May 7, 2005 - Kincora Hostel to Moreland Gap Shelter
I was up early at the hostel and had hardboiled eggs and coffee and oatmeal for breakfast. It was a brutal 6 miles of
hiking to Moreland Gap Shelter where I got by noon. I ate the remaining brats which I had carried from yesterday
and a ramin noodle. I read a book all afternoon and enjoyed it. I got a “Painted House” by John Grisham from a thru-
hiker in Damascus and will carry it till done. I slept fine here through the night. There were 16 people in and around
the shelter.
I was up early at the hostel and had hardboiled eggs and coffee and oatmeal for breakfast. It was a brutal 6 miles of
hiking to Moreland Gap Shelter where I got by noon. I ate the remaining brats which I had carried from yesterday
and a ramin noodle. I read a book all afternoon and enjoyed it. I got a “Painted House” by John Grisham from a thru-
hiker in Damascus and will carry it till done. I slept fine here through the night. There were 16 people in and around
the shelter.
Triumph at Moreland Gap Shelter
May 8, 2005 -Moreland Gap Shelter to .5 Miles North of Campbell Hollow Road
I was up with most other hikers at 6:00 a.m. I had the usual breakfast and coffee and left one hour later. I walked 1.5
hours and stopped at a stream and had a snack. I had some leftover sausage and cooked it and put it on a tortilla
with cheese. It was very good. If you take the time you can eat like you are at home ever now and then. There is a
lot of sunshine today. I am on a relocation today and don’t know exactly where I am most of the time. There was a
map of the relocation at the last shelter but it did not help me much. I will need to camp out tonight. It is 18 miles
between shelters so that is not doable with my knees the way they are. My pack is not too heavy since I constantly
eat. I am setting on a log bridge over a nice creek writing this. I have seen 15 hikers today already at 10:15a.m. The
hoards are coming through, the past 3-4 days. I hiked till 5:00 p.m. and cowboy camped up near Campbell Hollow
Road . The trail used to go where I am camping so it is a flat spot and the new trail is over the hill slightly. I wanted to
camp on the Elk River but the bugs were bad and the grass was tall and I just did not want to camp in the open. This
is a much nicer spot. I did have to carry my water up to here. There was a beautiful waterfall just off the trail coming
up here and I stopped and enjoyed it. The waterfalls were discovered by the trail crews when they were scouting for
the new trail location.[Jones Falls] I think I hiked about 14 miles today. I finished my book tonight and will give it to
someone else.
May 9, 2005 - Campbell Hollow Road to Doll Flats Camp Site
I slept well on the level and left at 7:15 a.m. I stopped at Bear Branch at 9:00 a.m. and washed up clothes and ate a
little. It is a very nice hot and sunny day. I crossed 19E and got to Apple House Shelter and hung out my wet clothes
and took a long break. I met another north bound thru-hiker and gave him my book. I also left my fleece jacket I had
carried since the snow storm for someone else to enjoy on a cold night. I remember this shelter from 1981. There
are not too many shelters which are similar from 25 years ago but this is definitely one of them. I am half way to Doll
Flats for today’s hike and I will stay there tonight. There is water there and it is a real nice open area with beautiful
grass. As I set at the shelter I hear a turkey gobbling. I saw a turkey yesterday on the trail. I am 140 miles into this
trip and am starting to feel good most of the time. I stopped hiking up to Doll Flats and took another break. I am out
of gas today for some reason I can’t explain. I made it to Doll Flats and it is as beautiful as I remember. This is pretty
much the beginning of Hump Mountain area. This is probably the most scenic area out of the Smokys in the
southern A.T. It will be a nice day tomorrow if the weather holds. Triumph came in later this day and camped near
me.
May 10, 2005 - Doll Flats to Overmountain Shelter
I left Doll Flats at 7:00 a.m. It did not rain and I slept well under my tarp. It was overcast all day but did not rain while I
was hiking. I got many nice views today of big steers on Hump Mountain and the trail was very scenic all day as well.
I made it to the shelter and it started to rain 30 minutes later. The view from this shelter is probably the best of any
on the entire trail. It is an old barn converted to a shelter and can sleep 40 people. It was used in a movie years ago
also. “Winter People”. I did a whopping 6 miles today but will not continue with the rain coming in. This is the first
shelter with a privy since before Damascus Va. Triumph came by and took a break but left in the rain for more miles.
I will look out at the rain and smile in the shelter.
I was up with most other hikers at 6:00 a.m. I had the usual breakfast and coffee and left one hour later. I walked 1.5
hours and stopped at a stream and had a snack. I had some leftover sausage and cooked it and put it on a tortilla
with cheese. It was very good. If you take the time you can eat like you are at home ever now and then. There is a
lot of sunshine today. I am on a relocation today and don’t know exactly where I am most of the time. There was a
map of the relocation at the last shelter but it did not help me much. I will need to camp out tonight. It is 18 miles
between shelters so that is not doable with my knees the way they are. My pack is not too heavy since I constantly
eat. I am setting on a log bridge over a nice creek writing this. I have seen 15 hikers today already at 10:15a.m. The
hoards are coming through, the past 3-4 days. I hiked till 5:00 p.m. and cowboy camped up near Campbell Hollow
Road . The trail used to go where I am camping so it is a flat spot and the new trail is over the hill slightly. I wanted to
camp on the Elk River but the bugs were bad and the grass was tall and I just did not want to camp in the open. This
is a much nicer spot. I did have to carry my water up to here. There was a beautiful waterfall just off the trail coming
up here and I stopped and enjoyed it. The waterfalls were discovered by the trail crews when they were scouting for
the new trail location.[Jones Falls] I think I hiked about 14 miles today. I finished my book tonight and will give it to
someone else.
May 9, 2005 - Campbell Hollow Road to Doll Flats Camp Site
I slept well on the level and left at 7:15 a.m. I stopped at Bear Branch at 9:00 a.m. and washed up clothes and ate a
little. It is a very nice hot and sunny day. I crossed 19E and got to Apple House Shelter and hung out my wet clothes
and took a long break. I met another north bound thru-hiker and gave him my book. I also left my fleece jacket I had
carried since the snow storm for someone else to enjoy on a cold night. I remember this shelter from 1981. There
are not too many shelters which are similar from 25 years ago but this is definitely one of them. I am half way to Doll
Flats for today’s hike and I will stay there tonight. There is water there and it is a real nice open area with beautiful
grass. As I set at the shelter I hear a turkey gobbling. I saw a turkey yesterday on the trail. I am 140 miles into this
trip and am starting to feel good most of the time. I stopped hiking up to Doll Flats and took another break. I am out
of gas today for some reason I can’t explain. I made it to Doll Flats and it is as beautiful as I remember. This is pretty
much the beginning of Hump Mountain area. This is probably the most scenic area out of the Smokys in the
southern A.T. It will be a nice day tomorrow if the weather holds. Triumph came in later this day and camped near
me.
May 10, 2005 - Doll Flats to Overmountain Shelter
I left Doll Flats at 7:00 a.m. It did not rain and I slept well under my tarp. It was overcast all day but did not rain while I
was hiking. I got many nice views today of big steers on Hump Mountain and the trail was very scenic all day as well.
I made it to the shelter and it started to rain 30 minutes later. The view from this shelter is probably the best of any
on the entire trail. It is an old barn converted to a shelter and can sleep 40 people. It was used in a movie years ago
also. “Winter People”. I did a whopping 6 miles today but will not continue with the rain coming in. This is the first
shelter with a privy since before Damascus Va. Triumph came by and took a break but left in the rain for more miles.
I will look out at the rain and smile in the shelter.
< Over Mountain Shelter
May 11, 2005 -Overmountain Shelter to Clyde Smith
Shelter
I left the shelter at 7:00 a.m. A bunch of 15-16 year old
hikers came in and filled up the upstairs. There were three
others downstairs. A beautiful day of hiking over balds into
Carver Gap for me today. I fixed a nice lunch at Roan High
Knob Shelter and decided to go to the next shelter. The
many hikers at the last shelter were going to come here
tonight so I needed to put some distance between me and
them. As I walked down to the road this morning I noticed a
lot of leaves and green vegetation on the ground. There was
a massive hail storm here yesterday evening which still had
hail on the ground 12 hours later. Triumph got caught in it
and so did a lot of hikers who I spent the night with at
Overmountain shelter. I made it to Smith Shelter and two
other section hikers are here too. They have rebuilt this
shelter recently and it is improved with cooking area and top
bunks now. I went 13 miles today. I am tired but feel good.
The two other fellows and I played up and down the river
card game till late. “Kevin and Randy”
Shelter
I left the shelter at 7:00 a.m. A bunch of 15-16 year old
hikers came in and filled up the upstairs. There were three
others downstairs. A beautiful day of hiking over balds into
Carver Gap for me today. I fixed a nice lunch at Roan High
Knob Shelter and decided to go to the next shelter. The
many hikers at the last shelter were going to come here
tonight so I needed to put some distance between me and
them. As I walked down to the road this morning I noticed a
lot of leaves and green vegetation on the ground. There was
a massive hail storm here yesterday evening which still had
hail on the ground 12 hours later. Triumph got caught in it
and so did a lot of hikers who I spent the night with at
Overmountain shelter. I made it to Smith Shelter and two
other section hikers are here too. They have rebuilt this
shelter recently and it is improved with cooking area and top
bunks now. I went 13 miles today. I am tired but feel good.
The two other fellows and I played up and down the river
card game till late. “Kevin and Randy”
5