Brett just got into Roan Mountain, TN, this morning after hiking 8 miles. They stayed at Overmountain Shelter last night, an old hay barn that has been converted to a shelter. Brett said it is huge and really neat.
They left the shelter this morning and had some of the worst weather so far. They were hiking in the pouring rain with 40mph winds. At some points they were essentially walking sideways down the trail to compensate for the wind. Brett said it was really tough.
What makes it sad is they were hiking from one high bald to another. They would have enjoyed some great views, had it not been for the nasty weather. ["bald", n. - (Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.) a treeless mountaintop or area near the top.]
Brett picked up his package in Roan Mountain, sent the "old" shoes home, and put the new shoes on his feet. They feel better than the old pair. He thinks his feet have grown (or swelled) some. His left foot has a big blister on his heel; his right foot has a blister between his big toe and the next toe over; and he has blisters on the tips of his toes from the Crocs. He wasn't able to get mole skin or anything else to stick to help with the blisters. Hopefully, he will adjust to the new shoes and recover from the old ones quickly.
The weather was bad, but not miserable. It helped having town to look forward to, knowing that he would be able to dry out later in the day and escape the wet.
He took an ibuprofin in the morning to help with a headache he woke up with. Aside from that, he hasn't had to take any "vitamin I" to alleviate hiking pains and sore muscles.
Spring has almost fully sprung in the mountains. The trees are still bare, but flowers are blooming and the grass is green. They have seen a lot of mountain salamanders. Brett said they look cool. They are orange and almost look like a fruit chew. Brett also saw some deer that were not scared off by people.
They were staying in a hostel in Roan Mountain (Mountain Harbour B&B/Hostel?), and Brett was petting a billy goat as we talked. He said he thinks the hostel owner keeps the goats on his steep hill just to mow the grass.
Brett said his "hiker hunger" has finally set in. He is starved all the time and is really losing weight. Brett thinks he is down 20 pounds at this point.
Brett expects to be in Damascus, Virginia, around Sunday. Brett said that Virginia should be flatter and faster. It should take him about six weeks to make it through Virginia, reaching the "half-way point" in Harper's Ferry. He will be hiking summer in Virginia and will go through the Shenendoah Mountains. He is hoping that his mom and dad will be able to meet up with him then. I think it helps Brett to have something to look forward to along the way.
Brett gave me a list of items to put in his next package and warned me to open the package from him outside. He would be sending wet, muddy shoes and a raincoat. Messy and stinky.
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