Little Laurel Shelter, NC to Flint Mtn Shelter, NC

19 April: Total Miles: 303.0

Hiked 12.7 miles today with Gentleman Jack and Willow. Included going over “The Cliffs”, a rugged area approx. 2 miles long that was supposed to be much like the White Mountains of New Hampshire: very rugged rocks, much hand-over-hand climbing, a lot of bouldering, very tough going.

It was cold and rainy most of the day, including getting drenched the last ½ mile before the shelter. The shelter was full on a rainy night. Willow slept in between Gentleman Jack and me. Usually she tents, but not tonight because of the rain. Well, I snore, so Willow was hitting me in the face every hour (I do not exaggerate) to stop me from snoring. I got like NO SLEEP. It made me very angry – but I let it go, though I decided to break contact with Gentleman Jack and Willow the next day.

It’s one thing to smack someone who snores if he/she gives you permission to do so. But, to just assume the right to hit someone else in the face, and to do so repeatedly is bullshit! If Willow had been a man, there would have been a fistfight in the shelter last night.

(NOTE FROM WIFE: It is true, the Colonel is snores quite horribly. I often sleep in another room with a pillow over my head.)