Today's Miles:
7.70
Trip Miles:
143.70
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| The overlook |
After feeling so confident yesterday, today reminded me that this won't
be easy. I thought that after two weeks I was finally getting my hiking
legs, but the climb we made today put things into perspective.
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| Dean, aka Duct Tape |
We
woke up to wet tents from the rain the night before and packed up quickly to head to the N.O.C. (Nantahala Outdoor Center, a sports center
with rafting, horseback riding, zip lines etc.) where Natalie had a
mail drop. We grabbed some food while we waited for the store to open.
We bumped into Dean, aka Duct Tape, from Knoxville, who we hadn't seen
since before Lance Creek a week ago. He decided to hike out with us.
When
the store opened, Natalie sorted through her fifty pound care package
from home and we began the 6.7 mile climb up to the Sassafras Shelter.
It was almost entirely vertical and neither Natalie's guide nor mine
showed any water along the way. About two hours in we took a break and a
solo hiker, John from Pennsylvania, sat down with us. The five of us
were talking about how little wildlife we'd seen. Duct Tape and I had
seen rabbits, everyone else only birds and squirrels. John headed out
before us and we followed soon after.
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| Trail Magic: water from rocks |
About a mile later a spring
was bubbling out of some rocks on the side of the trail. Trail Magic!
John was there and had already filled his water bottle so he headed out.
He had only gone a couple hundred yards when he called out,
"Rattlesnake!"
We hurriedly finished filtering our water and raced
up the trail. There it was on the side of the path rattling away.
Natalie wanted to get a close look, but used good judgment by keeping
well back. It was maybe three feet long and as thick as my wrist. We all
got some pictures and then stepped carefully past it.
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| First Rattlesnake! |
We finally
made the shelter around four. Like most shelters in N.C. so far, the
tent sites are sloped. We found some flatter ground above the shelter
and set up there. We ate our supper, toasted marshmallows over the fire,
and rested our very weary bodies.
I got a call through to Amy, wrote this and now to bed. After all, it's almost 9 p.m. Goodnight.
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| me at the overlook |
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| Our campsite |
First of all - nice to see the correct spelling of DUCT TAPE, not Duck Tape!!!! (Although with all that wildlife around you, it could be duck tape!) Second of all, Natalie's family must be happy if they know she's travelling with you two! And third, you really have to know your wildlife, ie: recognize what they are and know what's safe and what isn't..... Good thing you're alert and aware! Happy travels!
ReplyDeleteYou mean Mikey didn't Mad Max the snake with one hand? Lame.
ReplyDelete@John, I assume he tamed it and now wears it around his neck as a pet.
ReplyDeleteAh this was a crazy day! I don't recall much from the actual hike other than the rattlesnake which I wanted to hold and hug...
ReplyDeleteThat night was crazy...after staying up and talking I climbed into my tent preparing for the storm ahead...nervous. I got a text from Mike asking if I wanted to join them in their tent since the storm was supposed to get bad and John was not able to sleep knowing that I was alone in my tent in the wilds of the storm! So I let my pack and headed over to their tent to squeeze in just before the storm hit...haha no sleep but a fun night of trying to figure out how to fit three people and two packs into a tent that was being blown over by the wind!!!
Trail notes: Day 24: saw a rattle snake today!!! 7.7 hike today but a really rough one. Met john and dean today and saw some really pretty views. We saw a purple flower which poppa john called natalie laflora :) got my first mail drop today...had to send most back cause had too much. It was a crazy night due to the storm. I stayed in the tent with mike and john and we were all awake all night... lol it was seriously one of the most fun nights.