Valley view, April 17
J: Too cold and windy to write last night. Stayed at a campsite east (N) of Wayah Bald. Great view from the observation tower up there -- mountains go on to the horizon. Incessant wind is mind-numbing. Had to burrito it with the bag, thermarest and ground cloth. Camped with R. Harris (ex highway patrol, Stomper (formal name: Privy Stomper), Burke, Skip and his rottie Atlas, and Nikki from Maine.
Damn it was cold. Every hour had to get up and rebuild the burrito as the wind would shake it loose. Lay out the groundcloth, then the thermarest, then the sleeping bag. Tuck the foot end of the groundcloth up over my legs -- grab the edge of the groundcloth and roll completely to wrap the cloth completely over me with loose edge under the thermarest. A flap of groundcloth over my head deflected most of the wind, save for the plastic flapping. I was on the lee side of a fallen tree -- helped a bit with the breeze.