Springer Mtn, GA to Fontana Dam, NC

Day 13, Sunday, June 4

Cold Spring Shelter to Nantahala Outdoor Center, Wesser, NC, 11.5 miles

Overall, it's a most comfortable night. I sleep like a log only rolling over when some part of me goes to sleep and gets so numb it hurts. Today is a late day. We sleep in to almost 7:30 AM. Our actions are very deliberate this morning. Slow painful steps that require thinking before doing. We get packed by 8:30 AM and leave shortly at 8:45 AM. The shelter below us hasn't made a sound yet as we head down the hill. Monty and Lydia stop for water at the spring before we head out for yet another day.

Wesser today, and bacon and eggs tomorrow morning. I'm now only a few days from finishing my trip and I have mixed emotions. I'm excited about achieving my goal, but sad to think I'll leave all of this behind. Hiking this Sunday morning is quiet, almost reverent. We hike without a lot of conversation this morning; each of us lost in our own thoughts.

We reach Tellico Gap at 10:05 AM. We've made 3.6 miles so far. As we sit and rest and eat a small snack, it begins to rain. 7.9 miles to go, in the rain. It turns out the rain never develops much more than a heavy mist that seems to stop fifteen minutes later. Just long enough for us to cover our packs and break out rain jackets.

Wesser Bald is a long 800 feet climb. The air is cool, but still. The only sound is a woodpecker hammering out Sunday morning brunch. We reach the top at 11:15 AM and take time out to climb the observation platform. The view is great. The mountains are all cloaked in fog and clouds. A huge cloud is rolling up the face of Tellico Bald. We rest on top of the platform for twenty minutes. This would be a great place to spend the night. Set your tent up on top of the platform and watch the stars.

On the downhill, Monty's knee begins to bother him and I can tell he is struggling. I know the feeling and the look on his face. We take a break near Jump Up Rocks and rest. Monty puts an ice pack on his knee. As we begin our descent into Wesser, we pass a trail maintenance crew out of Konnarock, VA. Konnarock is one of several maintenance camps that the trail conference sponsors. Folks volunteer to work a week or two during the year, and work on major trail projects such as bridge building, trail relocations, etc. This group has been out for a week building steps and doing general trail maintenance. When we pass them, we have only four miles to reach Wesser.

I move ahead of M&L as my pace picks up a little and their's slows. Monty is struggling. I know he will be glad to get to the bottom. I pass a young couple resting who have hiked up from the river below. They say it's about 1 1/2 miles to the bottom.

As I round a stump on the trail, I can't help but think this would be a good place for a snake. Sure enough, there is one. A small black snake with yellow lines behind its head. I'm not sure if I've seen one like it before.

I sit down at 2:30 PM and five minutes later here comes Phree and the two young boys we first saw at Wallace Gap. Jason and Matthew are still up there somewhere. This is Matthew's last day. Wesser is his destination.

M&L catch up a few minutes later and we take another few minutes to rest. We pass Phree and the boys at Rufus Morgan Shelter where they've stopped to rest. It's only a mile to the NOC, but it's a long one. We arrive at 3:20 PM.

After checking in, we head across the street to the store to pick up our mail drops. We head for the bunkhouse and the showers. "Mule-boy", "Cypress", Billy and Aaron are all still here so we'll have a chance to see them. After showering, we head for the River's End Restaurant. We run into "Mule-boy" and "Cypress" on the way to the restaurant. They've hitched to Bryson City and as usual, "Mule-boy" has a twelve-pack under his arm.

When we get to the restaurant, we eat everything in sight. Monty and I split cheeseburger and catfish sandwiches, while Lydia has a cheeseburger. It gets quiet when the food arrives. We see "Frogger" (Billy) across the river. He walks down and sticks his feet in the water. The Nantahala River is cold. We've been joking about sitting down in it to cure our hikers' rash. I half expect "Frogger" to jump in, but he doesn't. He begins to play his harmonica.

After supper, we do laundry and hang things out on the deck of the Basecamp to dry out. There is a conglomeration of people hanging out at the Basecamp; hikers, paddlers, and mountain bikers. All have their stories to tell. I drink a Grolisch beer from Billy and a Coors Light from "Mule-boy". Both are good.

I check back through my two-bunk room and find that my roommate has shown up. His name is Keith. He's from near Atlanta and has spent a few days dayhiking in the area.

Lydia finishes the laundry and we wait for the dryer from hell to finish its work. I put my socks in for one more cycle. I head for the bunkhouse at 10:30 PM.

I crawl into the top bunk as quietly as possible. It's warm and muggy and it takes me a while to fall asleep. Around midnight I get up for Tagement and Rolaids.