Over the Counter with Binjali: Wayah shelter to Wesser Bald shelter

4/1/15 - I left camp at Wayah Bald shelter about 8:15 and made it to Coldspring shelter about 10:45. I had stayed there in 2007, it was nice to see the shelter again. Looked like a new roof had been put on sometime. Hikers The Darkest Hour, Tucson, Johnny Adventure and his girlfriend Snapshot showed up while I ate a snack. Matt and Tank caught up at Rocky Bald. Matt is calling himself Mirage now.

The drop from Rocky Bald into Tellico Gap was 1200ft in about a mile and a half. The climb out of Tellico was 750ft in a little over a mile. Most folks decided to continue on past Wesser Bald shelter towards the NOC, six miles away. Tonight it's me, Tucson, Mr Don, Beerman, Wilson and a guy named Co-Ed at the shelter. Mainer (he's from Maine) dropped for a chat, but he's pressing on to the next shelter, says he prefers to hike after dark. Trixie and her bloodhound are up at the trail intersection, I last saw her at ToG; the dog was hurting. Seems okay now.

It occurs to me that today is April 1. I started my first thruhike attempt today in 2007. I did the approach trail from Amicalola Falls, logged in at Springer and then hiked to Stover Creek shelter, about 11 miles total that day. The total trail was listed at 2074 miles that year. This year, I started on March 15 and the trail is listed at 2190 miles. I'm at Wesser Bald shelter, mile 131. So, in a way, I've got only 2059 miles this time and I've gotten 15 days of trail conditioning to boot. Things are looking up!