I did not really want to leave my sleeping bag this morning. The cold that had seeped into my skin at sams gap continued on and crept into my core last night.
But we got up eventually and from the minute I got out of bed the day just got better, and warmer.
The first task of the day was to climb to the top of a huge bald with 360 views. From here we started the long descent into Irwin TN.
After lunch we had a bit of a climb to a rocky topped mtn where a shirtless man and 2 time thru hiker named onimasses? (We cant remember it exactly but it's a biblical name that means useful in greek)
Informed us of more trail magic at the gap 30 minutes below us.
Did somebody say second lunch? We hurried down lest we miss Janet and Yonder cooking up brats and dawgs with chips soda etc. So good, and so unexpected. And the gap was gorgeous, with massive hemlock that had not yet succumbed to an aphid invasion that's been killing them for decades all over appalachia.
With only a few more miles till our planned camp at No Bussiness shelter, it was time to have a relaxing stroll on a full stomach.
We climbed out of the gap up a falling stream and then rode the side of a steep mtn for some time.
It's here that the post title finally becomes relevant. The forest was piny, the dust was red, the sun was filtered, and the wind was warm. It all adds up to a very familiar smell. I smell it in the mtns every hot day. In colorado, in california, in oregon, in the tetons, in utah, and now appalachia. It's a hot smell. Something about warm dusty pine needles.
There's a red tree here at the campsite. I think its diseased.
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