This morning, I had breakfast with Rash, Julia and How Bout at Bennett's BBQ, an all you can eat breakfast bar. The food was good at the time, however a few hours later... We were all nauseated. How Bout and Julia actually vomited. I survived. After breakfast we piled into a free shuttle van provided by the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Gatlinburg and headed to Newfound Gap. We started hiking at 1030. It was very cold, high 20's and windy.
The trail was awesome. The landscape was pretty. One mile you are hiking in a gorgeous pine forest with the smell of Christmas in the air and the next you are skating across ice on a very narrow ridge as the ice cold wind burns your skin. The views were just indescribable... The vast clear space with mountains towering from the ground like a kings throne. The scene reminded me of a painting or movie set. Just too powerful to describe.
When I reached a rock outcrop named Charlie's Bunion, I was just overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled in my eyes and I was speechless as the land dwarfed me. It was just so awesome and mighty. I realized that there is so much more in this world than the materialistic things humans crave. I thought of the Native American Indians that stood on the very spot I stood. And the same emotions they would experience... Truly a life changing moment for me today. A lesson in values and greed. I would trade everything I have just to have the humble emotions I experienced today daily in my life. I will never forget Charlie's Bunion.
The 10.9 mile hike was long and slow. Mainly because I was stumbling through the forest in amazement. The other reason was the painful toe problem I've been experiencing. Pressure to my left second to smallest toe. After walking about 6 miles, I had enough. It appeared that the toenail might be the problem. As I get older they are starting to look like cashew nuts!!! Lol. Thick, yellow and brittle... Yuck! Anyway I performed a minor surgery today and removed the toenail from the nail bed. The procedure was simple... Pull the nail back, separate with pocket knife, yank off with pliers from a Gerber tool and apply Quick Clot (commonly used for gunshot wounds to stop bleeding). Oh and I missed the most important step.... Holler at the top of your lungs!!!!!! Funny thing was that I slipped my boots back on only to discover that was not the problem! LOL. I noticed that one toe was curling over he other causing pressure when pressed against the front of the boot. So I taped the the two toes together with Duct Tape acting as a splint for the curly toe... Lol. It seems to work.
I arrived at the Pecks Corner Shelter at 1830. The shelter was completely full with thru and section hikers. There was "no room at the inn" for myself and How Bout. We set up our tents about 100 yards from the shelter for the night. I am writing this from my tent. It is very cold, low 20's. I'm sleeping with my water bottle, boots, electronic devices and clothes for tomorrow to keep them from freezing tonight. The plan for tomorrow is 13.4 miles to Cosby Knob Shelter. There is no cell coverage here for updating.
Today I hiked 10.9 miles and cried twice. First at Charlie's Bunion and second at Tim's Toenail...
So far I have hiked 217.7 miles! 10% of the trail completed...
