Day 4 - Spence Field to Mollies Ridge

Day 4
Mileage: 6.1 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,000 feet / 800 feet

 Today we get to spend another view-filled day in the high country along the Appalachian Trail.  Next we’ll cross over Big and Little Abrams Gap, Little Bald, and the Devil’s Tater Patch before getting to our next shelter at Mollies Ridge.
Loads of sneaky views through the trees until we reached the balds for more open aspects.
 After leaving our shelter we will soon hike over Russell Field...
 ...another historic livestock grazing area in the early settler days.
 Indian cucumber...
 ...with an edible rhizome.

Francisco reported that you can eat this edible lichen.
 Tripe lichen. But it needs to be boiled first.
 Tempting...


...but no thank you.
More autumn colours appeared in the high country as the week went on.
We crossed over Big and Little Abrams Gap, Little Bald, and the Devil’s Tater Patch.

Kathy mistakenly introduced herself as 'Kathy'...
...and 'Coach' responded saying, "No, don't give me your name, you need to use your trail name"
We learnt that trail names are never self-selected. The name somehow has to find you.
We then learned hikers trails names as we met, 'Through hikers', 'Section hikers'...
 ...'Flip-flop' hikers' and those who were 'Slack-packing'.

Our honoured leader, Francisco was 'Karate Kid'
River was a flip-flopping, occasional slack-packing through hiker.

Coach was, well, a coach.

Star gazer was a fab man who we only conversed with briefly.

Nicol, a Frenchman from Lyon living in Patagonia but wanting to live in Canada.

Our names:
Kathy - Kaos,
Ivy - Simba Mama aka Mountain Goat
Travis - Highlander
Sonja - Sketch

...and me - Dr Strange

Wooden spoon picked us off the trail.
 Simba mama was mega organised and tidy and clean.
 Sketch, well sketched.


 By 7 the sun went down...







...by 8.00 is was hiker's midnight and we were all in bed...

 ...dreaming weird dreams.

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