June 1, 2005 - Fontana Hilton to Cable Gap Shelter
I was up at 6:00 a.m. and it was raining steadily. I am ready to go at 8:00 a.m. but I’m not going to leave yet. At 8:30
a.m. it is now raining very hard. About 40 minutes after that I left in a light rain. I walked south to the marina where I
called Virginia from the phone near the trail. I tried to buy a Coke at the machine there and it ripped me off. I called
the hot line number and they thanked me for the information but would not send me my 85 cents back. I got even
with the machine but I am taking the fifth on how I did it. It was raining super hard now and I hiked all the way to
Cable Gap Shelter in a hard to moderate rain. I met a young man going up the hill out of the marina and told him
where the phone was and it is funny that I met him again in 2006 in Baxter State Park on my first day south out of
the Park. It cleared a little after I got here but is still very cloudy. I am glad this weather held off till I got out of the
Smokys. I hung my clothes out to try to dry as it is now windy and rested up and ate some of the weight out of my
pack. I had written “Mike 1981” in this shelter on my 1981 through hike. This shelter had wire bunks in it then. Now it
has one sleeping platform. I had been here in the rain in 1981 and lay on a top wire bunk resting up after coming
through the Stecoahs. I was tired and scratched my name in the shelter with a small knife. A couple of weeks before
I got here I was thinking about this shelter and remembered the signature. When getting to this shelter I noticed that
new logs had been placed in the shelter in a few places. I figured my signing would have been lost forever. I looked
up in the area and lo and behold, it was there!!! I don’t usually write in the shelters but this was to be a special thing
25 years later. I will always remember when I signed it the first time and when I saw it again 25 years later. On this
occasion I signed beside Mike 1981 with the ‘Rowmin Goat 2005’ signature. Up to this point this was still the only
shelter I have ever written in. I drank the last of my shine I had carried through the Smokys for this special occasion.
I reminisced a little at how young I was when I wrote my name the first time, and dreamt of finishing the trail again.
Long live the Appalachian Trail and the Rowmin Goat!! At 4p.m. a young woman stopped by for a break, Bug Bite.
She had been hiking with Crutch and he was injured and she needed to hike north so they had parted company
recently. She was sad but knew she needed to get going. She stayed for ½ hour and left. I had pork Barbeque on a
bun out of a can for supper and it was really good. At 6:35 p.m. it is still raining. I am here alone. The thru-hikers
are thinning out a lot now. Most will not make it now unless they flip flop up the trail. I have both mouse traps set and
ready to go. I saw two grouse on the trail today and a big black snack with its head down in a chipmunk hole today.
Fly Boy came in the shelter at 9:00p.m. He is a N.O.B.O. thru-hiker.
June 2, 2005 - Cable Gap Shelter to Brown Fork Shelter
It continued to rain all night. In the morning I left for the next shelter and I hiked 6.1 miles to this shelter before it
again started to rain. This is enough walking on a soggy day. I rested up and ate more food! There were 5 people
here as I arrived but they soon left. I am here alone in the early evening. I had grilled cheese and coffee for lunch
and it was good eating. This shelter is of weird construction. It has a space between the sleeping platform and edge
of the shelter. You have to climb over the log to get in and out. It seems the wood was ordered too short and they
just made do with what they had. (Other shelters in the northeast are of this same design.)
June 3, 2005 - Brown Fork Gap Shelter to Sassafras Gap Shelter
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and it immediately started to rain. It did slow and at 8:00 a.m. I left shelter. I hiked all
day and the rain was around but not too hard so I kept moving to the next shelter. I love to shelter hop when it rains.
I got no view at Cheoah Bald. Today I stopped and took a break at Sweetwater Gap where I camped on my 1981
trip. I got to Sassafras Mountain Shelter and it started to clear a bit. I did laundry and washed up a bit and hung
them out to dry. This is a different looking shelter with high front and double stacked bunks. I like different looking
shelters. You tend to remember them better if they are different. I cooked mushrooms (chicken of the forest) for
supper that I got on the trail today. I found some small fresh ones and cooked them in butter and fresh garlic.
Yummy!! There were 4 more people here tonight and they tried them and all liked them. On to Wesser tomorrow
where I will get supplies. I got 10 mice with my traps here.
I was up at 6:00 a.m. and it was raining steadily. I am ready to go at 8:00 a.m. but I’m not going to leave yet. At 8:30
a.m. it is now raining very hard. About 40 minutes after that I left in a light rain. I walked south to the marina where I
called Virginia from the phone near the trail. I tried to buy a Coke at the machine there and it ripped me off. I called
the hot line number and they thanked me for the information but would not send me my 85 cents back. I got even
with the machine but I am taking the fifth on how I did it. It was raining super hard now and I hiked all the way to
Cable Gap Shelter in a hard to moderate rain. I met a young man going up the hill out of the marina and told him
where the phone was and it is funny that I met him again in 2006 in Baxter State Park on my first day south out of
the Park. It cleared a little after I got here but is still very cloudy. I am glad this weather held off till I got out of the
Smokys. I hung my clothes out to try to dry as it is now windy and rested up and ate some of the weight out of my
pack. I had written “Mike 1981” in this shelter on my 1981 through hike. This shelter had wire bunks in it then. Now it
has one sleeping platform. I had been here in the rain in 1981 and lay on a top wire bunk resting up after coming
through the Stecoahs. I was tired and scratched my name in the shelter with a small knife. A couple of weeks before
I got here I was thinking about this shelter and remembered the signature. When getting to this shelter I noticed that
new logs had been placed in the shelter in a few places. I figured my signing would have been lost forever. I looked
up in the area and lo and behold, it was there!!! I don’t usually write in the shelters but this was to be a special thing
25 years later. I will always remember when I signed it the first time and when I saw it again 25 years later. On this
occasion I signed beside Mike 1981 with the ‘Rowmin Goat 2005’ signature. Up to this point this was still the only
shelter I have ever written in. I drank the last of my shine I had carried through the Smokys for this special occasion.
I reminisced a little at how young I was when I wrote my name the first time, and dreamt of finishing the trail again.
Long live the Appalachian Trail and the Rowmin Goat!! At 4p.m. a young woman stopped by for a break, Bug Bite.
She had been hiking with Crutch and he was injured and she needed to hike north so they had parted company
recently. She was sad but knew she needed to get going. She stayed for ½ hour and left. I had pork Barbeque on a
bun out of a can for supper and it was really good. At 6:35 p.m. it is still raining. I am here alone. The thru-hikers
are thinning out a lot now. Most will not make it now unless they flip flop up the trail. I have both mouse traps set and
ready to go. I saw two grouse on the trail today and a big black snack with its head down in a chipmunk hole today.
Fly Boy came in the shelter at 9:00p.m. He is a N.O.B.O. thru-hiker.
June 2, 2005 - Cable Gap Shelter to Brown Fork Shelter
It continued to rain all night. In the morning I left for the next shelter and I hiked 6.1 miles to this shelter before it
again started to rain. This is enough walking on a soggy day. I rested up and ate more food! There were 5 people
here as I arrived but they soon left. I am here alone in the early evening. I had grilled cheese and coffee for lunch
and it was good eating. This shelter is of weird construction. It has a space between the sleeping platform and edge
of the shelter. You have to climb over the log to get in and out. It seems the wood was ordered too short and they
just made do with what they had. (Other shelters in the northeast are of this same design.)
June 3, 2005 - Brown Fork Gap Shelter to Sassafras Gap Shelter
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and it immediately started to rain. It did slow and at 8:00 a.m. I left shelter. I hiked all
day and the rain was around but not too hard so I kept moving to the next shelter. I love to shelter hop when it rains.
I got no view at Cheoah Bald. Today I stopped and took a break at Sweetwater Gap where I camped on my 1981
trip. I got to Sassafras Mountain Shelter and it started to clear a bit. I did laundry and washed up a bit and hung
them out to dry. This is a different looking shelter with high front and double stacked bunks. I like different looking
shelters. You tend to remember them better if they are different. I cooked mushrooms (chicken of the forest) for
supper that I got on the trail today. I found some small fresh ones and cooked them in butter and fresh garlic.
Yummy!! There were 4 more people here tonight and they tried them and all liked them. On to Wesser tomorrow
where I will get supplies. I got 10 mice with my traps here.
Sasafras Gap Shelter
June 4, 2005 - Sassafras Gap Shelter to Rufus Morgan Shelter
Everyone was still in bed when I left the shelter headed for Wesser. I had remembered the hike out of Wesser years
ago as a very steep accent. This time was a treat. They had added switchbacks and the trail down to Wesser was
not bad at all. I hiked an easy 7 miles to Wesser where I got Coleman fuel at the outfitter and called Virginia. I ate a
hamburger at restaurant near the outfitters. It was good but the Wesser burger had gotten a lot smaller over the
years! I tried to stay at the hostel here, but it was booked by a group so I took a shower and bought a few groceries
and off I went. This place has gotten to be too commercial. This is one town that should be relocated off the trail. I
never thought I would say that. The N.O.C. has built a Disney World type tourist trap on the north side of the river
and has built a bridge over there too. They even have a train going through here. The N.O.C. has 600 employees
now in several areas. It is mostly summer work for college students. I hiked up to Rufus Morgan Shelter after
meeting Little Red heading down to Wesser. I told her it had changed to a tourist area and not to be too excited
about her visit. The shelter here has some big mosquitoes in it so I had to run them out. Rufus Morgan shelter is not
a very nice one. I would not ever stay here again unless I have to. Big red showed back up here two hours later. She
could not get room at the inn either. Bear Killer Man also showed up and the three of us spent the night here
together. I have enough food to get to Franklin N.C. I can resupply every 3 to 4 days to the end in Georgia now and
the weight in my pack will be great. A man and woman came near the shelter and saw me and turned around and
walked off. She was hiccupping like hell. I couldn’t help but laugh. I still haven’t got my stuff dry yet from yesterday. I
washed my long-sleeved shirt and it may never dry.
June 5, 2005 - Rufus Morgan Shelter to Wesser Bald Shelter
I was up at 6:00a.m. Lil-Red had bought three banana bread loaves and shared them with me and Bear Killer Man. I
supplied fresh coffee for all and we had a nice breakfast. I got only one mouse in my traps. I left the shelter at 8:00 a.
m. and made it to Wesser Bald Shelter by noon. It was a 2500 foot accent out of Wesser but the climb was actually
fun. I am going to stay here at Wesser Bald tonight because it is clouding up. I finally got some sun to dry all of my
clothes out. I just had some grits with bacon bits and some hot coffee and had real butter in it. It was very good. I will
have grits a little more from here to the end of this trip. This shelter has a nice cooking area inside the shelter and a
bench to set on nearby. The spring is a beautiful boxed in one farther south on the trail. I took a nice picture of it.
This will be a nice place to spend a rainy day. I hope it stays clear for tomorrow morning at Wesser Bald. A humming
bird is feeding in front of the shelter on wild flowers. Buzz, Buzz. They are quick little boogers. Another hiker showed
up later, Bubba Gum. He is out for a month or so. He is from Wilson N.C. This is where I got a ride back home to
Florida last September when I returned after the hurricane. I got 2 mice in the night.
June 6, 2005 - Wesser Bald Shelter to Cold Springs Shelter
I got up extra early and tried to get a sunrise up on Wesser Bald. When I got there is was cloudy and no sunrise was
to be had on this day. I did however get excellent views from the old fire tower platform. I stayed here for a long time
enjoying the morning. The platform must be 18X18 feet. I hiked on and met several people who had spent the night
at Cold Springs last night. I made it to the shelter early but I would not pass this one up. This is probably the oldest
official shelter on the entire A.T. It was built in the 30’s. It is the last or one of the last shelters made of chestnut logs.
I remember this one from 1981. I had hiked all day in the rain and I noticed the Initials G.W. 1776 written in it. I
laughed then and smiled again when I found the same writing 25 years later. It is funny how you remember little
things and how they mean so much when you revisit them. I love this old, little, dingy, shelter!! I found some
mushrooms in sight of this shelter and had them for dinner. I will explore a little around here tonight. I met a man
today who was on the board of directors at the A.T.C. “Sugarfoot” The spring out front makes some beautiful
sounds. I am setting at the shelter enjoying the scenery. A little camp robber bird is jumping around and eating
leftovers inside the shelter, he looked at me and said hi and promptly left. A chipmunk ran over the hill and chased a
robin off its turf! It is funny what you can see if you just stop and take the time to do so. Around 3:30 p.m. it started
to rain for an hour or so. It is now sunny an hour later. Seven more people came in at 7 p.m. and most are in the
shelter with me. I got 4 mice in the night. The first time the trap went off I had two mice. One mouse in the trap and
one knocked out. The trap must have hit the second one and stunned it. I clubbed it and it was history. Then I
opened the trap to get the other one out and it hit the ground running off to safety. That was a weird exchange to
say the least. Everyone in the shelter was laughing their butts off.
Everyone was still in bed when I left the shelter headed for Wesser. I had remembered the hike out of Wesser years
ago as a very steep accent. This time was a treat. They had added switchbacks and the trail down to Wesser was
not bad at all. I hiked an easy 7 miles to Wesser where I got Coleman fuel at the outfitter and called Virginia. I ate a
hamburger at restaurant near the outfitters. It was good but the Wesser burger had gotten a lot smaller over the
years! I tried to stay at the hostel here, but it was booked by a group so I took a shower and bought a few groceries
and off I went. This place has gotten to be too commercial. This is one town that should be relocated off the trail. I
never thought I would say that. The N.O.C. has built a Disney World type tourist trap on the north side of the river
and has built a bridge over there too. They even have a train going through here. The N.O.C. has 600 employees
now in several areas. It is mostly summer work for college students. I hiked up to Rufus Morgan Shelter after
meeting Little Red heading down to Wesser. I told her it had changed to a tourist area and not to be too excited
about her visit. The shelter here has some big mosquitoes in it so I had to run them out. Rufus Morgan shelter is not
a very nice one. I would not ever stay here again unless I have to. Big red showed back up here two hours later. She
could not get room at the inn either. Bear Killer Man also showed up and the three of us spent the night here
together. I have enough food to get to Franklin N.C. I can resupply every 3 to 4 days to the end in Georgia now and
the weight in my pack will be great. A man and woman came near the shelter and saw me and turned around and
walked off. She was hiccupping like hell. I couldn’t help but laugh. I still haven’t got my stuff dry yet from yesterday. I
washed my long-sleeved shirt and it may never dry.
June 5, 2005 - Rufus Morgan Shelter to Wesser Bald Shelter
I was up at 6:00a.m. Lil-Red had bought three banana bread loaves and shared them with me and Bear Killer Man. I
supplied fresh coffee for all and we had a nice breakfast. I got only one mouse in my traps. I left the shelter at 8:00 a.
m. and made it to Wesser Bald Shelter by noon. It was a 2500 foot accent out of Wesser but the climb was actually
fun. I am going to stay here at Wesser Bald tonight because it is clouding up. I finally got some sun to dry all of my
clothes out. I just had some grits with bacon bits and some hot coffee and had real butter in it. It was very good. I will
have grits a little more from here to the end of this trip. This shelter has a nice cooking area inside the shelter and a
bench to set on nearby. The spring is a beautiful boxed in one farther south on the trail. I took a nice picture of it.
This will be a nice place to spend a rainy day. I hope it stays clear for tomorrow morning at Wesser Bald. A humming
bird is feeding in front of the shelter on wild flowers. Buzz, Buzz. They are quick little boogers. Another hiker showed
up later, Bubba Gum. He is out for a month or so. He is from Wilson N.C. This is where I got a ride back home to
Florida last September when I returned after the hurricane. I got 2 mice in the night.
June 6, 2005 - Wesser Bald Shelter to Cold Springs Shelter
I got up extra early and tried to get a sunrise up on Wesser Bald. When I got there is was cloudy and no sunrise was
to be had on this day. I did however get excellent views from the old fire tower platform. I stayed here for a long time
enjoying the morning. The platform must be 18X18 feet. I hiked on and met several people who had spent the night
at Cold Springs last night. I made it to the shelter early but I would not pass this one up. This is probably the oldest
official shelter on the entire A.T. It was built in the 30’s. It is the last or one of the last shelters made of chestnut logs.
I remember this one from 1981. I had hiked all day in the rain and I noticed the Initials G.W. 1776 written in it. I
laughed then and smiled again when I found the same writing 25 years later. It is funny how you remember little
things and how they mean so much when you revisit them. I love this old, little, dingy, shelter!! I found some
mushrooms in sight of this shelter and had them for dinner. I will explore a little around here tonight. I met a man
today who was on the board of directors at the A.T.C. “Sugarfoot” The spring out front makes some beautiful
sounds. I am setting at the shelter enjoying the scenery. A little camp robber bird is jumping around and eating
leftovers inside the shelter, he looked at me and said hi and promptly left. A chipmunk ran over the hill and chased a
robin off its turf! It is funny what you can see if you just stop and take the time to do so. Around 3:30 p.m. it started
to rain for an hour or so. It is now sunny an hour later. Seven more people came in at 7 p.m. and most are in the
shelter with me. I got 4 mice in the night. The first time the trap went off I had two mice. One mouse in the trap and
one knocked out. The trap must have hit the second one and stunned it. I clubbed it and it was history. Then I
opened the trap to get the other one out and it hit the ground running off to safety. That was a weird exchange to
say the least. Everyone in the shelter was laughing their butts off.
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