Today was a total mixed bag of trail ups and downs, and emotional ups and downs. The morning was cool and foggy when we left Russell Field. The miserable, boggy, eroded trail continued, and really dampened our spirits as we crossed over Rocky Top and Thunderhead. They were both totally socked in. We continued along, making what seemed like very slow progress. We were planning to stop for lunch at Derrick's Knob Shelter, but it was further than we thought, so we were all tired and more than a bit testy by the time we got there. Especially Ronald. We'd come 9.8 miles by then, so we weren't doing that badly, but once Ronald gets bummed about the day, you just have to let him alone. He mumbled in his beard all afternoon about "miserable trails", "no views", "can't wait till New Hampshire to see something", etc…

Our original plan had us stopping at Siler's Bald Shelter (Yes, another Siler's Bald -- Siler must have gotten around). However, we started rethinking our plan when some hikers told us there was a sick woman there. She was still there when we arrived around 4:00, along with a group of six men from Ohio on their annual backpacking trip. The woman and her husband had been there since yesterday afternoon, thinking she'd get better. At this point, it's obvious she's not going to get any better without medical attention. They had borrowed a cell phone from another hiker to call the Park Service emergency number, but they weren't sure if the message was really understood or taken seriously. The other men decided to go on two more miles to Double Springs Shelter, then send their fastest hiker on to Clingman's Dome to make sure help was on the way. We figured we'd go on also, since there was nothing we could do to help, and we didn't want to crowd the woman in the shelter.

Before we got to the shelter, we passed a Park Ranger headed in to check on the woman. I guess they have to confirm there's really an emergency before deciding what to do. There's a big group here at the shelter tonight. Besides us, there are the six men from Ohio, two solo guys out for a few days, and three thru-hikers who started at Springer on June 10^th. A full house! I'm delighted because I've been craving a little hiker company lately. I think the big group overwhelmed the thru-hikers a bit, because they set up their tents behind the shelter and kept to themselves. We had a great evening with the Ohio men. They had a Scrabble game and cards, so there were several lively games going most of the evening.

We also watched the events surrounding the evacuation of the woman unfold. What a scenario! It's a good thing she wasn't having a heart attack, or she'd have been dead. There is no helicopter support anywhere in this area, so their only means of evacuation is on horseback or with a litter team. Before it was over, they tried sending in horses, but she was too sick to sit up on the horse. It was after 7:00 when they called for the litter team. We were all in our sleeping bags before the first wave rescuers passed our shelter at 10:00, armed with headlamps and a rolling litter. A stream of volunteers continued to pass for quite a while. It was after 2:00 a.m. before they wheeled her past us for the last 2.5 miles out. There must have been 20-25 people involved before it was over. The paramedics thought it was a kidney stone. We never heard any more about it, but figured they must have gotten her out to Clingman's Dome by daybreak, then to a hospital in Cherokee or Pigeon Forge. It's too bad there are no helicopters available. She could have been out of here hours ago. In Oregon, we're fortunate to have the 403^rd Airborne Division of the Civil Air Patrol available for mountain rescues. They pull people out of life threatening situations on a regular basis. It sure makes you realize how any illness or injury can be magnified on the trail. We've really been blessed so far. I guess we should stop complaining about bad trails.

A light fog gave the trees on the grassy field in front of the shelter an eerie look. When we left the shelter I was hoping it would soon burn off and give us some views. Alas, that was not the case. We crossed Rocky Top in clouds so dense it was difficult to make out rhododendrons 25 feet away. After a short break we headed off to Thunderhead hoping for some view. On top of Thunderhead the clouds still rolled in. It didn't make any difference. The eight-foot bank of rhododendrons obscured any hope for a view. I remember sitting on a rock outcrop here twenty years ago and looking down into the valley. Today we walked through a tunnel.

By the time the sun did come out this afternoon we were hiking up and down numerous little knobs with no hope for a view. By this time I was beginning to wonder about my memory of the Smokies. Surely I should have remembered some of this trail. In my mind was a wide picturesque trail. I don't think they moved the trail, so I must have been in really good shape or dreaming when I last hiked through here.

When we arrived at Siler's Bald Shelter, our intended destination, a group of men were standing around wondering what to do about a sick woman inside. We heard about her earlier in the day and figured she would be long gone by now. But she was too sick to walk out on her own. Someone with a cell phone had contacted the Park Service but no one was sure they understood the problem. The group had decided to hike on to the next shelter and send someone to Clingman's Dome for help. We decided to go on to Double Springs Shelter also, to give the woman some space. There was clearly nothing we could do to help.

It was a good decision to move on. The next two miles provided the best views we've seen in weeks. The views of Siler's were great and we were able to clearly see Clingman's Dome. On the way to the shelter we passed a ranger that was headed in to assess the woman's condition. Later on, one of the park maintenance people passed. He was riding one horse and leading another. No one believed that she would be able to stay on the horse for the five-mile ride out. Later the man returned with the woman's pack on the horse and no woman. Finally around 10:00 a group of twenty passed by with a wheeled litter. They had their work cut out for them.

There is a large crowd at the shelter tonight. Linda is having a ball. She's been craving some trail company for awhile.

Today we left Russell Field Shelter and headed out. About a quarter mile away, I realized I left my bandanna. I ran back and got it while Mom and Dad waited. It sure seemed like longer going back. When I returned, we hiked and climbed up Rocky Top and Thunderhead. We couldn't see a thing from Rocky Top because of the fog. We also couldn't see off Thunderhead because of eight-foot rhododendron bushes on either side. The hike down from Thunderhead was pretty steep but it didn't last long. We had lunch at Derrick's Knob and hiked on. We were planning on doing 14 miles to Siler's Bald Shelter. When we arrived, there was a sick lady in the shelter. So we hiked two miles further to Double Springs Shelter. There are lots of people here tonight. I learned to play Oh Heck, which is kind of like Hearts.