Double Spring Shelter 1742.1 to Cross Mountain/TN91 1745.2 (3.1 miles, 1745.2 total miles)
I slept from 9PM to 8:20AM, my body burning up with fever at one point in the night, though still very comfortable under two layers of sleeping bags with the Nalgene water bottle tucked in with me.
In the morning, everyone took their time getting ready for the day. A flip flopper had arrived around 7:30 the evening before, and was planning on hiking to Boots Off Hostel, 24 miles up trail. Sketch and Rocket were going to do 8 to the next shelter going north, and I wasn’t sure where Hunter was heading off to.
As for me, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make it to Boots Off still feeling sick, and with 20 degree temperatures coming through overnight, wanted to find a place to stay off trail. The only other option was the next road in 3 miles, where I could go to a hostel there, or try to get back to Bojangles.
The morning was very foggy, after quite a bit of rain the night before. Since I was only going a few miles, I decided to wait in the shelter for the gradual clearing up the day was forecasted to take. I watched through my Hulu library of downloads, before beginning to pack up around noon.
One day hiker stopped by briefly as I beginning to pack, but I didn’t see anyone else around. I was ready to hike out by 12:20, wearing my rain coat, rain pants, hat, and gloves. It was all downhill to the road, and I planned on taking my time, so I knew I wouldn’t need to delayer at any point.
It was an easy hike through wet leaves, weak sunlight, and a light breeze here and there. I listened to an audiobook while I hiked, taking my time as the cold air burned my throat and lungs. It went by quickly, though, and at 1:15 I reached the edge of a pasture walk 2.2 miles in.
I stopped at a rock I could sit and rest my pack on, and called a shuttle driver to see what a drive to Damascus would run me, which ended up being a $40 quote. I called Bojangles next to tell him what was going on. He immediately urged me to come back and rest up, and said he would figure out a way to get me to Damascus.
In the meantime, my friend/trail angel Paul generously sent me a gift on PayPal toward food expenses, which was very appreciated. I was frustrated because I just wanted to hike and make some miles, but knew I had to slow down to speed up.
The .8 walk to the road was quite magical. The sun was starting to come out here and there, as I traversed the marvelous pastures of Cross Mountain, stopping repeatedly to take in the views. Bright green grass offset autumn trees ringing the fields, backdropped by opposing mountains with brilliant sunlight reflecting off orange and yellow leaves.
I stopped at a spot I remembered next to a gate, where Riff Raff pre days had been held in 2016. I vividly recalled how Pockets and I had hiked up a birdcage from the road, and camped there with Peanut and Frankie. When my friend Burn asked if I ever just looked up into the sky and we both glanced up, a shooting star flashed in the darkness directly above us. It had been a magical moment.
I called Bojangles when I had reached the road, and told him I’d wait till whenever for a ride. I sat on a rock by the pastures, entertaining myself and saying hi to the few thru hikers and day hikers that passed by. I was starting to get chilly around 3:00, when Bojangles called to tell me a woman named Donna was on her way to pick me up.
Donna was very sweet and down to earth, born and raised in Damascus, now working for herself as a shuttle driver and an Airbnb host in town. She knew the area very well, and drove confidently around the windy roads as she told me stories about hikers she’d met over the years. We stopped in town to pick up a young boy that she was taking to a doctor appointment later in the afternoon. He was normally shy, but seemed to take to me quite easily, chatting away as we drove to the Dollar General in town.
I bought some soup and medicine, before we headed back to the house. Bojangles welcomed me, and told me to make myself at home. I changed into warm clothes, greeted Charlie, and got settled back into the guest room, where I was happy to hear Bard was staying as well.
I whiled away the rest of the afternoon binging Atlanta and lying down, just trying to rest and get better. I talked to my mom on the phone for a while, who saw I was sick and wanted to check in with me. Normally I wouldn’t be as concerned about hiking being sick if it wasn’t so cold out, knowing the exposure could cause me to become sicker.
I was extremely lucky to have such good friends and family who were helping me from both near and far to get over this little speed bump. It was like any of the other obstacles I’d faced on this journey, just something that I’d keep moving forward on one step at a time until it was one more thing in the past, making me a little stronger than I was before. The trail isn’t a voyage of months so much as it is a string of days, each with its own challenges and opportunities, lessons to be learned, and experience to be gained.