Day 14: Smokies = Coldies

So, remember Griz? The guy who did my shakedown at Neel Gap? Well he guarenteed me snow in the Smokies as long as I made it thru before mid May. And I knew I would make it through before mid May. BUT! He told me that on a day that was 85 degrees out, so it was hard to believe him...

Today started wet and chilly. Putting back on my wet gear from the day before was NOT fun. I put my shirt and shorts in the sleeping bag with me, so they were kinda dry (and my bag was a bit damp), but most everything else is just dammmmmp. Luckily my boots have remained pretty dry - as long as I keep my rain pants latched tight around them.

So, wet. Raining. Cold, but ok when you keep moving. Then came the freezing rain/sleet, which does NOT feel good on naked hands! (yes, I walk without gloves... I'd rather keep them dry for camping. they just get wet when you're walking... and, remarkably, my hands stay pretty warm unless it's sleeting) Oh, and the wind. It was by far the most miserable day so far, but my spirits are still high. The sun even kinda came out for 48 seconds! We had planned to go farther, but we got to empty Siler's Shelter and that was it. It had started to snow and we did not want to run into another full shelter.



It's cold. Will only get colder when the sun goes down. Hunkering down. There's a fire, but it doesn't help too much unless you're right up next to it. Lots of the kids are drying their socks and boots over there. Xan burnt a hole I'm his socks!

Really fun group here. About 12 of us. Makes it a little easier!

I heart my sleeping bag. (temperature is hovering around 30 and there's about a half inch of snow on the ground - ah!!)



-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Siler's Bald Shelter

Day 13: Dreary

If ever there was a day to describe that word, today was the day. No rain in the morning getting packed up, but about an hour into the climb into the Smokies, the temperature dropped and the rain came down. It wasn't too bad when I was moving, but dare to stop longer than 4 minutes, and the chill would shoot right through my bones. Lots of people leaving Fontana Dam, so we weren't sure about numbers at the shelters. We picked up Little Foot (Dave) at the Dam, and were led by one of the fun Connecticut kids (Closeline). Got to the first shelter and it was stocked with people eating and trying to warm up. We headed on to the next one, 3 miles away, and there were a few people doing the same. We forged on and finally got to the third, another 3 miles away, and it was almost full! No one had passed us from the group that left the Dam, so we couldn't believe that some people had only hiked 3-6 miles that day!?! Yeah, it was raining, but that's barely 3 hours when there's nothing much else to do out here... and if you're already wet...

Anyways, the boys are tenting, and I got one of the few last spots in the shelter. We dried off as best we could. We cooked. We ate. It's cold out, but tomorrow is supposed to be even more rain and colder. Boo.

I'm ready for bed. Must get through tomorrow and then it should clear up. Warm, dry thoughts!


-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Spence Field Shelter

Day 12: Random Thoughts

Deodorant... Those scientists who have worked out the chemical formula for this brilliant toiletry item are amazing. During my "shake down" at Neel Gap, I sent home my travel size deoderant. And I miss it. And I am facsinated by the smell that is coming from my arm pit area these days. Of all my years of wearing deordorant, or even missing a day, I have never smelled such a scent from my own pits. It's crazy! And it just blows my mind how much the stuff helps defend against odor. (I may have to get another travel sized Lady Speed Stick at the next town)

PB... So, if I eat peanut butter by the spoonful without anything else, what does it look like in my stomach? Does it glob back up into one big clump? Or does it stay in individual clumps?

Ears popping... I've never experienced this walking down a mountain before. I guess we're descending at a rapid enough pace to cause an ear pop... Weird.

Eye dirt... This one's for the ladies. You know how your eye makeup settles in your "fine lines" under your lower lashes? And you have to make that funny, long, stretched-out mouth face to clear out that area...? Well I get that too, but since I haven't worn makeup since my pre-Spinger days I get it with "fine dirt." It's gross.

Flying Bugs... How is it possible that a bug can attach itself to my leg and hold on when my legs are moving along at the lightning rate of just about 2 miles per hour (including breaks). Bugs are pretty sticky, but luckily not stinging yet.

No trail name yet.


Well, with the short day yesterday, we kicked arse today in great weather and pulled 22.2 miles. Lots of uphill and lots of down. Left at 8:15 and got to the Fontana Dam at 6:30. Looooong day... And a cool shelter - with showers!! And a bunch of people. Good vibe. Exhausted.

Great Smoky Mountains tomorrow. 4-5 days without phone and everything else...

NyQuil time!


-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Fontana Dam Shelter, NC

Day 11: I Love Poles

...and Polish people, but mainly my hiking poles. I don't think I could've made it this far without them. They're amazingly helpful on uphills, downhills and flats (and pitching my tent, of course). They take pressure off my legs and (best reason) they keep me from falling over. See, I've been keeping track of all my trips and stumbles each day (hoping to have a sweet chart at the end), and though I'm only counting the ones where my heart stops for a second, I've been averaging about 15 stumbles per day. There have been only three that were pretty scary. One was an ankle roll. One was almost falling over in a steam. And the last one was today: a sweet bowling move where my back foot slipped out behind me on a big flat slanty rock and made me gasp. Without my poles on any of those, I definitely would've hit the ground.

Hence: I love poles.

Sooooo... I woke up in a Nyquil daze at 8, and it was eerily calm outside. Overcast and no wind. Storm a-brewing...?

I didn't see the boys, so I ate as much breakfast as I could (I had plenty of food and a six day supply to get me through the Smokies), and I packed everything up. The sun poked through a bit and by the time the boys were done with their breakfast and I set off, it was full sun! Mc (Mitch/Mick) was going to stay another zero day and the boys weren't packed yet, so I left first.

Now think about what you were doing from 9:20am to 12:20pm on your Saturday morning. I was walking uphill the whole time! With a full pack that couldn't have weighed less than 40 pounds. Ugh. It was rough. An hour into it, I stopped to put more tape on my heel (which is feeling a lot better, but I want to make sure it stays that way), and there was a ten minute shower. I put my poncho on, but then it stopped. The clouds started looming after halfway, and it began to be a race against storm. Uphill, uphill, uphill, wind, wind, threatening clouds, hitting the summit, then downhill a mile to the shelter, and it started spinkling right as I made it in. First one here!! I put my pack down and layered up and snacked as the rain came down. Two guys (Hot Wing and 151) came in soon after with Wilbur and his dog (Tender Toes), then it really started coming down. The next shelter, 9 miles away, only sleeps 6 people, so we were all worried about numbers and NOT wanting to tent in the rain. So we pretty much hunkered down. This shelter is a double decker and sleeps 14.



Two more guys showed up, then another guy, then Brian and Xan, then another guy, and then a couple. Everyone late was soaked. I'm glad I beat it. So, now there are 12 here and it's 3:30. Snacking and eating and chatting till bedtime! Seems a bit like a waste, only hiking 7 something miles, but it WAS uphill and it IS supposed to get worse later. I guess I'm fine with a "nearo" day right after my zero day... May try to pull a long one tomorrow if it's nice...


-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Sassafrass Gap Shelter

Day 10: Nonhikerness

I feel like a real person again! What a grand day off... It's amazing what a few modern day treats will do for your soul after 9 days of hiking...

Tried to sleep in, but was up around 7:30. Had a fitfull night of sleep since I decided to turn the heat on and chug water before bed. Had to pee TWICE and air out the hot room. (tmi?) Buuuut got up in my empty bunk room and busied myself with organizing before going to eat breakfast. The boys came round, and since Marissa drove here, she had a car and would take us supermarket shopping! Xan, Brian, Marissa and I cruised through the curvy mountain roads to Ingles in Bryson City and shopped a bit. The boys were set on bbq-ing steaks. I re-supplied for the next few days (my mom's package made it here to the NOC, too - yay/thanks!) and got some cold meds. Then it was a lazy afternoon of snacking, figuring out the next stops, and then sitting by the river. Beautiful day (and a shame not to be hiking in it) and this place is quite nice. Worth a check out for anyone close by for sure. Another one or Xan's friends, Jessica, came up from Atlanta, and we all chatted while we watched the kayakers float by and the ducks beg for food. Nice and lazy...



Later, the steaks were cooked and we all ate heartily. Chats and giggles and then on to bed. Got food, got it organized, and ate today... And that's about it!!

TOMORROW, tho, shall be another story. First of all, it's uphill for a long while... I go from 1723 feet to the first shelter 7 miles away at 4330 feet. But then the summit is up higher at 5062 feet! And here's the kicker: it's supposed to thunderstorm at more than one point in the day. SO! If it's not raining when I wake up, I guess it's run and gun (with a fuuuulllll pack) to try to make it to the shelter before a storm. OR it's wait out the storm (if it's on early) and hike in the rain and hope it doesn't storm again... We will just have to wait and see... No one's really sure what's gonna happen.

I've just taken NyQuil and am hoping for a peaceful slumber in just a few. (I secretly wouldn't mind taking a second zero day, but I know I should get back to making progress...)

OH! And so my Spot tracker is NOT working properly. Aparently, it hasn't been sending a signal since the 18th. Boo. I called their service dept today, and it seems as tho I got myself a lemon. Looks like I will probably have to ship it back and get another sent to me up the line. Sorry about that! I was looking forward to tracking me too!

(this photo is upside down)




-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Noc Way,Bryson City,United States

Day 9: Heading for a Zero

I pulled it a little too close on food this time. I guess I'm still figuring it all out with what exactly my body needs. It's tough starting out, too, when I didn't really start getting REALLY hungry till a few days ago. I rolled into Bryson City pretty hungry, with only 3 bullion cubes and salt/pepper... having spooned down the last 1/4 jar of peanut butter an hour and a half earlier... I suppose I should think about having an emergency bar or two in the bottom of my bag? Or did I just plan it out perfectly...? I'll figure it out... more snacks is probably the answer!



Made it to Bryson City! And the Natahala Outdoor Center!! I'm sooooo looking forward to my first zero day (no hiking) tomorrow. It wasn't freezing when we all woke up, so it was easier to get going. The boys left without breakfast at 7:30. I made tea and a breakfast shake and was out 15 mins later. Earliest start yet! And a beautiful morning. Lots of downhill and warm sun. I passed a few sleeping tents, but only saw a few people all day. Saw a beaver (or something like a beaver?) climb up a tree in absolute terror of me. And passed a school group that stared at me like I was either a monster or a celebrity... or a combo of the two. The last few hours had a really nice atmosphere that was almost like a rainforest. Birds chirping and lots of bright green everywhere. Including a HUGE tree that had fallen across the trail. Took a second to figure out how to get around it, but did.

Unless the boys stopped, I knew I wouldn't catch them. They didn't. So I didn't. Until we all reached the NOC in Bryson City. (I hiked the whole 16+ miles in my Crocs!) I checked in at the office, got some snacks, and then it was chow time at the restaurant! Tho we didn't eat more than one meal each (and 2 appetizers to share), it definitely felt like I ate a ton. Mc (Mitch/Mick) finally showed up and joined, then we all had a beer to celebrate the day. Then SHOWER and LAUNDRY! Feels good to be clean again. I hung out with the boys a bit, and one of Xan's friends from Atlanta drove up (took her 3 hours to cover MORE than we've done in 9 days?!) and then I've landed in my room to try to recover from this cold tonight. Should help that I'm inside and I'm a bed... and that I won't be hiking tomorrow. Heel should heal, too!

Wow, I'm up LATE!!


-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Noc Way,Bryson City,United States

Day 8: One week down, 21 to go?

Cold cold damp cold morning. But no rain. Took all my energy to get out of my sleeping bag. But one must. We were going to try to get 20 miles in, to make it to Bryson City by Thursday at 5pm. Joyce left first, then Mitch, then me (9:30), then Fields, then the boys (Xan and Brian) by 10. It really would be a LOT easier to start earlier if it wasn't sodamncold!

Good easy stuff in the morning, tho the blister on my right heel was starting to scream... Saw my first wildlife (other than squirrels, birds and bugs...) - a deer! I never saw Mitch or Joyce for the rest of the day, but Xan and Brian caught me by noon and passed on. My heel has slowed me down on the uphills, and I think I have a bit of a chest cold coming on. Fields caught me pumping water in the afternoon and we walked to the road that leads into Franklin. He would be spending the night there. Xan and Brian had lunched by the road, so we all said bye to Fields, not sure when/if we'd see him again.



Then we started up. It's amazing that the campsite we aimed for was a hundred feet higher than where we spent last night, but we have to go up-down-up-down-up-down to get there. The boys took off with their iPods on. Since the rain, my lungs felt only at half capacity, and so I was slower than usual on the uphills. My blister was getting worse as well... Before the last big hour and a half (2hrs?) of uphill, I decided to hike in my Crocs. Best idea ever! So much less pressure on my heel and not too bad to walk UP in. I stubbed my toes a few times, but it all turned out ok. Was wondering if I was ever going to catch up with the boys and told myself that if I didn't catch them by 7, I'd camp. After making it up to gorgeous Wiyah Bald (amazing views!!!) I caught them at the campsite! We did 20 miles!!! And we were all exhausted and in need of food. Cooked. Made a fire. Chatted. And now bed. We still have 16miles to go tomorrow to get to the hostel before 5pm. I think we can do it, no problem. I just hope there are still beds available..

Looking forward to another dose of shower and laundry! And my first zero day on Friday. Will relax aaaallllll day....

"Chuck Norris gives the AT blisters..."


-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Noc Way,Bryson City,United States