Amazing view

Last night before I went to bed in the shelter I noticed that someone had screwed a full size doritos bag into the wall of the shelter. I assumed it was meant as a mouse trap and once it fell in it would be unable to escape.

During the middle of the night I hear this LOUD banging, that sounds like a demolishing crew tearing the walls down. I opened my eyes and looked at the source of the sound an elder gentleman out with his teenage daughter is banging the Doritos bag against the wall. "Its okay he's just killing a mouse" I thought as I went immediately back to sleep.

I was awaken 2 more times to the same sound, but I didn't look either time, I knew there was a fresh mouse cake being made.

In the morning I was up and out of camp by 7:40, normally I would be the first one out by leaving at this time, but the group at this shelter must have all been early risers as I was almost the last out. There was one guy still there however, who had been in the shelter and in the middle of the night (probably as a result of the mice killings) and moved himself and his sleeping bag out by the fire.

1.2 miles out of camp I came to the top of a hill called Cheoah Bald, it was spectacular, the view!! I took a couple of pictured, but they cannot convey the beauty. The only way to get to this spot is to come either 5 or 8 miles from a road up a steep hill both ways, so I doubt too many people have seen it but it sure is spectacular.

Often when I get to views like this I think, this would be the perfect place for a house. Hopefully no houses will ever be built though because instead of looking spectacular it would end up looking like the hollywood hills and all would be lost. Its not beautiful to look at someone else's house.

Then the day started to get long. Hot on the uphills, cold on the downhills, knees acting up, searching for my breath, feeling exhausted, wanting water, in pain all over and then came this mountain that got steeper and steeper by the step. I know it was over 1000 ft climb and I'm not sure in how fast but it sure felt like the steepest so far. I hear the smokeys are also very hard and are harder than anything we have done to date.

I ate lunch at the Brown Fork Gap Shelter. I had 2 packets of instant oatmeal, pretzels stuffed with cheese and beef jerky. I learned today that one can pour hot water into an oatmeal packet and not have to dirty a whole pot. Genius! Some shelters have privys (outhouses) and this shelter had one but it was just a toilet with a roof and no walls, very comical looking.

After lunch I put my music on thru my phone for the first time music combined with the good lunch gave me a burst of energy and I easily made it the last 6.1 miles to Cable Gap Shelter where I am staying tonight. I came to a spot after lunch on top of a mountain where the sun was shining, Lady Gaga was playing (thanks Kadin) the wind was blowing in my face and I had some really pleasant thoughts and it felt absolutely incredible.

A couple more random thoughts: I have no reception at the shelter tonight so I will send this tomorrow from fontana dam. My stomach feels much better, so it was NOT Girdeah. I hear the John Muir Trail in September is incredible.