Curley Maple Gap Shelter
Day: 46
Mileage: 341.6




Miles from SpringerFeaturesElevation
342.2River Road (1,700') Chestoa Bridge, Nolichucky RiverErwin, Tenn. 37650 1700
342.3Chestoa Pike (1,700') 1700
343.5Jones Branch Road, Nolichucky River Valley (1,780') 1780
346.4Curley Maple Gap Shelter (3,900') ?10.5mS; 12.8mN 3900
05/30/96 9:51 pm

Getting out of town was hard once again, and made even more dificult by leaving my socks at the laundramat and not being able to send off e-mail.

Got a ride out seconds after starting to walk down the road. What everyone told me about Erwin being a bad trail down was bull! It was a great town (even if they killed an elephant).

Now the full story of the elephant (as per a post card):

Murderous Mary, a cirus elephant, was convicted of killing her trainer in Kingsport, Tennessee. She was transported to Erwin, Tennessee, on the CC&O Railroad and hung by the neck with a railroad derrick crane - the only means loccally available for a humane disposal of her at that time, September 13, 1916.

Ate way too much in town. Between Sonic and KFC way too much greese. Didn.t even feel the need for dinner after the hike here, just a snack.

Waldo and Snail no More are here. Waldo.s laptop bit the dust (busted screen) so no updates to the www from Erwin.

It was a nice walk by a number of creeks and the uphill, wich would have been a problem first thing in a day, wasn.t bad this late. Now there are two deer around the shelter, wich I think is neet.

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Cherry Gap Shelter
Day: 47
Mileage: 353.7


Miles from SpringerFeaturesElevation
350.5Tenn. 395, N.C. 197, Indian Grave Gap (3,350') 3350
351.6USFS 230, Beauty Spot Gap Road (3,980') 3980
352.8Beauty Spot (4,437') 4437
353.3USFS 230, Beauty Spot Gap (4,120')? spring across road at gate 4120
354.3Deep Gap (4,100') 4100
354.9USFS 230, Unaka Mountain Road (4,660') 4660
355.9Unaka Mountain (5,180') 5180
358.1Low Gap (3,900') 3900
359.2Cherry Gap Shelter (3,900') ?12.8mS; 9.2mN 3900
05/31/96 9:10 pm

Here nith some new people for a change (Dr. O & D.J., H.H. and White Owl). Sitting around a fire (campfire ashes were added)

Good day of hiking after I got off my butt at about noon.

Still made it here before dark.

Beauty Spot was nice. Stayed there sunbathing for about an hour.

The shelter is nice, but it is built for midgets. Also the privey is out of order. The spring is the best I have seen, right out of the ground and it will fill up a water bag in seconds!




Roan High Knob Shelter
Day: 48
Mileage: 367.8




Miles from SpringerFeaturesElevation
359.2Cherry Gap Shelter (3,900') ?12.8mS; 9.2mN 3900
362.3Tenn. 107, N.C. 226, Iron Mountain Gap (3,723')Unicoi, Tenn. 37692 3723
363.6Campsite (3,950') 3950
366.4Greasy Creek Gap (4,034') ?old roadbed to Greasy Creek Road 4034
367.2Campsite (4,110') 4110
368.3Clyde Smith Shelter (4,400') ?9.2mS; 8.6mN 4400
369.5Little Rock Knob (4,918') 4918
371.7Hughes Gap Road, Hughes Gap (4,040') 4040
374.7Ash Gap (5,350') 5350
375.7Trail to Roan High Bluff (6,200') USFS Cloudland Rhododendron Garden Road Parking Area 6200
376.8Roan High Knob Shelter (6,285') ?8.6mS; 5.2mN 6285
06/01/96 9:59 pm

Boy I'm proud of myself today, 14 miles and a big ass mountain (Roan) to climb right at the end of the day and I DID IT!

Cool day, and sunny so it was great hiking, but 'Pissed Off' was right in the last journal, the Tenn. Hiking Club doesn't have the word switchback in it's vocabulary.

Snail-no-more did stay at the last shelter, so the group has been further split up. Here now with Sid, Crag, White Owl and Cosmic (John) Zion (who is nuts. I hear its from Veitnam).

Its going to be a cold night, good thing it is a cabin not a adoranidack.

06/02/96 9:47 am

This morning I woke up to Cosmic John yelling about his spoon and at Crag babout throwing a can in the fire. What I said about this guy being nuts was right. Heard he was going the 14.5 I was plaining, Thinking about only going the 6 or so to Overmountain because John is too nuts. Sid tells me he usualy tents, but .......

It was cold (as predicted) last night, but being in my bivey made it so I didn't get cold.

Also heard the full story of how Sid almost got shot by some locals that did not even know there was a hiking trail near by. At least they were sorry enough to give him two beers and to feed Crag at a campsight later that night.

06/02/96 11:07 a

Quote from Waldo 'If you stick a pice of coal up your ass, will I have a diamond tomorrow?'

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Overmountain Shelter
Day: 49
Mileage: 373.9


Miles from SpringerFeaturesElevation
378.3Tenn. 143, N.C. 261 (5,512') Carvers Gap?picnic area, spring 5512
380.2Side trail to Grassy Ridge (5,770') 5770
382Stan Murray Shelter (5,050') ?5.2mS; 2.2mN 5050
383.9Yellow Mountain Gap (4,682') Overmountain Shelter?2.2mS; 18.3mN 4682
06/02/96 9:49 pm

Great and short hike after being a bum all morning. Did not get moving until after 3pm. Right before we (Waldo, Crag and I) got moving Snail No More arrived and we let him rest before starting out as a group. The hike over Jane Bald and Grassy Ridge was great with FANTASTIC VIEWS. Also a lot of fooling around inncluding an atemp at the .Time Warp. on top (Waldo even took pictures of our pelvic thrusts).

Now we are in the the barn singing 'Yellow Submarine' and telling jokes.

Also found the map I lost a few days ago, it was in my bivey all this time.

I would not recomend staying here in cold or windy weather, since the walls all have ½ inch spaces between the boards, but it is the largest .shelter. I have seen on the AT with good views out the .Window.. I guess it could hold 40 people or so. Good water source, but a little far away (but luckly we got water on the way here).

My legs felt like crap today, maybe due to the walk yesterday, maybe becuase I did not hike till late. But it was ibueprofin to the rescue.

Overall a memorable day on the trail.

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US19E
Day: 50
Mileage: 382.3