To access a topological map showing the AT route and shelters click on the Appalachian Trail Map link in "Useful Links".
Day 107/133, Sept 23, Sunday, Double Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 441.2; Miles Hiked To Date: 1732.8; Miles Hiked Today: 18.3
(continuation of earlier journal entry). Arriving in Damascus, we called Pat from the “Damascus Eats” using the owner's cell phone. Pat was several hours away and so we went ahead and ordered dinner, talking with the owner, Stan, and his step-son. Stan moved to Damascus from Pensacola, FL. He and his step-son were excited about the local HS football team. The Homecoming Game, the next night, meant an opportunity to beat their arch-rival. They had a 4-0 record, their best in over 20 years. They invited us to the game touting their band as being the best in the state. Stan's daughter plays the bassoon.
As we talked, I realized that it was getting late and noted that the restaurant closed at 8:00. Pat wouldn't be there until 9:00 or 9:30. I asked Stan if there was a place where we could hang out waiting for my wife. He said that he didn't think so. “There's a bar down the street, but it's pretty rough.” Then, he told us that it would be okay with him if we stayed there at the restaurant. I pointed out that they closed at 8:00. He said, “That's okay, just turn out the lights and lock the door on your way out.” Amazing. We took his offer. Pat arrived about 45 minutes after Stan left for the night.
The hike into Damascus of course was remarkable because we walked over 30 miles and because we saw some terrific scenery, plus the ponies. We passed through a herd of about 20; including a mare pregnant when we saw her last March. She had given birth to a wonderful little foal. The ponies, used to people who I am sure feed them, come quite close, showing no fear. When we approached the herd, a foal approached without hesitation. First, he nuzzled my pack hip belt (attracted by the salt most likely) then, inexplicably began chomping on Brad's trekking poles!
The Park Service maintains the herd but lets them roam over a large area fending for themselves. I think there's an annual sale to cull the herd. The Highlands, when originally declared State and National Parks, had large areas that had been cleared by lumbering and by farmers creating pastures. Before that, the Indians had also cleared the area periodically by setting fires. The resulting meadows attracted deer and other wildlife. The Park Service decided to maintain the status quo by releasing ponies into the area. The result is open views and dramatic “balds” of exposed rock formations. While not “natural” in the sense of being unmanaged, it's one of our favorite spots along the AT. The large limestone boulders and peaks dominate the landscape and the ponies make it very interesting.
View From Buzzard's Rock
We had two great zero days. Very relaxing. Pat drove us around Friday through the Park. We stopped in Rural Retreat for lunch, had a terrific dinner at the “Tavern” in Abbingdon (home of the VA State Theater). Saturday, we took Pat to Grayson Highlands to see the ponies. Unfortunately, the trails were very busy with large groups of weekend hikers and horseback riders. Ponies, so plentiful just the day before, were no where to be seen. Saturday also became wash day and we resupplied at the grocery store. Back at the motel, we ordered pizza and watched two Hitchcock movies, Psycho and Vertigo on AMC.
We got a late start today after a sad goodbye to Pat. The next time we see her we'll have finished the trail!
After an easy 18+ mile day today, we'll push for another 30 miles tomorrow.
Day 108/134, Sept 24, Monday, Watauga Lake Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 420.0; Miles Hiked To Date: 1754.0; Miles Hiked Today: 21.2
Well, we didn't do 30 miles today. Neither of us felt up to it and there was no compelling reason to push. Brad woke with a headache and I never felt well either all day. Not sure why. Our packs are heavy with water and food. Four day provisioning adds weight, plus extra water due to the drought. Anyway, that's our excuse. Still we are right on our self imposed schedule. It was pretty warm last night and today. It still doesn't look like rain. We have gotten good water information from NOBOs and that helps considerably in planning.
Lake Watuga - Exposed Bank Reflects Impact of Drought
Yesterday, we saw several hunters. It's apparently bow season. We talked briefly with a cowboy (stetson hat, holstered pistol, and rifle). He was after small game. I told him he was the best armed hiker we've seen on the whole trail. We met several hikers today – all NOBO section hikers.
Things are going well – just 420 miles to go. Acorns have become a serious problem though.
Day 109/135, Sept 25, Tuesday, Mountaineer Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 394.2; Miles Hiked To Date: 1779.8; Miles Hiked Today: 25.8
We tried something a little different today. We left before dawn, using our headlamps. It was Brad's suggestion and we had no trouble seeing the trail. I think if the trail were rocky or dangerous, I wouldn't do it, but here the trail has been pretty good. We walked from 6:45 am to 6:45 pm covering almost 27 miles. We had a lot of ups and down. We passed Laurel Falls and I took the opportunity to take a refreshing swim. Cold but refreshing.
John Swimming at Laurel Falls
Early this morning we stopped at Lake Wautauga's picnic area to get water and use the toilets. It is about 1 mile from the Wautauga shelter. A local man drove by, saw us, turned around and came up to the restrooms. He just wanted to talk and talk and talk. Even though he had to get to work, he apparently had all the time in the world to visit. He told us about the Lake, how much power it generated, etc. We learned that construction of Wautauga Dam began in 1942 and was completed in 1948 and created Lake Wautauga, which at 318 feet, is the second-highest dam in the TVA system (behind only Fontana). At the time of its completion, it was one of the highest earth-and-rock dams in the United States. The lake is deep at nearly 270 feet and extremely pure (95%). Due to the drought, of course, the level has dropped considerably, 50-60' below its normal bank for this time of year. He talked about hunting, politics of the TVA, and his cousin's property (coveted by the US government). More than a little talkative, he was very friendly. The only other person we saw today was a middle aged woman section hiking solo. Water seems more plentiful now.
Tomorrow we head into town to stay at a hostel and get supplies. Less than 400 miles to go!
Day 110/136, Sept 26, Wed, Mountain Harbour B&B,
Miles From Springer: 385.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 1788.5; Miles Hiked Today: 8.7
Day 111/137, Sept 27, Thursday, Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel,
Miles From Springer: 362; Miles Hiked To Date: 1812; Miles Hiked Today: 23.4
Yesterday, we enjoyed a very relaxing near zero day. We hiked about 9 miles to the Mountain Harbour B&B near Elk Park, NC. The B&B, a beautiful 2 story farm house, sits just 1 mile from the trail. The Hostel portion takes up the second floor of a horse barn on the property. It consists of a main lounge area with a loft for sleeping. Unlike most hostels, it's furnished comfortably and well maintained. One other hiker, a retired HR guy stayed there as well. He was doing a section hike in preparation for a Thru Hike next year. New to long distance backpacking, he was hurting. The hostess and staff here are very friendly and helpful. This is probably the best hostel we've stayed at. In addition to the living area and loft, a deck looks out over the corral and hillside beyond. A creek runs through the property making for a bucolic scene. Mary and her brother keep quarter horses. They shuttled us to the “Time's Square” for breakfast and grocery supplies. After that we just hung out for the rest of the day at the hostel, reading, calling home and visiting with the other hiker (I'll call him HR Guy). HR Guy hails from Youngstown, Ohio, and retired from Alcan. He handled compensation. We really enjoyed the time off, figuring that we had been putting in some pretty long hikes recently.
View from White Rocks Mountain
Today, we left around 7:30 am and hiked nearly 24 miles to the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel. We passed over the Hump and Roan Mountains considered by some the most beautiful east of the Rockies. The terrain on Roan reminded us of the NE. We saw a couple of deer and about 4 other hikers.
Hump Mountain
“CC” runs the Greasy Creek Friendly out of her home and has bedrooms in her house and a kind of “bunkhouse” behind. We took the “deluxe” package that included beds with sheets. She fixed dinner and we enjoyed a nice visit with her. We were the only ones staying there. CC's “ex” stopped by to work on her car. She had purchased a retread tire to replace a flat and I think there was a problem associated with it. CC, a strict Seventh Day Adventist, is a kosher vegetarian. She observes the Sabbath religiously (meaning that tomorrow, Friday, was the Sabbath and she was not planning on fixing breakfast – although included in the overnight rate). She also mentioned that Thursday night (i.e., tonight) was the night of her favorite TV shows , so we basically had the place to ourselves as she watched her programs. She did put together everything we needed for breakfast before she retired and we had only to put in the microwave in the morning. The Greasy Creek Friendly presented an interesting contrast to our stay at the Mountain Harbour.
Day 112/138, Sept 28, Friday, Erwin, NC, Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel,
Miles From Springer: 338.7; Miles Hiked To Date: 1835.3; Miles Hiked Today: 23.3
Day 113/139, Sept 29, Saturday, Bald Mountain Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 321.8; Miles Hiked To Date: 1852.2; Miles Hiked Today: 16.9
Our pre-dawn departure enabled us to cover the 23+ miles to Erwin by 4:00 pm yesterday. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel and Campground rests right on the AT. Uncle Johnny himself greeted us as we plopped our gear on the tables outside his supply store/office, introducing us to his staff and the other guests who congregated there. Those guests included Peter from New Zealand. Peter, a lean & healthy looking 74 year old retired psychiatric nurse, has nearly completed his 2nd AT Thru-Hike. He lives with his wife in a log cabin in NZ and has also “tramped” over much of England and New Zealand. Being close to dinner time, we invited him to join us and chose a local Mexican restaurant recommended by Johnny. Peter, for all his travels, has never eaten in a Mexican restaurant and while Erwin, TN doesn't pretend to be Tucson or Albuquerque, it at least offered the suggestion of Mexican food. Actually, the food had all the attributes of good Mexican food except for the taste.
Peter generously shared his life story. He began his career as a psychiatric nurse following his recovery from a near fatal accident. As a teenager, he was run over by a tractor trailer. The prospect for survival, let alone walking again, looked bleak. The surgeon who operated on him and directed his subsequent rehabilitation pressed him to pursue a career helping others. One day, near the end of Peter's rehab, the doctor called him in to discuss his future. He led Peter through the hospital to the psychiatric ward where Peter was shocked by what he saw. After the tour, the doctor asked him if he could see himself working in such an environment. Peter balked at the thought. The doctor essentially said, “I saved your life. You owe me at least the commitment to seriously think it over.” All that night, as Peter tells it, he tossed and turned. In the morning, he sought out the doctor and told him that he felt that he could indeed make a career helping those in need of psychiatric care. Eventually he became the Chief Administrator of a large psychiatric unit in an Australian hospital. I asked him why he chose to hike the AT not once but twice (I didn't actually ask him twice). He replied that the AT is unique in all the world. There's nothing like it in Australia or NZ or Europe. He planned to finish the trail in the next few days (having done all the trail north of here and all but two day's hike south). Then he would board a Amtrak train to the west coast to catch his flight home. We really enjoyed talking with him.
Today we hiked out of Erwin and generally had an uphill climb all day. We stopped at Bald Mountain Shelter, our goal, around 3:00 pm. Being Friday, we are joined by 3 other pairs of hikers – all short distance. “Boomerang” thru-hiked several years ago. He now section hikes with his friend “Trucker”. They both do trail maintenance in GA. Boomerang asked us when we would be on Blue Mountain (nearly 300 miles to the south). After a moments thought, we told him confidently that we would be there on October 13th . He told us to expect special trail magic at noon when we cross GA 75 at Unicoi Gap on the 13th !
A woman hiking with her husband, also sharing our shelter, told us that she Thru-Hiked the AT some time ago and has section hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. She told of the difficulties provisioning on the PCT.
We passed a 4' long Black Racer snake along the trail today. It may have been ill. It didn't move, but was still alive.
Day 114/140, Sept 30, Sunday, Jerry Cabin Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 297.1; Miles Hiked To Date: 1876.9; Miles Hiked Today: 24.7
We left Bald Mountain shelter around 6:00 this morning. The cold discouraged our eating breakfast so we set out early. Light from the moon and stars pierced the darkness making our headlamps almost unnecessary. In the early morning light we passed to two people still slumbering motionless in their sleeping bags alongside the trail. I believe they are with the raptor tagging group that Boomerang told us about. He and Trucker came upon them yesterday just after the team had captured a hawk. One of the team called them over to explain what they were doing. They net migrating songbirds, use them to attract the hawks. They then, net, tag and release the raptors.
As we cleared the trees onto a high meadow, the night sky opened up as the trail ascended to the top of Big Bald. Big Bald's grassy peak, devoid of trees, as the name implies, allows a 360 degree view. The lightening of the sky had just begun and we sat for quite awhile to watch the sunrise.
Brad on Bald Mountain
Today presented us with more than enough unpleasantness. I awoke with a sore back to begin with. Shortly after we started I developed some serious “intestinal” distress. I put off addressing this issue for as long as possible and far beyond any reasonable level of discomfort. I had hoped that walking, as it sometimes does, would alleviate the issue. It didn't. Deciding I could wait no longer I hurried up the hill a goodly distance away from the trail, TP in hand. Quickly digging a cat hole, I addressed the problem and just as I was bending to pull my pants up, I become aware of an ominous buzzing sound in my immediate vicinity. Before my mind could register the cause of this alarming sound, a horde of our old nemesis, the yellow jacket, launched a premeditated and unprovoked attack upon my person. Grabbing to pull up my rain pants, I leaped down the hill holding my pants with one hand and batting the little bastards with the other. I reached the trail with the yellow jackets still stuck in my beard and stinging like crazy. Brad, patiently waiting with face politely averred while I took care of business, had no clue about what had happened. However, seeing my distress, asked with remarkable acuity and irritating calmness, “Did you get stung?” “Did I get stung? Did I get stung?” I responded with rising inflection. “What the *^&^?# do you think?” “Did I get stung?!” Pulling the last (and now quite dead) yellow jacket out of my beard and throwing my bag over my shoulder I stomped down the trail. We found little cause to speak over the next several miles.
The rest of the day proved uneventful. A long steep climb over Big Butt and a 24.7 mile day put us within striking distance of Hot Springs and a little R&R. We saw few hikers and today have the shelter to ourselves. A group of 5 are tenting nearby.
Day 115/141, Oct 1, Monday, Alpine Springs Court, Hot Springs, NC
Miles From Springer: 270.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1903.3 Miles Hiked Today: 26.4
We left early this morning (just before 6:00). Climbing Big Firescald Knob in darkness, we reached the exposed ridge just as the sun broke the horizon. What a fantastic sight! We crossed the ridge as it grew lighter, bringing a beautiful red/gold glow to the cliff and countryside below. The coolness made for ideal hiking. I consider this one of the best hiking days we've had. By 4:00 we had checked into the Alpine Springs Court looking for a change from the hostel scene. The motel manager looked like he had walked into a door or been hit in the face with a 2x4. He had a large bandage on a nose swollen to twice its normal size; an unhealthy color of red, black and blue. His bloodshot eyes and churlish manner didn't invite the obvious question or any questions at all for that matter. He did express a strong preference for cash.
Hot Springs, touted as a “hiker friendly” stop lives up to it's reputation in that it offered everything we needed for resupply. Tourism appears to be the mainstay of its meager economic base. Literature in the motel said that people have been coming here to bathe in the medicinal hot springs since the 1800s (I assume the Indians had been doing so much longer). White water rafting and other outdoor activities are also popular. We ate dinner at the Smoky Mountain Diner, run by a former long distance hiker. We're taking tomorrow off to relax and plan the remaining two weeks of our hiking.
Morning View from White Rock Cliffs
Day 115/142, Oct 2, Tues, Alpine Springs Court, Hot Springs, NC
Miles From Springer: 270.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1903.3; Miles Hiked Today: 0
Day 116/143, Oct 3, Wednesday, Roaring Fork Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 251.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 1922.1; Miles Hiked Today: 18.8
We had a very relaxing day in Hot Springs. I expected the town to be more like the 19th Century NE resorts with large Victorian hotels and bath houses gone to seed. However, it appears that the old hotels and resort buildings have been torn down. Prosperity isn't a word that comes to mind in describing Hot Springs. They still have a resort but it consists of a few plywood buildings and trailers. Brad and I did avail ourselves of the soothing mineral hot springs, however,– renting a spring fed hot tub for 1 hour. It was great. The hot tubs are outdoors with a privacy fence and a view of the Broad French River. The fiber glass tubs, similar to a motel jacuzzi are fed from underground springs. The water is a consistent 102 degrees. Very relaxing. There wasn't much else to do in this one street town. They have a nice outfitter's store run by a large bearded person very much looking the part, talking to himself as he stocked shelves; a hardware store; and 4 restaurants (two of which were closed while we were there). They also boast the “legendary” Sunnybank Inn, an AT hostel run by a former AT hiker, Elmer Hall. He only takes reservations from vegans and vegetarians and serves only vegetarian dishes. However, Brad and I had had enough of hostels and just wanted a private room and bath.
So, yesterday we again ate meat at the Smokey Mountain Diner (also run by another long distance At hiker – they're everywhere) and at the Paddler's Pub – catering, apparently, to the white water crowd. The Diner offered typical down home cookin' – white pepper gravy & biscuits. We stopped for grocery supplies, bought fleece caps at the outfitter store, fixed my “new” hiking shoes with JB Weld and did our laundry. A woman at the laundry said she had to bring her wash to the laundromat because her well had run dry! We also stopped by the U.S. Forest Service Office to get our Great Smoky Mountain National Park permit.
One of the interesting things about our experience has been seeing these small, poor towns, both north and south. It's a side of America I had forgotten and Brad had never seen. Old cars with bad mufflers, retread tires, and faded paint. Closed stores and bad teeth. It's interesting and depressing. Still, the people are helpful and friendly.
Back on the trail with less than 300 miles to go! Even with a late start due to having breakfast at the Diner, we made nearly 20 miles. We have a plan that puts us on Springer on the 15th . It looks doable. Not much slack though. On the other hand, the 15th is an arbitrary target. We both agree that if we miss it, it won't be a big deal.
This shelter is pretty nice – fairly new (1985) and clean. However, it's supposed to have a spring but neither of us can find it. The guide may be mistaken or we may just be stupid. Tomorrow we go over the Max Patch that reportedly has great views. We have enough water, so we're not worried. Oh, and I got stung again by a yellow jacket – oh, well!
Day 117/144, Oct 4, Thursday, Cosby Knob Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 226.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 1947.1; Miles Hiked Today: 25
Finally, some rain. It sprinkled a little on and off this afternoon then rained harder after we reached the shelter. This is one of the nicest shelters we'd stayed in: new, clean, skylights, a sleeping loft and a fireplace. Just Brad and I tonight. The hike today was gorgeous, especially once we reached the Park. We stopped for a while at the Bear Farm Hostel (just 200 yards off the trail). The hostel is part of an old farm and lies in a narrow, picturesque valley. The man who runs it wasn't there but his wife told us to make ourselves at home. They sell supplies and food on a self serve, honor system. We bought and cooked a frozen 3 cheese pizza for lunch. No other hikers were there. They have internet and Brad logged on and checked his email.
We had great views and dramatic skies all day. We really needed the rain and we found good water here (not flowing but at least a spring fed pool of cold, clear water). These shelters feature a bear cable that enable you to hoist your food bag on a steel line up about 20'. The bears are notorious here for getting hiker food due to bad practice of people feeding them. A hiker in Maine told me about being in the Smokies and watching a bear amble up to the bear cable, look up at the food bag hanging there, then look at the steel line, back to the bag, then, he pulled on the cable watching the bag move with it. He then tried, unsuccessfully, to climb the cable. He had figured out how the system worked!
Day 118/145, Oct 5, Fri, Icewater Spring Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 206.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1967.4; Miles Hiked Today: 20.3
Beautiful shelter sitting on the ridge with great views. It rained quite awhile yesterday evening but had stopped by morning. We got some sprinkles (just as we sat down for lunch) but we stayed pretty dry. Early this morning, we had glorious views of the mountains and valleys. Soon, however, fog rolled in. The trail generally follows the ridge-line and has many exposed sections. It would have been spectacular had it not been for the fog. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the hiking. The trails are in good shape and the grades pretty reasonable. Many of the trails double as horse trails and I think this ensures more gradual inclines. We did get a break in the weather just before we reached “Charlie's Bunion”. The Bunion, a dramatic rock formation, provides a great view of the steeply sided mountains.
View of Charlie's Bunion
There's a bit of fall color now – mostly yellow – contrasting nicely with the evergreens. We also saw a number of places where air pollution has apparently weakened the hemlock trees (as explained by park literature), making them susceptible to attack from a non-native insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid. Large areas of dead trees pockmark the hillsides.
John & Brad Resting on Charlie's Bunion
We saw quite a few people on the trail. It's Columbus Day weekend. There is only one other person at the shelter now, but he believes the place will fill by evening. All shelters in the GSMNP require a reservation, except for Thru-Hikers. If it's full, I hope everyone will be accommodating. The fellow here is very knowledgeable, having hiked here for years. He says not to worry.
We were going to try to do another 7.2 miles but neither of us felt like a 27 mile day. We had a lot of uphill today. We want to get as close as we can to Fontana Dam tomorrow so we can have an early arrival there Sunday. We want to celebrate completing over 2000 miles!!!
Day 119/146, Oct 6, Saturday, Derrick Knob Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 185.6; Miles Hiked To Date: 1988.4; Miles Hiked Today: 21
Seemed like a relatively short day, but we made over 20 miles and we reached our goal. Tomorrow, we have a 24 mile day to Fontana Dam. There's a resort complex there where we hope to stay and celebrate. Jim, a Ridgerunner staying at the shelter, said the next six miles are the hardest in the Smokies. We'll find out tomorrow. Today was a good day.
Great weather. It started out a bit ominous when we found the restrooms at the New Found Gap pull over were closed due to a lack of water! We had about a quart between us, expecting to find running water at the Gap.
We started up the mountain after watching a beautiful sunrise. Soon we caught up with “Plugger” whom we last saw in Andover. He had originally started in MA – made it to Katahdin, then came down to Damascus and headed south. He was worried about cold weather up north and hoped to finish the southern section before it got too cold. What a surprise! We talked awhile, catching up on each other's adventures. He suffers from a blood condition, a form of anemia, that reduces the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen, causing a shortness of breath. He definitely has his work cut out for him if he wants to finish the rest of the trail this season. You really have to admire someone who can stick to it with such a disability. Plugger met up with Lopsided and they shared a room in Gattlinburg. I thought Lopsided was way ahead of us.
We summited Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT @6643', around 11:00. We had found a spring flowing along the way so water wasn't a problem. Clouds came and went all day but we had some great views from the observation platform and the ridges. About a mile past the Dome, we met a nice couple who were just taking a short hike. We talked awhile and they asked a lot of questions about our experience. They also gave us a bottle of water, very nice.
Most of the rest of the trail was up and down mixed with some ridge walking; not too bad.
We got to the shelter a little after 4:00 to find that, according to Jim the caretaker, the shelter would soon fill up. He said we'd have to sleep out if everyone showed. That wasn't a problem for us. We had tarps and the weather was fine. Just after dinner, a large group arrived, making good Jim's prediction. We started to gather our gear when one of the late arrivals volunteered to sleep out. With that, Jim volunteered to sleep outside also, in spite of our protests. Jim was retired from the Navy and works as a professional photographer. The Park Service had picked one of his pictures of a Smoky sunset for their publication. He showed us a copy.
Small world. Four of the men staying here are from Gallipolis, OH, where our family owns a place on the river! At first I was skeptical of their being Gallipolitans because one of them was reading a thick book and none pronounced the city to rhyme with "police". However, they did know about the 'Mothman', but didn't want to talk about it. They were out for a multiple day hike. When registering with the Park Rangers, they were told that they would find no water on the trail. The Ranger instructed them to carry 2 or 3 gallons of water each! They bought gallon jugs of spring water and tied them to their packs! Man, that must have been hard going! It was great talking to them about the Silver Bridge collapse. They didn't know any Hambricks but had heard of the Waughs. We were very impressed with the kindness of everyone. Several offered to sleep outside and let us have a spot in the shelter, even though they were on vacation and had reservations.
Day 120/147, Oct 7, Sunday, Fontana Dam,
Miles From Springer: 161.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 2011.5; Miles Hiked Today: 24.1
View from Fontana Dam
Fontana Dam NC (water level 65' below normal)
Day 121/148, Oct 8, Monday, Brown Gap Shelter
Miles From Springer: 149.3; Miles Hiked To Date: 2024.1; Miles Hiked Today: 12.6
Thirteen miles. Short hiking day due to a very late start. We didn't hit the trail until about 11:00 am. We'll try to make up the shortage tomorrow. Saturday night, after we settled in, one of our shelter mates from Ohio tuned in the Ohio State-Purdue football game! For the first time in years, I fell asleep listening to OSU football! The score was 14-0 in the first quarter. The others had built a nice fire in the wonderful fireplace, and we, being in the loft enjoyed the glow of the fire while stargazing through the skylight (these are first class shelters).
About 3:00 am, however, the father of the late arriving group got up and started talking to others in his group, calling out to them, asking if they wanted hot chocolate or coffee. His loud voice and banging pots and pans disturbed everyone. Soon someone told him to be quiet, but he just kept it up. Finally, unable to get him to quiet down and unable to sleep, Brad and I decided to pack up and go. So, we were on the trail around 4:00 am. While we were packing up, the old man tried to talk to me about our hike. I just told him that we shouldn't be carrying on a conversation while others were trying to sleep. I was polite. I didn't tell him that we don't usually get up at 3:00 in the morning and start hiking!
Nevertheless, we had a beautiful star studded walk, three hours before dawn. We made Fontana Dam by 1:00. We felt pretty good about covering so much trail and having passed the 2000 mile mark! We took a self portrait in front of Mollie's Shelter, 2000.1 miles from Katahdin. We celebrated by checking ourselves into the Fontana Dam Resort. We ate cheeseburgers at the snack bar and had a terrific dinner in formal dining room at the lodge. We also took care of the usual business of laundry and provisioning, getting to bed around 10:00 pm. A long day.
Brad took advantage of the massage therapy service addressing his sore shoulder.
Unfortunately, the Resort doesn't offer regular shuttle service to and from the trail. Therefore, we had to wait until someone was available to take us the 4 miles back to the trailhead. The driver wouldn't be available until 9:00. So, Brad and I slept until around 7:00, had breakfast and waited. The shuttle driver didn't show until 9:30. We were back at the Fontana Dam information center at 10:00. We visited with some section hikers for a while (a Ray Burst and his friend). Then, we stopped at the “AT Hilton”, a very nice shelter overlooking the lake, chatting with “Boots”, another thru hiker. Boots was waiting on a care package from home and today being Columbus Day, no mail. So, that's our excuse for a late start and a low mileage day.
All and all, it was a good stop however. We got a chance to celebrate our accomplishment in style with Brad getting a 1st class massage and good advice on why he was experiencing the shoulder pain. It was as well spent $70. He felt much better. Of course, within a few miles, his shoulder pain returned.
We'll get an early start tomorrow-maybe up again at 4:00 am!
Day 122/149, Oct 9, Tuesday, Cold Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 122.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 2051.6; Miles Hiked Today: 27.5
We made up the lost 9 miles yesterday by walking nearly 28 miles today. We arrived here around 6:00 and are pretty beat. Brad's chest is bothering him again, worse than before we had him examined in Wytheville. He took some advil and applied some Ben Gay. It seemed to help - a good sign.
Today's strenuous hike took us over two peaks with 2 to 3000' elevation gains. Wasps attacked us again as well! Offsetting that experience, we reached the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in Wesser by 11:30 and had lunch at the river side restaurant: Double bleu cheeseburgers, fries and Cokes. We watched kids playing in the river while we ate. This is a big kayak and canoe livery. The river looked too shallow however. As we discussed this, the river began to quickly rise, obviously dam controlled. Shortly after the river level went up, a couple of canoes rounded the bend. After lunch, we had the snack bar make up a couple of sandwiches for our dinner. They also offered us ice water for our Camel-Baks. Another good hiking, good eating day. We have to assume that Brad's pain is related to carrying a heavy load and not SPT.
Water remains scarce. No one at the NOC could tell us about water sources south of here so we'll have to take it a day at a time. This shelter has water covering us for tomorrow's hike. We can only hope for water at the next shelter.
Some kind people left several gallon jugs of water at one of the road/trail intersections giving us an opportunity to fill up. It sprinkled a little today, but not enough to do any good.
Day 123/150, Oct 10, Wednesday, Big Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 97.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 2076.5; Miles Hiked Today: 24.9
The weather cooled considerably making for good hiking. The sky cleared and we had a wonderful sunrise. With the beginning of the Fall colors, we tread fallen gold poplar leaves in softened sunlight. This morning we ascended Wayah Bald. Topped by an interesting stone observation tower, we had a fantastic view of patchwork farms and stands of trees. Low lying clouds filled the valley and the mountains rising beyond were breathtaking. An information plaque explained some of the history and ecology of the region. Bertram, that 18th century intrepid naturalist, stopped at this very spot (sin tower). Earlier, DeSoto may have traveled through this same area. The history offers a euro-centric and therefore, benign view of how the land transferred from Cherokee hands to European ones. Apparently, the Indian farms and villages were “replaced” by “settlers”.
View from Wayah Bald
We met and talked with a couple who were taking a short hike. They were very interested in our adventure. They asked if they could take our picture. She thought I was “too young” to be Brad's father!!! She thought we were brothers!!! I really liked these guys. I should keep walking.
We made good progress today, nearly 25 miles. We screwed up leaving the observation tower on Wayah (probably because I had my head turned by the comment about my youthful appearance). We misread the map and a blaze, starting down the park road, thinking it the trail. Two men with whom we had talked earlier, straightened us out. We ended up waking about a mile back up the hill. Frustrating.
The big problem we have is finding water. We're also running low on food & fuel. I forgot to buy alcohol for the stove when at NOC. We can get by on what we have if we do without hot tea. Brad is short on snacks. We may go back to our original plan and head into Hiawasee. We could still make our October 15 date. It'll just mean a couple of longer days to make it up.
1 comment:
great blog! and awesome pics...looks like quite an adventure.
http://www.flickr.com/ryaninva
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