Day 38 - Cow Crisis

Miles Today - 18.4
Location - Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Date - May 20

In my constant quest to be as hardcore of a mountain man as possible, I planned to roll through the edge of Atkins and get breakfast at a restaurant. Just like the settlers did it.

The trail in the morning was pasture adjacent, and pretty. I got some magic at an old scholhouse in a can of Coke and some Goldfish Grahams. I arrived at The Barn restaurant at 9 and set about ordering a 2x4 (2 pancakes, 2 bacon strips, 2 sausages, 2 eggs, hash browns and coffee). Slow Going, who I had met the night before joined me, which was mildly irksome because I had wanted to read quietly but I forced myself to be social and we had a nice meal.

At 10 I rolled back out, pleasantly full. I past Rose on the trail and continued cruising, up some tough inclines. We reentered the pastures, and I quickly came face to face with a herd of cows grazing directly on the trail. Several had horns. Errr. I took a moment to laugh at myself. I was honestly too nervous to keep going alone; I really hate cows.

I turned back and ran into Kenny after a minute or 2 and had him take point. Of course when we got back to my previous location the cows had moved on. We hiked together until we reached a nice river where we met Miss America and dipped our feet into the frigid water.

I cruised through the last few miles up Brushy Mountain, picking up a Dr. Thunder from a cooler along the way, and settled into the shelter nice and early. Deciding I had already been social for the day, I guzzled my 2 sodas, curled up into my corner, and got to reading.

Day 37 - Pizza Party

Miles Today - 17.7
Location - Chatfield Shelter
Date - May 19

With a little under 18 to do today I planned on having a nice long lunch at the Visitor Center. I hiked just behind Lone Wolf for the first few miles. As I emerged into a pasture I found him frozen on the trail, staring down a horned cow with a calf right nearby. I slunk up behind him. "What's our game plan?" He shrugged, and the cow continued to stare us down. We ended up making a slight detour through some thorn bushes to avoid it, only to emerge with it in our paths again. We carefully edged around it. I hate cows.

Partnership Shelter was wonderful. Toilet, sink, shower, and a Visitor Center with pizza only a call away. I arrived at 11:15, having done one if the fastest 10.5 miles yet. The shower hardly qualified as one, but I got my hair cleaned.

Lone Wolf and I split a pizza order, myself getting a 14" pie and 10 garlic knots. I sat down on a shady bench and ate and read for awhile. The moment I stood up I realized my error. I was way, way, waaaay too full. I sat back down and focussed on digesting.

A mile into the trail I called it quits and stretched on a rock to read until moving became less of a nauseating process. The rest of the day was unfun. As I rolled into the shelter I declared to Rose that I was "post food," (politely interrupting her meditation) and collapsed.

We got a nice surprise later to find Kenny hiking into the shelter with just a few minutes of daylight left, on the tail end of a 28 mile day. He'll be hiking with us to Wood's Hole, so it's nice to get a bit of the gang back together. We're leaving encouraging notes for White Rabbit (Blanco Bunny) in shelter logs. Go Rabbit go!

Day 36 - What Have You Done With My Friend

Miles Today - 12.7
Location - Trimpi Shelter
Date - May 18

It rained last night, but the tent held up swimmingly (or...not I guess, poor choice of words). I crawled out and had a hot shower, some cereal, and coffee to start the day.

Rose had gotten us a ride back to the trail with a nice lady named Rocky, who had assisted with Woodchuck's AT hike a few years ago. We chattered about this and that in the car, and got to the trail at 11. At the trail head we found Lone Wolf, who had left before us but apparently hiked in the wrong direction for a mile and had to backtrack. Oops.

The hike was short and easy today. Spring has really taken a hold on the trail, and while there were no views I felt a general sense of beauty that had left itself to the hike.

I got to the shelter around 3, and Lone Wolf arrived soon after. I decided to set up my tent, and then because we were bored, Lone Wolf and I made a fire (started the old fashion way: with alcohol, lighters, sparklers and trash). Rose arrived to see me working on a fire by a campsite, and voiced her concern that I'd been replaced with an evil twin. I've never once camped when I didn't have to or built a fire. Usually I'm lethargically curled up in my sleeping bag in the shelter.

10 miles down the trail tomorrow are free showers and a phone with a direct line to a pizza place that delivers. I intend to arrive around noon, order a pizza, grab a nice shower, and have the best trail lunch ever. Mmm...sweet dreams!

Day 35 - Trail Days/Dayz/Daze

Miles Today - 0 on the AT, too many around town.
Location - Woodchuck Hostel, Damascus
Date - May 17

In all the grumpiness I forgot to mention one of the best parts of yesterday. Every year a group of women crochet about 800 hats that they give out for free during Trail Days. My friend Raven caught me and brought me over when we were down to about 20 hats. I found a perfect one, and basically haven't taken it off since, it's so warm and cozy.

Today I woke up with a few missions. Find a tent. Send unneeded things home. Resupply. Do college forms at the library. Be less grumpy.

Woodchuck provides coffee and cereal for breakfast, which was wonderful. I durdled around trading off on the Pac Man arcade game with Ryu that's in the living room, waiting for the vendors to open.

At 9 I wandered over to the vendors. It's basically a carnival, with less games and more camp gear. Rose recommended Six Moon Designs, and I ended up at their tent. They had a design on sale for a 100 that weighed just under 2 pounds. I shopped around some more, but ended up back at Six Moon. Best bang for the buck. And my hammock would easily sell for more than a 100. I added the hammock to my package home and purchased a tent.

Rose and I set it up in the hostel's mini Tent City so that I could apply seam sealer to it. I moved my stuff in and immediately felt better. This was what I was missing. Even if I didn't use it all the time, just knowing I had my own space made me feel safer. Grumpiness conquered!

I then ventured to the library to do some college forms, and walked all the way across town to get free hot dogs. On the way back I picked up my mail from the outfitters. My grandparents had sent me a huge box of brownies, which were munched on for the rest of the day.

I came back to the hostel, and Rose and I walked to Food City to resupply. We caught a free shuttle back into the vendor area, and watched the talent show. It was won by a couple doing a dance called the Texas Two Step. Very impressive. I hung around afterwords a bit for the impromptu dance party, and then lounged by the river to eat funnel cake and make phone calls.

Feeling beat, I headed back to the hostel and crashed in my new tent. Today was a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to getting back on the trail tomorrow.

Day 34 - Grumpy Whiz Attack

Miles Today - 12.7
Location - Woodchuck Hostel
Date - May 16

It was hard maneuvering in the tight attic space, so a quick pack and exit was to be had. This morning we were going over Grayson Highlands, where there are ponies roaming free. Ponies are also on the list of embarrassing things I am no less afraid to see in the wild.

Rose and I hiked together, moving very quickly through the clouds. The storm had raged all throughout the night, and the wind was still whipping at us. As we came out below the clouds we caught glimpses of our surroundings. The Highlands are beautiful, in a pastoral kind of way. I would love to come back on a day with clear skies.

We didn't encounter any ponies, but there was an incident with a cow. It was right on the trail, and upon seeing us approach it made a beeline for us. We went around a patch of brush to avoid it, and it turned and started tromping through the brush to get to us. Panicked and laughing hard we ran for the nearby fence and hopped through the gate, cow in hot pursuit. Safe on the other side we let out a sigh of relief whole it watched us with a level stare. Cows, man. Cows.

We made fantastic time, arriving at the gap by 11. A man in the parking lot offered us a shuttle to Damascus, which we happily accepted. He brought us by a beautiful, old, cedar church, and then dropped us off by the Woodchuck Hostel.

We set up camp in the yard. There were poles for hammocks, but the ground was so muddy they tipped over the moment weight was applied. We worked to no avail on solving the problem, and I ending up pitching between a telephone pole and a low standing fence. The whole process added to my distaste of the hammock, and put me in a decently foul mood.

Trying to put on a happy face, we headed across town to Tent City. I scored some BBQ and Rose and I had a spaghetti dinner with an extremely nice church group. We met up with old friends, and hung out under a tarp with Hendrix, Joplin, Kenny, and White Rabbit while the rain came down. We briefly wandered with Rabbit from fire to fire, and then headed back to town.

Back at the hostel I found that somehow my hammock had been unlashed from the fence. My neighbors stakes on that side had also been removed, and both of our stuff was completely drenched. I'm not sure if this was a bizarre coincidence due to weather, or foul play, but it certainly was unfortunate. I dragged my stuff inside, and accessed the damage. My pack had its cover, so my gadgets had been protected, but my clothes, hammock and sleeping bag were drenched.

Woodchuck is an amazing host, and immediately offered me the spare bed in the living room, which I accepted guiltily. The whole experience left a terrible taste in my mouth. On this long distance trip I've become increasingly disappointed with the hammock. It often feels like all this extra trouble for nothing. I'm going to check out the vendors tomorrow and see if I can find a good deal on a solo tent, and send the hammock home.

So the first day of Trail Days I spent a little grumpy, which I feel bad about, but hopefully a good nights sleep and breakfast will improve my mood.

Day 31 - Storm Front

Miles Today - 22.7
Location - Vandeventer Shelter
Date - May 13

This was gonna be a long day, but a flat one. Perfect for cruisin' along. I popped out early, scarfing down a few Pop Tarts and pounding out some fast miles.

I took a quick break for brunch at a shelter, and met the Professor, an older section hiker who was almost done with the trail, just here to Damascus and then the Hundred Mile Wilderness.

Coming out of the shelter I met a handful of people slackpacking south. They told me of a huge trail magic party at the next gap. Oh. Oh yes. I jogged the next mile.

I arrived at the gap to find a trailer with a scruffy looking guy setting up a grill. I waved hello. He said something disparaging about Obama. This...did not seem like a party. I hung around, made some small talk, and he made no indication of sharing. Alllriiight? A little disappointed, I left.

I hiked for a few minutes through some grassy fields. Dejectedly, I crested a hill, and found a huge tent city sprawling out before me. Aha! The party! Set up by a group called Riff Raff, they were a rolling campsite towards Trail Days. I settled in to a lawn chair and had some cool drinks and donuts, while everyone tried to convince me to stay. Rose came and went, and I eventually managed to haul myself away.

Rejuvenated by the magic I cruised along. I stopped for a rest at a cosy shelter. Then onwards and upwards! A few miles down the trail I felt a drop of rain. Huh? The sky to my left, right, and ahead was blue. Straight above was grey. Uh oh. I bent down to secure my pack cover, and the rain picked up. Err. I pulled out the poncho, and it opened up. Thunder roared, and my exposed skin and clothing was instantly soaked. I pushed on, waterproof boots soaked, through a river of mud. Then the hail started, so hard and fast that I had to draw my arms into my poncho. And I could still see blue sky all around me. What was happening!?

It finally cleared, and I took a few minutes to wring out my socks. Jeeze. That was absurd. I headed on. An hour later, I happened to turn around and was greeted by the sight of another storm cloud.

Urp. I picked up the pace. Ahead of me I could see the ridge curving. If I made it there in time I might dodge it.

I did not. This time I took the hail/thunderstorm more in stride, belting out Thunderstruck at the top of my lungs (of course doing some sweet vocal guitar solos). As it began to die down I found a small shelter by the trail. I squeezed in to find a pair of hikers and a dog. Apparently this was an old, no longer maintained shelter. But the next one, my destination, was but 1.4 away! Back to cruisin'!

I literally ran. The rain died down, and then started up again as I skidded into the shelter! Score! My happiness died away as I opened my pack. I dampness had infused everything. I stripped down to my dryish pair of underwear and went to get water when the rain briefly broke. Down a muddy hill. A quarter mile. Screw you too Tennessee shelters.

I cooked dinner late, curled up in my bag, and then promptly crashed to the sound of another hailstorm smashing into the tin roof. What a day. The weather here makes just no sense.

Day 30 - Lakeside Lounging

Miles Today - 17.6 (more like 18.6 grumble grumble)
Location - Kincora Hostel
Date - May 12

Morning at Kincora was amazing. Jack, Bear, and Viking cooked up a breakfast of pancakes, tater tots, and breakfast burritos. A perfect start to the day. I bid everyone goodbye, and headed out.

The trail meandered around Laurel Falls, going through some beautifully large rock formations. It was...well, rocky, but a gorgeous place to trek through. Right after I headed up Pond Flats, a decently sized standalone mountain. The ascent went by quickly, and the views at the top were obscured by a corpse of trees. Disappointing.

At the bottom of the mountain a beautiful, extensive lake spread out. I plopped down at the beach and snacked aggressively. After about a half hour I pulled myself away.

The trail circled around the lake, which stretched off in all sorts of directions. I was totally drained of energy. And it was hot. I felt like all sorts of blah, trudging heavily up the trail.

I finally flopped into the shelter, totally beat. Where's the water? I asked. Back down the trail and down a huge hill. Mile round trip. Huzzzzah.

On the way down I met Poncho, an actor from New York, and Rose. Back at the shelter we cooked up dinner and chatted, before Poncho headed on further down the trail to camp. After that, I settled into my bag and finished my book as the sun set.

Day 29 - Baby Head Outbreak

Miles Today - 15.6
Location - Kincora Hostel
Date - May 11

I feel that I've reached an odd point in my life where 7am is considered "late." But still, 5:30 is too early to get up if you're on the third floor and make a lot if noise whilst getting your gear together. Good morning.

The hike today was short and over mostly flattish terrain. Which is to say up then down then up then down then up...you get the idea. So very quick going, but absolutely no views. I stopped for a quick brunch and cruised along under fluffy clouds and a blue sky to arrive at the hostel around 1.

Kincora is beautiful, an old wooden building covered in vines. An orange tabby greeted me at the drive and after making sure I was following and petting him intermittently, prowled his way to the porch. Cats at the hostel? Bonus points.

The place is run by an old fellow named Bob Peoples, also from Boston. Also there was a couple from Maine who cooked us a huge spaghetti dinner followed by ice cream and strawberry shortcake. Baltimore Jack, a trail legend for...some reason? He's...done it a bunch? I dunno. He's here, and a nice guy.

After dinner Bob gave some of us a ride to the local Food City to resupply. Ten of us crammed into the back of his truck. It was...not the most comfortable. On the way back it was worse, as we all had our groceries with us. Trail Lobster complained that he felt like a baby: too sore to support his limbs. I nodded, putting on my best steely look. "Noravirus, that's nothing. It's that Baby Head Syndrome you have to watch out for." Lobster flopped his head appreciably.

The bubble we've entered turned out to be the Lost Boys, about 10 guys and gals I'd been hearing about for some time now. They made a handful of challenges for hikers to complete, ranging from the Southern Belle (hike and hitch into town in a dress below the Mason Dixon Line, dudes only) to the Dobler Effect (hike a boom box to the top of a mountain and blast some tunes). I hung out with some of them, eating War Heads on the porch, as it grew dark.

Kincora Hostel, A+.

Day 28 - Bouncin' Bubbles

Miles Today - 18
Location - Mountaineer Falls Shelter
Date - May 10

The barn was a mine field if sleeping bodies in the morning. Apparently some people disagree with my definition of sleeping in being till 7.

In the morning I traipsed my way across a beautiful grassy ridge. Dark clouds gathered overhead, lending a feeling to the atmosphere akin to being unable to melee a Legion beast: foreboding (like, two people laughed at that obscure joke). Then again, I couldn't remember the last time the clouds had actually gone through with the threat.

A bit after reentering the forest the trees opened up on the right, giving me a nice view as I officially left North Carolina and entered Tennessee. It was comforting to know for sure where I was, and leave straddling the border behind.

I eventually spilled out onto a road, a small white church on the right. A tap was on the side, and hikers could fill up there. The moment I finished filling my bottles the skies opened up with a rending crack of thunder. I scurried under the back porch, and wearily put on my rain gear. The thunder continued, right over my head.

By the time my poncho was on, it had died down a little. I rejoined the trail and cruised for the last 5 miles. I arrived first of the day to the shelter, the rain having stopped some time ago.

Rose and I seem to have stumbled upon a large bubble where everyone knows everyone but us. Jay Weezie and crew had pushed on, and as darkness is falling we keep hearing people scream things like "ladies and gentlemen, the apocalypse has arrived!" Followed by a chorus of cheers.

Everyone seems to be angling to go to the Kincora hostel tomorrow. If today means anything though, I should be able to get there before anyone and snag some spots. The sky keeps threatening rain, but I'm beginning to believe I've been blessed with absurdly good weather luck, for whatever reason, so I'm not too worried. Onwards and upwards!

Day 27 - #barnparty2014

Miles Today - 17.2
Location - Overmountain Shelter
Date - May 9

To be a little more fair to the Greasy Creek owner, she was feeling sick and rather stressed. Which in turn made all of us rather stressed. And I did get to eat a pound of burger and a pint of ice cream (Scotchy Scotch Scotch), so, eh.

I made a decently early start, loitering around for some coffee and getting hiking by 8:45. The morning was busy, with some pretty big crowds of hikers, all headed to Overmountain Shelter. Rose posited later that we'd caught up to a big bubble, which makes sense. Lots of new faces.

Roan mountain dominated the morning hike. It was surprisingly easy. At the peak was the sight of an old hotel, the only thing left being a chimney. It straddled the state line in a time where alcohol was legal in one and not in the other. Apparently the sheriff stalked the ballroom and ticketed anyone who stepped across the line with a drink in their hands.

I stopped for lunch at the Roan Mountain Shelter, the highest shelter on the AT. It was cute, with four walls, a door, and a separate attic area. Tempting to stay, but I pushed on.

Down the mountain the trail spilled out onto some balds. That's my favorite kind of hiking, with the trail clearly visible ahead, grass all around, and the wind whipping at me. Dark clouds had loomed ahead all day, and they finally began to spit rain down as I went back under the treeline.

The rain cleared by the time I reached Overmountain. It's an old barn that's been converted into a shelter, and it's huge. It's also packed. I ended up in a corner of the rafters with Rose and the crew from the hostel: Jay Weezy, Banjo, Bill and Dancer.

Banjo and I both yogied some fuel from a hiker box a few days back, and it seems to be some kind of rocket fuel. My stove threw fire all over, prompting Dancer to slide some water over to me. Just in case.

New AT goal: catch up to that guy and make him cook with his own fuel.

Day 33 - Thru-Hiker Privilege

Miles Today - 18.6
Location - Thomas Knob Shelter
Date - May 15

I woke to a damp, drizzling, cold morning. 7:00 came and went, and I made the strategic decision to stay asleep. At 7:30 the rain had gone from drizzle to trickle, and I was out if excuses. Up and at 'em, kid.

The weather worsened until everything I owned was damp to its core as I trudged along. The AT briefly followed the Virginia Creeper Trail, a bike path, which would have provided nice views of the river and a wide, even path on a good day. Today it just meant I had less tree cover.

I did the first 6.4 miles to the next shelter and stopped for brunch and drying. The shelter was full of people still in their bags, hiding from the rain. I ate quickly and moved on, the weather having cleared some.

Through the early afternoon I hiked up towards Whitetop Mountain, going over fences and through pastures where cows grazed right on the trail. Ugh. Cows. They are very big, and very interested in you up close. It was a nerve wracking experience at times.

I quickly pushed over the peak, wreathed in clouds, and headed on to Mount Rogers. The trees were laden with water, and every gust of wind brought it splattering down. With only 1 mile to go the storm began anew, and I went from damp to soaked within minutes.

Water logged and shivering at 5400 elevation I stumbled into the shelter to find dry people in sleeping bags. Is there any way to make room for one more? Silence and awkward looks. Where'd you start from? Someone asked. 19 miles back, I said, stressing the distance. You? I swept the room. They had clearly zeroed.

I meant in general, where did you start? The person corrected. Oh, Amicalola. Silence. Springer? Silence. 500 miles ago? Awkward silence. It's times like this where I feel a little bad, but as a sopping wet thru-hiker who just did 19 miles uphill in the rain, I feel entitled to a shelter spot over some overnighter who took a zero. Yes, it's probably wrong, but at that moment I was not above guilt tripping them into making the room.

Luckily it was about then I spied the ladder. Yes! Rafters! I bounded up and found the rafters filled with section and thru hikers. My people! Seeing my state, they immediately made room. Rose joined us a bit later, and being decent, rafter dwelling folk, we made room as well. Downstairs people, *spits over shoulder*.

Day 32 - Drive Through Damascus

Miles Today - 19.6
Location - Saunders Shelter
Date - May 14

Towns are the best motivation. I somehow managed to wake up, pack out, and hike 10 miles in 3 and a half hours. I also crossed from Tennessee into Virginia, which is noteworthy because Tennessee is too cheap to install privies in shelters. Their inclusion is a marked improvement to the trail experience.

In town I hit the Dollar Store for a quick candy resupply, and got breakfast at the Blue Blaze Cafe with Rose and the Professor. Despite having already eaten breakfast, I attempted the all you can eat pancake challenge. Man were those pancakes large. Plate sized. I ate 7, a solid 12 short of the record. When I roll in for Trail Days I may do it on an empty stomach and try to regain my honor.

I hiked out first, belt buckle loose over my overladen stomach. 7 pancakes larger than my face on top of my normal hiker breakfast (two packs of Pop Tarts and a Cliff Builder bar) was not sitting well. And it had just gotten hot again. I hobbled and wheezed my way up the next 10 miles.

At the shelter I met Leah and Dustin, the cutest couple who were out camping for a week. They had been dating on an off since the 6th grade, and after an evening of lounging around with them have been rated in the top tier of Rose and my shelter companions. Sadly they were going SoBo, and sleep in, so we bid them farewell before going to bed.

I had set up my hammock for the first time in weeks because it was so nice out, and then a single cloud appeared and scared my inside. Good thing too, as the rain began to fall as the sun set. Blergh. Here's to not waking up to a damp, drizzling, cold morning.

Day 26 - Awol, You Cad

Miles Today - 20.7
Location - Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel
Date - May 8

I rose, as always, in the early morning. After getting my bear bag down I quickly packed up, munching on Pop Tarts, and got going. I planned on eating every last remaining food bite before the resupply, which at this point was four power bars, bacon bits, some noodles, and a Snickers.

The morning was low grade, gently sloping up to Unuka Mountain. I soon emerged into a gap where a middle aged gentleman was doing some magic. He was fascinated that a northerner would reach for sweet tea first, and I sat and talked with him for awhile while munching on fruit.

Unuka Mountain was a fairly easy ascent. The peak was covered in dense spruce forest, as was much of the descent. I ran into Persistant and Refugee slack packing south for the day, and then hit the shelter for lunch.

Soon after I came upon another gap with soda for magic. I learned later I left right before they ordered pizza, and trucked through the last few miles.

Greasy Creek was...not as described. Rose and I expected a full resupply, as indicated by Awol's guide (all hail the holy Awol!). Instead we found a small rack of power bars and original flavor oatmeal. Hmm. The owner was an older lady, perpetually flustered by nothing.

The hostel was fairly crowded, and we made a decent resupply of my mail drop, the store down the street, and the extra food Dancer offloaded. Down the street is sorta a misnomer. We were driven a few miles down back country roads in the middle of nowhere to a small convenience store and a grill for dinner. "What do people do around here?" Banjo asked. "Who knows? They all seem to think I'm a prostitute anyways." Her cat, curled up on my lap in the truck, stretched and purred in agreement.

Rose bought a jar of cheese salsa and poured it into a zip lock, as it was the closest thing resembling cheese they sold. That sums up the place.

Day 25 - American Hot, Please

Miles Today - 21.1
Location - Curly Maple Gap Shelter
Date - May 7

Lots of miles today. I was excited. I spent the morning flip flipping between Squirrel and White Rabbit as we passed babbling brooks and...simpering streams? Eh.

The good weather continued to hold. Which was now a problem. Squirrel had described the night before a trip to a Thai restaurant. "It comes spicy, right?" The waitress paused. "Do you want it American spicy, or Thai spicy?" Today was Thai hot. I believe I clearly ordered American hot.

We met Kenny at No Business shelter for lunch. There was noticeably no privy. No business allowed.

The trail to Erwin was mostly downhill, and fairly low grade. But it was hot. Hoooot. Did I mention the heat? Pulling into the outfitters I immediately got a vending machine soda and guzzled it. Then I got another and nursed it. Ice cold drinks, so nice.

While charging my phone and resupplying on snacks for the next day (because I had enough but like to pig out when possible) I had to fight off people trying to convince me to stay in Erwin and swim in the river. Staying strong, I pulled myself away after only a half hour.

There were only 5 miles left, and they were low grade mostly, but it was just so hot. A few times I just had to stop to pull my shirt off and skulk in the shade. When I reached the shelter I flopped and lay in a puddle of sweat for a bit. Aw...

I met CAT, a Taiwanese, Chinese, American whose shelter logs I had been reading for weeks. We were joined later by Atlas, a French Canadian, and Yellow Beard, who had a terrible accident in the wind to earn his trail name. After spending an embarrassing amount of time trying to hang a bear bag (only to have everyone else just hang in the shelter!) Rose and I plotted out the next week.

After a brief incident with a spider who did not want to die encroaching on Rose's bag, I retired to bed. Tomorrow is a 20 with a single real mountain, so it should be mostly cruising. Fingers crossed it cools down a bit though, or I may have to ooze into the hostel.

Day 24 - "These Are My Bug Repellent"

The title should be read while making karate hands .

Miles Today - 18.9
Location - Bald Mountain Shelter
Date - May 6

The good weather holds, though with the good weather comes a not so fine coating of sweat that transforms into a few inches of salt and grime. It's...lovely.

I zipped off in the morning, pushing through to the first shelter before it got too hot. Squirrel and White Rabbit were already there, and gloated that they beat me to it. We ate lunch, and I headed out first.

We had an early afternoon of downhills, and remembering something that Kenny had told me a week or so ago, I decided to try running down. It's an interesting way to move: step, step, swiiing on your poles. Fast, surprisingly gentle on the knees, but mentally draining. Normally you can zone out while walking, but running requires 100% focus.

In the late afternoon I ascended on Big Bald. It was a nice moment, as the peak had been looming in my vision for hours. The view was breathtaking. Moments like that remind me why I hike. The descent was some of the best hiking I'd done so far, through gorgeous grassy fields with the mountains stretching out around me. I felt a pang of sadness as the woods closed back in, but the shelter was soon after.

I chatted with Northern Lights for a bit until the rest of the crew arrived: Rose, Squirrel, White Rabbit, and Kenny. I'd been getting excellent sleep with plenty of room in the past few nights, so I snuggled down happily as the sun set. Big day tomorrow.

Day 23 - Slowpoke De Mayo

Miles Today - 12.7
Location - Flint Mountain Shelter
Date - May 5

Cinco de Mayo! Huzzah? I'll pretend it didn't take me all day to realize. Or that it was relevant.

Today I was moving sluggishly on purpose, as I had only 13ish to do to let Rose catch up. So I woke up nice and late. 7:15. Aw yis. I even ate a Pop Tart sitting down. I was going by 7:45. Much slow. Very lazy. Wow.

The morning was a steep rock scramble, leading to some nice views. Later on I pulled myself up a hill and found myself in a park. A poorly kept, overgrown park. But still. I expected some guys to be tossing a Frisbee around, at 5000 feet.

I turned my phone on to take a picture and discovered I had reception. Sweet! My four bars lasted three minutes into my phone call before deciding not to transmit my voice anymore. I take reception where I can get it though, so no complaints.

First at the shelter, I filtered water and settled in to read. Giggles and the two British gentlemen showed up in the early afternoon. Squirrel and White Rabbit came in for dinner and moved on a few more miles to tent. Rose arrived hot off the heels of a "gnarly" 22 miler. All in all, a day best exemplified by a long yawn.

Day 22 - Overshoot

Miles Today - 19.6
Location - Little Laurel Shelter
Date - May 4

I did not sleep in. I made it to 7 though. I showered, and downed a coffee while packing up. I was only planning on doing 11 today, so loitering was fine. I was out by 8. I'm becoming terrible at being lazy.

The sun was bright. Almost too bright. We're supposed to have a week of wonderful weather. Then again, this is on the heels of a week of supposedly terrible weather that turned out okay, so my personal prediction is stormy. I think my weather karma is due to be balanced out.

I ended up rolling into the shelter at 1. Hurm. Rose was definitely sleeping in, and would end up here. But I would feel silly stopping at 1. I had a quick lunch and headed out. Next shelter, 9ish away!

It got hotter, and I grew a little sluggish. I pushed by the temptations of a hostel with a cafe and a little convenience store. I had too much food as is. I hit the shelter at 5, tired but feeling good about almost pulling a 20.

I had left notes to Rose at both shelters, and tomorrow plan to do just 12 and a bit to let her catch up. I'm gonna try my best to sleep in and make some hot breakfast. My expectations are low.

Day 21 - Zero Hero

Miles Today - 0
Location - Hot Springs
Date - May 3

I blinked myself awake at 6 in the morning. Damn. Maybe watching some cartoons would help? I watched TV on my phone for an hour. Nope. I sighed, resigned myself to my fate, and got up to drink some coffee.

I had my resupply to do, so I hit the diner for breakfast, then the Dollar General next door. Then...huh. I had a whole day to do...nothing. Commence lounging on the lawn!

Rose and I met up to talk plans in the afternoon. The time for lazy days was over! We had been pulling 15-18 mile days and hitting shelters in the early afternoon. We would do one short day out of Hot Springs, and then 4 days of 20s into a hostel by the trail. Operation Kick Those Miles' Butts.

I got a 16 ounce burger for dinner and did more lounging. It's bizarre having so many hours to kill. I ended up in bed fairly early, telling myself that this night I would actually be able to sleep in.

Day 20 - Diner Dash

Miles Today - 3
Location - Hostel at the Laughing Heart
Date - May 2

If I can do anything well, it's leave a shelter well before anyone else has so much as rubbed the sleep from their eyes. And on a day when town is only a handful of miles away, and none of my remaining food is appealing, oh man do I fly.

The town of Hot Springs is full to the brim with concert goers, but the Laughing Heart caters exclusively to hikers. I managed to snag a single room, and headed into town early. Hot Springs is a tiny town, just a single main street lined with stores. That main street also happens to be part of the Appalachian Trail, which is awfully convenient. My day revolved around various food options, french toast for breakfast, a burger sandwiched between two grilled cheeses for lunch, and wood grilled pizza for dinner. Because Rose was zeroing in town to hang with her boyfriend I had all of tomorrow to do my chores, so I made sure to laze around and enjoy it.

A special shoutout to Queen Diva at the Hiker's Ridge Ministries, a lovely lady who catalogs pictures of thru-hikers, and gives them wifi and cookies. A special calling out to the public library that charges you to use their computers. Come on. Who does that.

The music festival in town is drawing in the crowds, but is incredibly expensive on my poor hiker budget, so I believe I will be passing. The hostel is an excellent place to stay and lounge, despite being about ten minutes out of town. Hikers drift in and out, leaving and taking tons of free food and supplies, perfectly exemplifying the trail in that way. There's fresh coffee out in the mornings and I've already enjoyed a few bags of microwave popcorn that were sitting around the kitchen. It's definitely for hikers, by hikers, a place where real names are irrelevant, and the proprietor signs you in with your trail name.

Tonight I intend to both stay up late, and sleep in late, two things I haven't done in the past 20 days. We'll see how hard old habits die when the sun comes up though.

Day 19 - Mist Walk

Miles Today - 14.8
Location - Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Date - May 1

The storm finally caught up to us, loud pelts of rain on the tin roof stirring me awake. I was also roused by a night hiker who meandered through, looking for a spot in the full shelter. I watched him by his red light, a little leery as I had just heard about a SoBo hiker who steals food at night, before quickly falling into a tired sleep again.

My food was there in the morning. A heavy mist covered everything, limiting visibility to only about 15 feet. I became briefly lost, but only wasted about 10 minutes on a side trail before arriving back on track. I ate brunch at a mist shrouded shelter, and pushed on.

Going into Hot Springs today would be easy. But Rose is spending Friday and Saturday there to meet her boyfriend, and I'd like to be at most a day ahead of her. Another zero on Saturday does sound nice though. But then I certainly don't want to waste money on a motel tonight. So I ended taking a short day, and rolled into the shelter at 1:00, as the mist began to give away to a bright sun.

Yeesh. That's early. Much of the crew from last night showed up in time, and we chatted about our Hot Springs plans while gorging on our extra food supplies. As the afternoon grew later we decided it was quiet time, and retreated to bags/tents for a few hours. A lot of people like to tent out on nice days like this, but I prefer a shelter to keep my mornings short and sweet. There's a diner in Hot Springs that I want to be at as early as possible.

Day 18 - Perfect Timing

Miles Today - 18.7
Location - Roaring Fork Shelter
Date - April 30th

They said it was going to storm last night into today. After the last 3 days of weather and forecasts, I am now convinced the weathermen/women are on vacation and are randomly phoning in their predictions.

To be fair, it sure as hell looked like it would rain today. Dark clouds rolled overhead as I made my way down early to Standing Bear Farm. I briefly got lost when the trail joined the highway, but was pointed in the right direction by a nice couple in an RV.

The farm/hostel was quaint, the kind that made want to spend the rest of the day there. It was still packed with hikers, but I managed to slip in, grab some breakfast, and slip out without wasting much time. The wind picked up as I hit the first bald of the day, where an air control tower lay.

After a meandering afternoon I arrived at Max Patch. It was a beautiful bald, rolling hills of grass descending into idyllic farmland that made me want to fly to England and walk the countryside. I had blue sky above, but the dark clouds hovered menacingly all around me.

I quickly descended to the shelter, doing today's miles by 4. Not bad. There's a good crowd, though the shelter log is full and none of us could write anything. It drizzled as I set up my bag and snacked, but the rain stopped the moment I left to filter water. When I returned the fog descended and the rain began again. I seem to have perfected the ability to avoid the bad weather. Not bad.

Day 17 - Tornados, Rain, and Bears! Oh My!

Miles Today - 18.7
Location - Davenport Gap Shelter
Date - April 29th

Alright, to be fair the tornado and the rain wasn't that bad. Overnight they howled and lightning crashed close to the shelter, but as day broke much of it had calmed. The wind still roared, occasionally uprooting a tree, but yet again the weather denied the forecast.

The rain slowed to a drizzle when I reached the first shelter, stopping in for brunch. By noon the sun was shining again, and as I descended most of the way out of the park it grew quite warm. I had rushed through the miles today, and arrived at the shelter around 2. Rose had beaten me there, and we lounged around, chatting with hikers who passed on their way to the hostel 3 miles down the trail.

As night drew nearer a decent crowd had gathered, and we sat outside cooking. That was when we saw the first bear. It was down the slope from us, and quickly took flight up and away on the trail when we took notice.

The second bear was much less worried by us. It stalked up the hill, watched by its cubs, and meandered around our shelter for over an hour. The chain link fence we had mocked before, caging in the shelter, felt much more comforting now. It ripped into another hiker's tarp and tent, hung out to dry, before we could rescue it. We eventually locked up and retired to our bags, amazed by its nonchalant attitude towards us. But hey, at least I got to see a bear before I left the Smokies.

Day 15 - Reflection

Miles Today - 0

I stayed in Gatlinburg all day, doing chores, eating food, and lounging around the motel with the other hikers.

Today I just wanted to briefly write about where I am mentally with this trip. I set out intent to reach Maine before the term began, but I've begun to rethink the objective. For one, I no longer feel much of a desire to complete the trail. For another, while the pace I set would be doable, it wouldn't be much fun to rush rush rush my way to the north.

So I've decided to walk till I feel like stopping. Hiking has always been about accomplishment for me, and having my only goal be Maine makes it harder to feel good about each day. So I'm setting smaller goals. Next stop is Hot Springs, and I'll plan from there. This is all to say that I may be out here for another week, another month, or maybe the whole summer after all. We'll see.

So far though, I've been having a hell of a good time on the trail. If you ever are having doubts about the goodness of people, take a walk on the AT. The kindness shown by people on and off the trail is staggering. The strong sense of community among long distance hikers is evident each day on the trail, each night at a shelter, and in towns when two of you pass, poles click clacking on the cement.

It's a wonderful place, and I'm having a wonderful time. How much longer I'll be out here is something I still have to figure out, but I'll continue living it up until then. Cheers.

Day 16 - Surprise! It Doesn't Suck!

Miles Today - 15.6
Location - Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Date - April 28th

It was a quiet morning at the Grand Prix. As I shuffled around, making tea and eating Pop Tarts, I exchanged tired nods with the bleary eyed inhabitants of room 36, who had most likely partied too hard last night to catch their shuttle.

Grabbing some candy from the general store, I munched on peach rings and Dr. Pepper gum in the back of the van. We didn't get started until 11, all of us nervously eying the sky. A tornado had killed 18 people south of us, and it was on its way north. The forecast was rain today, storm tomorrow, and rain some more after that.

But then, by some stroke of luck, the weather held. The sun shone down through puffy clouds as I created ridge after ridge. I knocked off 16 miles today in just over 6 hours, including time for admiring views and eating lunch. It felt great. And oh man, the views were the best they've ever been. A rock formation called John's Bunion provided a particularly splendid view of the valleys below.

The shelter is as crowded as I've ever seen. About 30 of us are inside, hiding from the coming storm. I arrived too late for a real spot, so along with Rose I'm sleeping bagged out on the dirt. But there's a roof over my head and a tarp behind me to keep out the rain, so I have few complaints.

Day 14 - Perfection

Miles Today - 12.5

Yesterday was terrible, no denying it. At every turn something seemed to go wrong. Today was perfect. I guess the trail balances itself out, sometimes in extreme ways.

I woke early and broke camp as the light trickled onto the ridge. Persistence sauntered over to me as I was getting out my remaining food (a Snickers and a Cliff bar) and said "205." I nodded, a little grimly. That was 4 miles past Clingam's Dome, the highest point on the AT. I'd have to make my food last.

They lasted an hour. It was chilly, but bright and warming quickly. The ground was slick with mud and puddles from the day before. I quickly pulled into the next shelter, and debated poking around to see if Rose was still there, but judging from the snores coming from within I'd be disturbing a lot of people if I did.

The trek to the Dome felt fast and easy. The weather had reached a perfectly warm point, and the trail felt greener than ever before. I ascended the curving observation tower to be immediately swarmed with what seemed like hundreds of purple shirted middle schoolers, who made taking clear pictures mostly impossible. I descended, doing my best not to bowl over any children who were below my sight line.

"Is there an elevator to that tower?" One of them panted, coming up the road. I giggled.

The path down from the Dome was buzzing with life. Not just was it a solid green tunnel, but it was infested with flies, hovering in swarms over the fetid puddles. Just as I started getting hungry, an older couple passed by. They offered me two apples, and I thought I was about to faint from sheer gratitude. All smiles, we both went our ways.

A mile later I came out to a green field lying below a parking lot. As I came around the bend I saw Persistence's tent drying on the grass. 205. Yes.

I spent a little under an hour there, waiting for Rose. They had a grill going, and bags of chips, cookies, candy, and soda. I kept being encouraged to eat and ended up pitting down 2 burgers, 2 dogs, and more of the others than I could count. It was heaven.

A man in a day pack, named Godspeed, came through, and offered the assembled masses of hikers a shuttle into town from Newfound Gap. Even better! Rose and I picked up and did the fastest 1.7 miles I think I've ever hiked.

At the gap (which hold the North Carolina Tennessee state line, though we've been straddling it for days) Godspeed and his wife, Mountain Momma, had desserts, sodas, and sandwiches for us. They told us about how Godspeed and his son had started a thru hike, only to be stopped when Godspeed caught a bad virus. He told his son to go on without him, but when he hiked the 5 miles to the nearest road his son was there waiting for him. "We started, together, we'll finish together." When they got home they discovered his son, trail name Aslan, had a brain tumor. The doctors said it was inoperable, and gave him only a few months.

Aslan went in for surgery to drill a hole in his skull, to let the brain fluid have a place to drain. His family gathered to pray for mercy, knowing that a brain tumor was a hard way to go. The surgeon went to the waiting room to discuss the procedure with Mountain Momma, and as she was leaving, Momma asked her name so that they could pray for her specifically. The surgeon smiled. "Mercy."

Aslan made a full recovery against the odds, and he and Godspeed finished their hike, together.

Godspeed also warned us that Gatlinburg was like Vegas, only without the gambling. He warned us that he gave out his number so that we could update them on our trip, not to call to ask for bail. I couldn't tell if he was joking.

Gatlinburg is certainly an experience. It's a long strip packed with over the top amusements and restaurants. The streets are packed, with people and cars swarming from attraction to attraction. It's beautiful. It's terrifying. It's a tourist wonderland.

Rose and I are booked at the Grand Prix Motel at the edge of town. We went to a local brewery for dinner, eating with Half Moon, a free lance writer on his third thru hike we had met the day before. I stuffed myself silly while Rose worked hard to convince him to hike the Pacific Crest Trail next.

Beat, I retired to our room and crashed hard. Tomorrow is for shopping, as I need food, and especially some sandals, to wear around camp. There's also a BBQ joint down the street with a highly recommended breakfast buffet. Gatlinburg is certainly crazy, but I look forward to the day off.

Day 13 - Make Up Your Mind!

Miles Today - 17.5

I awoke to birds chirping in the morning sun. Ah. A moment later more rain than I've ever seen fell from the sky and all hell broke loose.

It was that kind of day. The weather alternated several times between gorgeous and torrential rain. I got soaked to the bone and then completely dried three times over.

My appetite has been growing by leaps and bounds. While I left the NOC thinking I had too much food, I now wish I had taken more. Luckily I ran into Refugee's partner (whose name I should really figure out. Also Refugee has left the trail for a week or two), and she told me her parents are doing trail magic on Clingam's Dome tomorrow. Hot dogs and hamburgers. Perfect. I scarfed down the remainder of my snacks.

The shelter was full of people doing minimal millage to hide from the rain, so I set up the hammock nearby. It's supposed to be nice tonight and tomorrow though. Rose went on another 1.7 miles, so I'll wake up early as always and try to catch up in the morning. I'll hit the Dome and wait for that cookout, and then will head into Gatlinburg for some serious relaxation.

Day 12 - In a (Fontana) Jam

Miles Today - 17.6

The Smokies require a permit to travel through. It can be purchased and printed online, or in person at Gatlinburg of Fontana Dam. Or, I thought, the Fontana Dam visitor center on the trail right before the park.

Spoiler alert: this last thing is not true.

Today was beautiful, like the one before. I woke to find my ears were lightly sunburned. Hum. Today I would enter the Smokies, passing by Fontana Dam. I had debated popping into town for a quick hot meal, but my guidebook said the Visitor Center sold snacks, so I figured I'd just get some candy there as an afternoon treat.

Spoiler alert: this would also not work out as planned.

My knee was still twinging, but only on the downhill, so luckily it was 7 miles of downhill to reach the Fontana Hilton shelter on the trail (a shelter with running water and a bathroom! I wish so much I had stayed there!). I made it down alright and guzzled a Mr. Pib from a vending machine, watching Squirrel and another hiker (a physical therapist) get on the shuttle to Fontana. The AT merged briefly onto a road and I arrived at the Visitor Center a few miles later.

I saw Refugee and...damn, I've forgotten her name. Which is bad, because she's one of the few hikers I've seen more than once. Anyways, I cheerfully asked if the store was open. They looked up glumly and shook their heads.

"But we can still get permits here, right?" They shared a look.

"You didn't see?"

"See what?" My panic was rising.

Apparently on a bulletin board there had been a sign announcing the lack of permits sold at the center. Oh no. I'd lose a whole day if I had to go into town. I hesitantly walked into the center, a vague idea forming. "Could I borrow your phone?" I asked of the elderly pair behind the counter.

They allowed it, and soon I was talking to the permit people on the phone. After describing my situation, they let me buy a permit on the phone, and then simply write down the confirmation number. Phew.

As I circled around back to fill my water, I saw two ladies struggling with bringing boxes into the general store. I loped over to help, and they were so grateful they offered me a free candy bar and let me buy some snacks, despite the fact that they were closed. Score!

As I retreated to the dam (which is the bridge into the Smokies) I ran into Rose. Oh shoot! She also didn't have her permit. I explained how she could get one, and then, snacking on Moon Pies, entered the park.

The ascent was rough, mostly due to the heat. The Smokies seemed more alive than the rest of the trail, with more leaves, grass, and in some parts breathtaking expanded of flowers. I arrived at the shelter around 5, and snuggled into a corner spot in the rafters. Perfect.

Over dinner I listened to an ex-nuclear sub technician tell stories to a pair of Special Forces inclined fellows. When Rose arrived we talked through plans. She was meeting her boyfriend on Friday in Hot Springs, meaning she would have to slow down or she would arrive too early. I wanted to avoid the weekend crowds in the Smokies, so we decided to take a zero on Sunday in Gatlinburg.

The Smokies are nice, and now that I have the elevation it looks like easy ridge walking to the city. Should be a nice few days.

Day 11 - Breaks and Ladders

Miles Today - 15.2

At 2 in the morning the dog at the shelter, Shady Security, began to growl. As he let loose a few low, rumbling barks, the shelter stirred to life and headlamps clicked on. I was peeved, and had to pee. And apparently someone had seen some eyes outside. Undeterred, and a little grumpy with all the commotion, I swung down and went a few feet into the woods, scanning for any predators. Whatever it was had long gone.

Today was the first day that was beautiful from sunrise to sunset. I bolted from the shelter in the early morning, first out as always. As I crested the bald I munched on my last honey buns, noting that I would need to buy some pop tarts at the Fontana Visitor Center, if possible.

The first few hours were a little treacherous, as the ground was still wet. My poles sunk dangerously low into the mud and keeping my footing was sometimes an issue. Just before noon I crested Jacob's Ladder, but failed to find any views. Figures that on the clearest day I felt most oppressed by the dead trees that ring the trail.

I stopped for lunch, snacking and reading, and pushed on downhill. On a particularly rocky section I placed my pole on what turned out to be several feet of leaves, not ground, lost balance, and tumbled. I ended up alright, but developed a twinge in my left knee. I took it slow for the rest of the afternoon, stopping frequently on the downhills to not over stress my knee.

Cable Gap shelter is small, in a quaint way, and has a stream right out front. I picked a corner spot and settled in. I snacked, read, ate some Pad Thai noodles for dinner, and then passed the time around a fire.

Tomorrow I enter the Smokies. I need to stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a permit (and hopefully some snacks), and I'm hoping that after a good night's sleep my knee will have recovered.

Day 10 - NOC, NOC, Mail's Here

Miles Today - 18.4

Happily, it did not rain last night. Unhappily, it was saving it all for the afternoon.

The morning was warm and bright. It was going to be a hard day, with some extreme elevation loss then gain. I was a little stiff, but feeling pretty good as I stumbled onto the trail, the first one out as always.

Beginning with an ascent up to a fire tower, dark clouds were gathering overhead and a light drizzle was starting. I pulled myself to the top of the tower, briefly enjoyed the view, and then hid underneath it to chow down on some Fritos. When I got back on the trail I stupidly ended up going the wrong direction, and wasted ten minutes correcting the mistake.

After a ridiculous descent I arrived at the NOC around noon. Going to the outfitter's, I grabbed my mail drop and then went down to the river, out of the rain to open it.

Inside I found food. Oh so much food. Too much food. I grabbed some snacks to help get me to Gatlinburg, ate a huge lunch, and then packed the rest up and shipped it ahead to a motel in Gatlinburg. I briefly considered getting some hot food at one if the restaurants, but knew if I did I wouldn't want to push on anymore that day. So trying hard to ignore the guy eating a huge pizza outside I put the NOC behind me.

The next 8 or so miles were rough. The rain had settled down, but the mist had drifted in, limiting views to just about nothing. Weary and footsore, I trugded into a busy shelter. Lots of new faces, which is the norm as I mostly leave the old ones behind.

I got a corner spot in the rafters (score!) and settled in. We had a fire going in the shelter which clogged everything up with smoke. First tears were shed here, as the smoke filled my eyes trying to put out my bag. Rose arrived an hour or so after me, and from the register I learned that Bear Juice is about a day ahead. My Lo Mein noodles burned my pot a bit, so I had to scour it out some in the river. After the fire burned low we retired to our bags, the shelter still smelling vaguely of smoke. Perhaps that will help keep the mice at bay.

Day 9 - First View In Forever

Miles Today - 15.8

Today was the first day I really felt great. The good night's sleep helped, but today for the first time I really felt like I had gotten stronger. My pack, although heavy, felt lighter, and I pounded through the miles in no time.

It helped that it was beautiful out too. I grabbed a caramel latte and munched on some honey buns from my pack, waiting for the shuttle. I didn't get going until 9:30, but a bag of Easter chocolate awaited us at the gap. Magic! I munched on that throughout the morning, feeling great.

The trail took me over two impressive balds. The first I only skirted the summit of, but the second had an old stone tower where I parked to eat lunch and enjoy the view.

The rest of the trail was uneventful, and I rolled into the shelter around 4. The first one there, I picked an edge spot, filtered my water from the stream ten feet away, and curled up to read.

The shelter (and surrounding tent sites) were happening tonight. Rose showed up a little after I did and we planned our next day. Twirls I had passed at the tower, and we spent some time sharing bug battling strategies. Dexter and I discussed terrible TV show ending, and I learned he was an extra on Teen Wolf some time ago. I finally met Purple, who has been painting everyone's nails...you guessed it, purple. I've been seeing her handiwork for the past few days, and got my own right hand done up. Along with six or so others, we all cooked and chatted our way to nightfall, the chief topic of conversation: did anyone know where Salty Balls was?

Tomorrow the elevation will be crazy. I'll lose a few thousand feet in the morning, and then gain it all back by night. Rose and I are thinking of going 18 or so miles to a shelter, stopping mid day at the NOC. I have some food from my family waiting there, and hopefully will be able to grab a burger from the restaurant. Here's hoping my new found strength holds!

Day 8 - Lazy Day

Miles Today - 7.3

I woke at 6:30 to a half lit shelter. Feeling an urge to get to town as quickly as possible, I scampered around the rafters to put my stuff in order, setting out as the rest of the shelter was just stirring.

The short hike was easy and beautiful as the sun poked its head over the mountains. The moment I set foot on the road the shuttle pulled up, and I gladly piled in.

In town I was dropped straight at the motel. My room was still being cleaned so I headed out to McDonalds for breakfast and to post my previous three days. I had wifi, but sadly no reception.

I spent the afternoon lazily watching movies on TV (Forrest Gump and The Last Samurai), waiting for the 4:00 shuttle to the outfitter's/Walmart. As 4 rolled around I went to the parking lot to find that Rose had arrived, but Bear Juice had decided to push on. At the outfitter's I bought a cheap, small, ground mat for when I slept at shelters (which was becoming every night if possible). At Walmart I bought noodles of all kinds, and then a bunch of terrible for me snack foods to keep me happy.

Back at the motel I took a quick walk to Domino's and bought a horrific amount of pizza and cinna-stix, laying on a grassy slope to pig out in the shade. I rolled back to the motel bloated and happy.

I know I will be resting in Gatlinburg, a town another 100 miles away, but I have yet to plan my resupplies along the way. An outfitter/resort sits on the trail about a day away, and my family has mail dropped food there, so that will at least be a stop. Tomorrow my pack will be heavy with food, but I look forward to stretching my legs.

Day 7 - Fire Tower

Miles Today - 16.2

Woke up this morning not only cocooned in my bag, but between Rose and Cruiser. It was lightly drizzling, so I quickly packed up, crammed my pockets with food, and set out. The first few miles were an ascent up Standing Indian Mountain, which was wreathed in clouds.

At around 11 the rain began to clear and the clouds drifted away. I stopped at a nice vista and had lunch with Bear Juice. The rest of the day was rolling hills until a steep ascent to a fire tower, which marks the 100 mile point. As I was summiting, the rain returned, but I still pulled myself up the stairs to the top of the tower, only to find it locked! Damn it!

I slouched down the last few miles, arriving at the shelter around 3. With hours to kill, Bear Juice, Rose, Yogi and I chatted in the rafters. This shelter was built last year and is all sorts of big.

I'm planning on staying in Franklin tomorrow to rest, relax, and resupply. The others might stop in to supply as well. I only have a 7 mile hike to the crossing, so I'll be taking a "nero" (not quite a zero).

Day 6 - Border Crossing!

Miles Today - 20.3

I managed to learn the names of the two hikers I've been with: Rambling Rose and Bear Juice. Awkwardness avoided!

I woke up this morning to find I had rolled three feet over with my nose inches from a seven foot drop to the shelter floor. Uh oh. I scrambled back and scrunched up in my bag, building up the willpower to face the chilly morning. I few minutes later I found the energy to get my coat on, grab my food for the day, pack up and get going by 7:40 or so.

Today's hike involved a lot of good ascents that teasingly skirted the peaks, providing absolutely no views. The sky was grey and foreboding all day, the rumor that rain was to start at around 4.

Close to noon I came across Rose, eating chips in a tortilla at the GA/NC border. Another hiker named Atlas joined us, and we all snapped some pictures. Past the border was a very twisted, gnarled tree in a clearing, perfect for a photo opp, but by that point my phone was off.

The rain did indeed start around 4, coming in pitter-patters. I slipped on my pack cover, but left off the poncho. The final ascent was tough, but the poor weather and my growling stomach spurred me on. I arrived at the shelter a little before 6, and squeezed my bag in.

There's 8 of us crammed in here, lined up like sardines. It's very cozy, and very warm. Tomorrow we're doing either 16 or 19 miles, and the day after stopping in Franklin. Hopefully the fact that it's Easter Sunday (something we had all forgotten) won't stop us from getting rides. For now, it's time to settle into my bag with a belly full of noodles, and get some good reading done.

Day 5 - Post Rest

Miles Today - 13.1

I woke up at 7 as always, which was a half hour before the alarm I had set. In that moment I did the math of how long I could stay in this bed before I ran out of money. But the temptation of a hot shower was too strong, and I soon hopped out of bed. I picked up breakfast at Subway and ate it while packing and watching Spongebob. At 9 I was on a shuttle headed back to the trail.

In the shuttle was a big family with a husky, and a few other long distance hikers. We chatted about where we were from and the weather, i.e. basic hiker chat.

The first part of the trail today was a pair of tall mountains. I pushed up both, feeling much better. As the terrain became more hilly my toes started aching again, maybe I wasn't all better after all. I spent the whole day passing back and forth between three other hikers (whose names I cannot remember, I am so bad at names). At the end of the day was about a 700 foot gain, which felt brutal on my weary muscles, and then a drop back down. I was very happy to arrive at the shelter.

After chatting, reading, and eating my noodles I set up my sleeping bag in the rafters. I love rafters! Score! And I got a whole wing to myself to spread out in. There was a mouse sighting, so tomorrow I may be very upset with a sleeping bag full of holes, but I have faith. Tomorrow two of the hikers I hung out with today are thinking of doing about 20 miles to a shelter, and I hope to feel well enough to join them. If not, I'll stop 5 or so miles short at another. Now off the massage my toes and fight off the mice!

Day 4 - Magic

Miles Today - 15.4

Last night was rough. I did not fully understand how cold it would be. My foot warmers ended up in my food bag, and stumbling around in the arctic temperatures to retrieve them did not seem like a fun prospect. So I curled up and gritted my teeth through the night.

The morning was a bit better. My second pair of socks and bandana had frozen solid. It took a lot of willpower to crawl out of my mummy bag. I packed up quickly and wished my companion good luck. I immediately realized that the last night had left me unprepared for the miles today. I was stiff, sore, and my long toes felt bruised from smashing down hills. I set a slower pace, resting up a lot. The icy temperatures made me stow my poles and shove my hands deep in my pockets.

The trail wasn't that bad, made up of rolling ups and downs. Trees blocked out any views, but by noon it had turned sunny and warm. I continued to start and stop my way along the trail, snacking and meeting a whole bunch of people. A group of Canadians down for 10 days from Alberta, Mad Max, hiking the trail in his year off from studying economics, Fancy Pants, who's section hiking her way through the South.

At Unicoi Gap Fancy Pants offered me and another hiker a ride to Hiawassee. I graciously accepted, excited to stay in a motel and rest up. But first we came across Peaches, who was doing some trail magic at the Gap. I gorged on sodas, chips, and Oreos, feeling beat after a hard day.

At Hiawassee I poked my head into the Budget Inn. The sign had the "no" in "no vacancies" lit up, but it was the cheapest place in town so I wanted to be sure. The manager took one look at me, and decided to give me one of his rooms that someone else had reserved earlier. "You get a feel for people, you know? And I feel this guy isn't gonna show." Charging me only 40 bucks for the 80 dollar room he handed me my key. And gosh what a room. TV, kitchen, fridge, shower and two beds. I feel like I'm in heaven.

After resting up on the couch here I plan to hit the town for supplies and a big ol' dinner at the Chinese restaurant around the corner. But not before a good shower. Tomorrow I plan to take it slow, as I think my feet with still be howling, and stop at a shelter either 8 or 14 miles down the road. The gain tomorrow looks challenging, so tonight's rest will be much appreciated.

Day 3 - Opposite of Day 1

Miles Today: 19.4

On Sunday I was peeling off my shirt at every break, and my hands were so slick with sweat holding my poles was problematic. Today I wore every article of clothing I have, and my fingers were completely frozen into talons around my poles.

But that was the afternoon. The morning wasn't too much better. I woke at 7 in the rain, and slept in till 8, hoping it would subside. It did not. Everything wet or damp, I packed up and headed out by 8:30. Not wanting to filter water in the rain, I decided to push only with only a quarter liter.

Around 10 the rain stopped. But the wind started. Still covered by a dense fog, the wind chilled me to the bones as I trudged up Blood Mountain (luckily not aptly named). The miles today were fairly easy, but the wind made it hell.

Around 2 I reached Neel's Gap and quickly ducked into the outfitter's. I bought and guzzled down a Sprite, and then browsed the web and bought some food as my phone charged. Here I picked up some water, and then fighting the urge to stay at the hostel, pushed on.

The next 5.5 miles were easy, but the wind was so fierce keeping my poles on the ground was becoming difficult. I struggled on to where I thought the shelter was, only to find it was a mile off the trail. Ugh!

The shelter is not the best, offering only a little protection against the wind. The other hiker here and I are in our respective tents/hammocks, in the shelter, to stay warm. Tonight is supposed to be frigid, but tomorrow should be warm. I might take a slow day and stop at an early shelter, or go further and try to hitch into town. I'm just excited for above 50 temperatures!

Day 2 - Too Much Fog

Miles Today - 17.2

Today I had to skip the shelter and push on to Woody Gap, so that tomorrow I could avoid an area of the trail where camping is restricted save for those with bear canisters. Of course that meant today is the day it started pouring.

I left the shelter at 7:45, full of energy. Singing some songs to myself I passed Skeeter, eating breakfast by a stream at Three Forks, a lovely waterfall. Skipping the view I pressed on. The fog was dense, and I knew at any second it would start raining.

The morning was uneventful, and I stopped to rest at a road crossing before I started doing my serious elevation of the day. As I began up the first mountain the rain started. I switched into my poncho and pushed on, bandana sopping wet. Up another mountain and then across a few miles of slight ups and downs I reached the Gooch shelter at around 1:00.

Unpacking to dry off a little, I chatted with the people who were staying there tonight. Munching on some jerky I watched many of the people I had passed earlier stumble in, dripping water. Glad I wasn't staying there that night, I shouldered my pack and continued on.

The last 5 and a bit miles felt rough as I grew more and more weary. Clearly I am not in tip top shape. I stumbled into Woody Gap and lay on a park bench. The local hiker hostel had a shuttle, but they were full up for the night so I decided to set up my hammock. A cook and bear bag later I was in bed before 7:00.

Tomorrow I crest Blood Mountain, and will hopefully be able to see something. The fog today obscured every view. I will then cross through Neel's Gap, where there is an outfitter, and hope to find a shelter by night. Should be an 18 mile or so day, with some decent gains, so I'm a little nervous.

What's On My Back

Gear is quite the subject among hikers. There's a culture built up around finding that perfect kit. Especially among thru-hikers, many of whom fall under the ultralight category, reducing your base pack weight can seem almost as strenuous as the hiking itself. And it doesn't help that for every piece of gear you find, there are most likely twenty off brand slightly different alternatives you could buy, each with their own zealous supporters. Screw having a guide for the trail, I've spent the last few months wishing I could just have a guide for my gear.

The worst part is that living in the woods is an incredibly expensive affair. The true scope of the money you have to spend is not immediately apparent. Your pack, shelter, and sleeping bag are all going to be multi-hundred dollar items, sure, but it stops there, right? Browsing through REI or its ilk you find your cook sets, bear bags, gadgets, ponchos, water filtration, and what have you reasonably priced. I quickly sat down with a piece of paper and a blue marker and started writing down everything I needed, then the brand I wanted to buy and how much it would cost me. At the end I tallied up the expense. Sure the "big 3" would knock me out a few hundred, but the rest were all below 30 dollars a piece! I hit enter, and my jaw hit the floor. I don't like calculating total expenses anymore (and that was before I started buying clothes).

As much as a set out to be an ultralight hiker, I don't really fall under that category anymore. My disgust for ultralight pricing (sleeping bags shouldn't be $500, come on), and my desire to bring entertainment with me has been steadily increasing my base weight. So what I've listed here is by no means an ideal, but just what I've cobbled together these past few months. Chances are high I discard and replace some in disgust within the first week.

Backpack

Here I think I hit the jackpot though. I'm rocking the GoLite Jam 50, an amazingly light, amazingly cheap pack that's garish blue color should stand out from miles away. Seriously, that picture in no way does it justice. This pack is blue. At just under 2 pounds and just over 100 dollars this is by far the best deal I've seen on an ultralight bag, and was immediately added to my list. Having worn it around town for the past few weeks I've found it comfy, and equipped with lots of easy to reach pockets for snacks, which is obviously the most important quality in a bag.

Weight: 1 lbs 14 oz

Shelter

This was actually the first piece of gear I selected, way back around November. My lab partner camped, and told me how much he loved the Hennessy Hammock. I cannot agree more. This thing is like sleeping on a...well...a hammock. Which I think is high praise. It's light, quick and easy to set up, and did I mention comfortable? Drawbacks include "cold butt syndrome," where due to the fact that it's off the ground it lacks the insulating warmth you get from a tent, and in lower temperatures your backside gets chilly. This I can attest to, having taken it out in sub freezing temperatures, something I hope not to have to do again (but I will be coming prepared with foot warmers). Once you get used to lashing this thing up it works like a dream.

Weight: 2 lbs 4 oz

Sleeping Bag

Picking a bag was a nightmare. There's too many, and they're all the gosh darn same. And the lightest ones are so expensive it's aggressive. Add to the list of problems the variable temperature on the trail and it can be hard to pin point a temperature rating you want. Some people switch out their bags as they go north, but I'll be aiming not to do that. I ended up with the Marmot Cloudbreak 30. It's cozy, pretty warm, and it packs up alarmingly small. The only issue is that the outside material and my jacket feel exactly the same, which is very confusing when trying to pull the hood up over your head while wearing the jacket. I spent a few awkward minutes tugging at my back and not understanding the problem.

Weight: 2 lbs

Water

Drinking, it turns out, is important. I'll be using a Sawyer Mini filter for the trip. It's essentially a large straw that filters water drawn through it, or squeezed through it via a supplied bag. Because I'm a worrywart, I also have a little bottle of pills in case the filter goes to hell. I then also have a bladder to store said water.

Weight: 9 oz



Cooking

I love to eat. I especially love to eat after a long day of hiking. See, I'm not the best cook. But after a day of strenuous hiking literally everything tastes good. So on the trail, I am my own master chef. I'm packing a Trangia Mini Stove Kit. It's a basic alcohol stove, windscreen, and pot, but a feature I like is that the pot lid doubles as a frying pan. Most light weight cooking kits forgo the ability to fry, and if I go four months without bacon I will without a doubt snap and do something dangerous. Stuffed in there I also have a lighter and a box of matches, and my fuel is carried in a blue Powerade bottle. Very high tech, I know.

Weight: 12 oz

Clothes

This is the real kicker. Just when you thought you had it all, you realize that your wardrobe is woefully prepared. Thru-hikers make do with a very small amount of clothes. I'll be bringing a t-shirt, long sleeved Under Armor shirt, some zip off pants, two pairs of Smartwool socks, and two pairs of underwear for my normal clothes. On top of that I have my favorite hoody (which I was tempted not to bring but I'm a sucker for nostalgia), a lightweight jacket, a hat, fingerless gloves, and a poncho. I'm really skimping when it comes to clothing. High tech light weight rain gear is very cool, very useful, and costs a fortune. I'll be making due with what I have, and my sunny disposition.

Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz (of course a good deal of that is worn per day)

Gadgets

Some people go hike the AT to get away from the modern world. To leave their phones behind. I am not one of those people. I intend to jam my way to Katahdin to the tunes coming out of my earbuds. To this end I am taking a pair of MP3 players that run off of a single AAA battery. One for music, the other for podcasts and audiobooks. To keep my phone charged I have a Bear Grylls Solar Wrap. People call the AT the "green tunnel," but at the very least it's a nice external battery. I also have a SPOT Locator. Every night I hit a button and it sends my location to friends and family so they know I'm alive. And if I'm in danger of not being alive for much longer, I can call for SOS. Finally I have my Kindle, which my friend Paul graciously let me borrow. I intend to have it loaded with 50 books by the time I leave, as I read voraciously when hiking.

Weight: 1 lbs 2 oz (including cables and extra batteries)

Everything Else

I've also got first aid, a pack cover, my AT guide book, a headlamp, rope, a bag for food, toiletries, and a small towel that dries very quickly. As well as a whole bunch of plastic bags that everything goes in. And of course, my knock off Aviators I bought for a dollar.

Weight: 13 oz (...ish)

So all told I'm carrying about 12 pounds, give what I've forgotten and take what I'm wearing or carrying. This is 3 or 4 pounds above what I wanted when I set out, but most of this extra weight is from me being stingy, and from the non essentials that I want to carry, like my electronics. Although sometimes stressful, it's been a fun exercise fitting the next few months of my life into a 50 liter pack.

My next post should be on Sunday night, my first from the trail. Thanks to everyone who has given me their support so far, it's meant a lot to me. Starting on Sunday I'll be doing my best to make daily posts, reception allowing. Until then, thanks for reading!