Made it to Derrick knob today. Mile 182.5 - 188.8. Not much distance, but certainly the most treacherous downhills yet due to ice/packed snow. I fell 5 times, no injuries but I feel very lucky. I certainly was worried about other hikers that I've been sheltered with recently...I'm so impressed with how many older folks take on this challenge..whether through or section hiking...it doesn't Mayer how far you're going, you still have to get down this icy mountain...I stayed ahead of the pack and got to the Derrick Knob shelter at about 1pm. After trekking Mt water and gathering some wood, I started the fire and was soon joined by "GareBear" and his girl friend "BearSnack"...they are a very sweet couple from Nebraska that will start at univ of Florida in August...he plans to play football and she will begin a masters program in acoustic architecture. Also met Dragonfly, a retired air force first sergeant, and her husband, Onyx. Another nice couple. Ian (shortly thereafter named Bat as he was hanging from the rafters in his hammock) has a really cool tattoo on his left lower leg: a conglomeration of AT images: the symbol, a compass, the trail map, etc..I tried to get a pic, not very clear..
26 in the 12 person shelter tonight. It started snowing again at 2pm and annoyed all night.....makes tomorrows tell to double spring gap shelter much more interesting. mile 188.8-196.0. That will leave only 10 miles to newfound gap on Sunday.
Scorched pipes Wilson (spw) and detour caught up to us at the shelter after being in Knoxville for Passover from the weekend until yesterday. They hiked from Fontana to Derick knob in 2 days? Fast & young..
We've had sock & shoe roast again tonight with a few incidents with stay embers...
Lots of dark eyed juncos along the trail very common here...
Oh yeah..forgot to mention earlier that I finally had to poop in the woods, sort of...I actually popped of the edge of a log into the snow..I discovered that you don't have to dog a hole because when you pee a lot, it melts a hole to poop in...
We are 1997.1 miles from Katahdin! Less than 2000 miles to go...
Pics: snowy trail out of Spence field, a bit of sunshine from heaven, streak ahead of me on the snowy trail...
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