as it began to hail heavily (almost marble size hail), thunder and lightening. This was the weather G-4 wanted me to avoid and I was certainly happy to be at this beautiful hostel rather than in my tent or in a shelter on the AT. I prayed for those who were out there braving this storm. A few days later I heard some of the stories from that night. Good call from my Logistics and Support, G-4 ! Thank you. Had a great nights' sleep.
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