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May 23, Monday (2012 mtg)
Slept
well in spite of the mouse running over my head as I slept with
my mummy bag drawn over my head with just my face exposed. Whipped
up some good oatmeal this morning with the help of the dried maple
syrup that we picked up at Big Spring Shelter. Put on my old boots,
packed up and headed toward Wesser and Wesserburgers! (I had been
carrying an extra pair of lightweight hiking boots with me just
in case I had trouble with my old boots. I had switched over to
the lightweight pair after the incident where the balls of my feet
began to hurt.)
The southern Nantahalas presented the best of its rugged terrain
especially after Tellico Gap. After the Gap, the trail was a roller
coaster of up and down. The burned up fire tower on Wesser Bald
provided nice views of the surrounding Nantahala Mountains. From
there it was two miles of steep down, down, down hill toward the
Town of Wesser, North Carolina. There were many fine views on the
descent to the Nantahala River Valley. Ruffed grouse serenaded us
today, and we saw wildlife such as a toad, a snake, and many different
wildflowers.
At the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), a center for whitewater kayaking
and rafting, we signed into a room with three double beds since
there was only one room left in the hostel bunkhouse. One bed for
me, one for Jim, and one for the backpacks - all for just thirty-three
dollars. One of the best aspects of the room was the fact that we
had our own shower! I hopped in and took a good shower, but still
could not get all the smell off. Later, we had dinner of all you
can eat salad bar, bread and cheese at the restaurant. I topped
that off with two scoops of ice cream for dessert. The restaurant
is an interesting place being situated right at the river's edge
and providing a view of the kayaking gates that the kayaks race
through down the river. It is a rustic kind of place that caters
to people of the outdoor variety. Later on back at our room, the
power went out so with nothing better to do I went back to the restaurant
and had another two scoops of chocolate chip ice cream. What better
way to top off the day. Total miles for the day - 11.6
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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