The coolest Hike-Your-Own Hike story ever
Biscuit the dog
This is perhaps the coolest Hike Your Own Hike Story ever. I met Uhaul at Cherry Gap shelter–a guy who is hiking with a 100-pound pack and started Feb. 5th. I told him my pack weight and when I started and he looked at me and asked: “Are you having fun?”
“Everyday out here is the best day in my life!” I told him.
“Me too,” he said. We looked at each other, and realized we were both hiking our own hikes and having an awesome time. Yay!
Cabin Chimney remnants on the AT
At the same shelter, I met this ultra runner and his girlfriend and they had Mountain Laurel Design packs and ultralight stuff…”Ooh!” I thought, “Friends who can keep up with me!” but when I learned they were planning on staying at the next shelter instead of the next 3-4 shelters, the plan was ruined. Well, guess it’s back to being alone.
Flowering gnarly apple trees line the enchanted green path
This am, I was so stoked to see the piped spring after Beauty Spot that I took a 2 hour cook and drink break and dried my stuff out post-tornado. Unaka Mtn was fantastic–it went so high up and it felt a bit like I was already in Maine at the top.
Near Hughes Gap, I met Biscuit, who had found himself a little dog. It looked a lot like the dog in a lost dog poster I had seen at Uncle Johhny’s yesterday, so I decided to call—except I didn’t have Uncle Johnny’s number anymore (as I had torn the page out of my guidebook to save weight). I didn’t have reception on either of my phones, either. I was willing to share my food, but all I had left was candy and coffee, neither dog appropriate. I told Biscuit I couldn’t help, and went on my way, only to realize the dog had decided to follow *me* instead of stay with Biscuit. I thought the dog wouldn’t be able to keep up with my 3 mile per hour uphill pace—I already only had 3 hours to do 9 miles and couldn’t wait for a dog. “Why does a lost dog decide to follow me while I’m trying to get the speed record?” I wondered. It’s former master must have been a woman, too The dog, surprisingly, was a fantastic hiker and was almost always ahead of me and could read where the trail twisted and turned better than some hikers.
Roan Mountain balsam firs
I tried calling my dad for an hour without enough reception for a real phone call and gave up and texted my boyfriend, who is the only person I know who is technologically present enough to be texted a weird situation without a phone number for a random place, find the number online, call the place, and text me back the results in 5 minutes. The owner got notified, and I got the dog to Roan High Knob shelter where another hiker agreed to take him on. Then, I busted out the last 5 miles from 7:20 to 8:50, enjoying the beautiful Roan balds at sunset–a special treat.
