{"id":350,"date":"2014-05-10T13:55:41","date_gmt":"2014-05-10T17:55:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/wordpress-happytrails\/?p=350"},"modified":"2014-05-10T13:55:42","modified_gmt":"2014-05-10T17:55:42","slug":"day-24-devil-fork-gap-to-spivey-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/happytrails\/?p=350","title":{"rendered":"Day 24 – Devil Fork Gap to Spivey Gap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s correction from yesterday – major major apology, the song stuck in my head was the theme song from Full House, not Family Matters.
\nAnyway, today the morning was really nice, but we knew some rainy weather was headed our way. The hike started with some trails and climbs up through farmland and then along some mountain cascades. <\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Cascade o' the mountains<\/p><\/div>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Morning trail climbing to Lick Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

We had a nice partial view later from High Rock.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

High Rock<\/p><\/div>\n

The trail then descended down under I-26, which sounded pretty busy with traffic. It was one of those days where the trail went from seemingly remote wilderness to farmland to highway and then back to wilderness. <\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

I-26. I've heard these things are for cars.<\/p><\/div>\n

Shortly after we crossed here we started getting rained on. We climbed up Big Bald, which was a gigantic bald, as the rain and wind intensified. Thankfully it wasn’t a thunderstorm or we would not have been able to traverse the very exposed bald. <\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Wind ram jammin Katie's poncho<\/p><\/div>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Err mah gerd rain selfie<\/p><\/div>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Some of Big Bald<\/p><\/div>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Other mountains in view off Big Bald<\/p><\/div>\n

It would have been cool to hang out there, but we kept pushing on due to the showers. <\/p>\n

Later in the day we contemplated stopping hiking around 20 miles, but since it wasn’t really raining anymore we pushed on. Of course, shortly after that fateful decision it started down pouring like a mother. Oops! We hiked for total of about 22 miles today and eventually found a little meadow right outside Spivey Gap and got the tarp setup and dried out. No biggie and all part of the adventure. <\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>

Rules of cooking partially under the tarp - stay dry, don't inhale fumes, don't light tarp on fire<\/p><\/div>\n

Tomorrow after about 10 miles we head to a hostel\/outfitter called Uncle Johnny’s that’s basically right on the trail near Erwin, TN. It’s undecided if we are going to stay there or just grab resupply box #4 and push on (probably depends on how crappy the weather is). <\/p>\n

Vital stats :<\/strong>
\nMood – pretty good considering rainy weather and all
\nPhysical state – the normal after a long day of hiking, tired feet and legs
\nSmell – really old and really wet cheese?
\nSong stuck in my head – morning was Mother We Share by Chvrches, but somehow Roar by Katy Perry has snuck in there now (ugh B104 signal probably broadcasts down here in Tennessee)<\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>