Sweet Sweet Fontana

Got up and out of Locust Grove Gap fairly early and made a break for Fontana! I was a little behind Greenlite and Brian. I caught up to them for a minute because they had stopped to chat with this guy who was kind of incoherent. Pretty much had a ridiculously stereotypical hillbilly look going on. I'm sure he was a fine fellow. Stopped at Cable Gap shelter for lunch where we met Wis-pee for the first time. I remember introducing myself and we were all talking and then a few minutes later he subconsciously started whistling the song Blue Sky. This is the desired effect. Hustler caught up to us somewhere around here.

Not far after that shelter you come up on a ridge where you can see Fontana Lake. Then you look beyond Fontana Lake and there they are...the Smokies. It was pretty awe-inspiring actually. You've heard SO much about them in the beginning of your trip. You just can't wait to see this mystical mountain land of bears, park rangers, shelters with cages, and sometimes snow in April. It was definitely one of those times though where you see where you think you're heading, think you're practically almost there, but then turns out you have 3mi left of following the lake to the dam of an absurd amount of up and down. That was a hellish few miles if I can recall. I would make headway on the downhills and then wheeze through the climbs. BUT it was all worth. We came out of the woods to the lake right where there's a sizeable marina. It was kind of a hot day so Greenlite & I just made a break for the docks and a cannonball later discovered the water was 52 degrees. Jeeesus cristo it was cold. So the swimming thing was short lived but we discovered shortly thereafter that the tackle shop at the end of the marina sold beer. It was very nice to be motionless, very nice to be in the sun, very nice to be next to a lake, and very nice to have a case of high life.

Then Greenlite's dad showed up! He's quite the funny one. I believe his trailname became Georgia Pine. The guys hopped in the back of his truck and I got in the cab. He was listening to the radio and a good tune came on and he out of nowhere asked me what it was and lo and behold (thanks Dad!) I knew it was Tighten Up by Archie Bell and the Drells. Think I surprised him a bit. He took us all to Fontana Village where there's a old lodge. I think the CCC built it...oh the history. We showered up and had dinner in the main dining room...some sort of chicken & pasta dish. God it was good. We all did laundry. Spent some time on some rocking chairs out on the porch. Met Tweak for the first time outside near the pool on a rocker. Then came the big shakedown of my pack that I knew Greenlite, Brian & Hustler were all waiting in eager anticipation for. Being lightweight freaks and all. Greenlite had his Dad bring me up his old pack which was much lighter and fit me way better than the one I had been using. He also gave me his down sleeping bag which packed down much smaller than mine because he was switching out to his summer bag. Hustler gave me his stove. They talked me into throwing out my Nalgene's and replacing them with Gatorade bottles. Made me mail home some extra lithium batteries. Greenlite even told me to throw out the case to my dental floss...which turned out to be a horrible decision. Do you know how hard it is to find the end of the dental floss on a role when you want to use it? And then have to get out your knife to cut it? Stupid. Keep the plastic container.

They all tried to get me to send home my pepper spray but I had PROMISED Mama Kath I would carry it so carry it I would. Even if it sat useless buried in my pack. And then it was time for bed. The last night with Brian and Hustler :( They would take off with Greenlite's Dad in the morning back for Atlanta. Brian's knee had been hurting him (plus he was only planning on being out for a couple weeks anyway) and Hustler got a call from his boss that his plant was reopening. So it was a bummer to say goodbye to them. But slept mighty well in a bed for once.

Actually we fell asleep to the sound of sports cars riding the tail of the dragon.

"Crossing Deals Gap at the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, the Dragon is considered by many as one of the world's best motorcycling and sports car roads. Anyone looking for an exciting highway will enjoy this stretch of US129.

The road is desolate and can be a real adventure in the winter months. We've had to deal with bears, turkeys, deer, and wild boars in the road, trees down, ice/snow, and tractor-trailers taking-up both lanes in the curves. It is not a road for the squeamish, but if you're looking for a little excitement don't miss this one."

Apparently they "lose a couple every year" when drivers take turns too hard and go off the side of the mountain. There was a big gathering at Fontana at the time to ride the Tail of the Dragon. Had forgotten about that.

Mighty Nantahala

Woke up the next morning on top of the ridge above double spring with my water frozen. Cold as balls out. But I managed to pull myself out of the sleeping bag and pack up the tent because I knew we were gonna hit the NOC that day! I think we were maybe 8mi out from the Nantahala Outdoor Center on the Nantahala River in Wesser, NC. They run rafting and canoe trips outta there, have an outfitter, a hostel, a general store, a few restaurants, so on and so forth. Hauled ass there just to stay warm but oh it is a lovely sight to turn a corner in the woods and see a whole complex next to a river where you know you can get a burger and fries and there are an absurd amount of hikers hanging around. Apparently it's some pretty solid white water around there. The river was definitely moving. Saw Wheeler again upon arrival who had *shockingly* caught a ride from Franklin...but whatever floats his boat. I got a burger and fries at the restaurant...it was heavenly. Got a few clif bars from the outfitter. Then poked around the general store and got a carton o'red wine to hike out with. I remember I was on the phone with Raina for the first time since I started and heard "heads up" and turned around in time to catch a PBR from Brian. Life was good just then.

and OH the hike out. Most people were just staying there at the hostel but we were on schedule to meet Greenlite's dad in Fontana the next day so we were pushing on. It was a 3000ft climb over a mile or two out of the NOC and I tried to keep up with Brian and Greenlite for a bit. Definitely ended up having to stop and suck wind on multiple occasions. I thought I was in shape but really I had only been out there for a week and a few days so not so much. We stopped at the first shelter and hung out for a bit meeting some hikers. We had finally caught up with Greenlite's friends from South Carolina who had started a week or two before him. Slapshot and some other names I can't remember. Miss Janet had cut his hair into a mullet in Franklin and named him Slapshot in honor of Wayne Gretzky. It fit. Hiked on from there, the climb was over at least, 5 more miles or so to Locust Grove Gap where there were some good tent sites.

I can't remember the names of the people we met there but they were good folk. It was a group of 4 or 5, a few older couples that were section hiking. We'd run into them again in the Smokies. We made a fire for the first time in awhile and hung around digging into the wine and the PBR. Greenlite had some tunes on his iPhone. Quite the lovely eve actually despite the brutal ascent out of NOC. Good sleep that night.

April 21

We woke up at the Woodwards to PAANCAAKES!!! Holy crap they were amazing. So was the tea they had. And the pancakes. That was flippin' awesome. Doug also gave me a short story to read he had written after we had told him about a bear encounter. His was about a new-agey woman who moves to a Western NC mountain town and is shunned by the local community until a notorious bear incident. They had had bears around their house on numerous occasions. Da bears. We all piled into Dougs car and headed back for the trail, stopping in Franklin for a mini-resupply first. I got an avocado!! Woot. Starting again was hard but it wasn't a bad day. Went over Wesser and Wayah Bald which were both breathtaking. It actually snowed at one point too on top of Wayah, where we met some more thru-hikers. I remember meeting Pheonix up there.

Then got some trail magic! Some trail club had sent up a random tent in the middle of the woods with clementines and a cooler full of soda. It was wonderful. Ah met Iceman there too because I remember we talked college hockey - his son was playing at UVM. He really hauled ass. We pushed onto Double Spring Shelter and camped up on the ridge above it. It definitely got pretty cold but the sunset was beautiful. That was the first night in my tent alone. I think I wrote in my journal a bit. Hustler let me use his stove that night for tea I recall which is when I first fell in love with his stove. Would turn out to be the coldest night on the trail but life went on. Hustler also revealed that he sleeps naked. Can't remember the logic behind that one.

Onto Winding Stair Gap

Woke up. Went outside the shelter, saw a surprising patch of blue sky and said "blue sky!" to all those stirring. Then Bandit or Wheeler, still not entirely sure on who, said that I should take that as a name...sooo I did. Kinda cheesy but it's my favorite Allman Brothers Song so I stuck with it. Cooked up some oatmeal and coffee and was maybe the 3rd person out or so behind Greenlite & Hustler. I think I found acorns in my pack too - good oooold shelter mice. I think I knocked out some serious miles pretty early on. Hiked with Brian for a bit. Climbed Mt Albert which is the most elevation gain in the shortest distance on the trail (600ft in 1/4mi or something?). I remember going by a few hikers on the climb who said the weather was supposed to get real nice for the foreseeable future and I very much enjoyed their info. Couldn't see a damn thing from the top of Mt Albert so didn't climb the fire tower.

Stopped for lunch at a shelter where I ran back into Greenlite, Hustler & Brian and I believe a guy named HOI (Hog On Ice) was there who once squealed like a pig when he slipped on ice in Shenandoah National Park back in the day and acquired a name. Greenlite invited us all to his friend's house in Franklin if we wanted to push it Winding Stair Gap making it 25mi day. The thought of another bed and real food in town made a 25mi day seem very feasible, though it was a push. So we all pushed on. That was a real odd weather day. Must've rained, then the sun came out, then rained, ad infinitum. We were going through a rain forest actually if I remember correctly. It was beautiful. We stopped at one last shelter before Winding Stair Gap where we met a former hiker named Nightstalker who was kind of a character albeit his name was kinda sketch. We got to Winding Stair Gap around 4-5? and finally managed to hitch a ride with a guy driving a small truck that delivers oxygen tanks to nursing homes. We all squeezed into the front somehow. Another rather ridiculous character. The ride down-mountain into Franklin was real pretty.

We got dropped off at the Shoney's, got blizzards at dairy queen, then a pan-normous pizza at pizza hut (the first of many) where we got picked up by two of the Woodwards, Autumn and Canyon. I rode with Canyon back to their place - I think he was in high school, funny kid. Greenlite knew them from trips he took to Cumberland Island, GA. The father, Doug Woodward, had been a pioneering whitewater kayaker in the '70s and the stunt double for Ned Beatty in Deliverance. They were really wonderful, real interesting people with a beautiful place on a mountain near the edge of Franklin.

We chatted with them until we couldn't stay awake any longer and crashed in the basement. Wonderful sleep.

19 de Abril

Woke up EARLY on Hiawassee Inn time (I think the shuttle to the trail left at 7:30?) and got to enjoy the lovely continental breakfast in the kitchen - which is sorta the proprietors' kitchen. I think they were in there watching the Today Show on EzChairs. I recall the overwhelming excitement at having cereal for the first time in 6 days. God I love cereal. Then came that whole leaving part and saying good-bye to Chad, which was hard of course. He let me take his pack which fit me much better. I think I sent a few things home with him as well - the pack towel, my vest, a few more things I think (shakedown!) Ron gave me a ride back up to the trail where I think we discussed DC because he had lived there a few years...aaand off I went.

Was only a few minutes before I encountered Pierre in his tent on the side of the trail near the road where he had spent the night. He was currently enjoying breakfast in bed and I said quick hello's and 'see you down the way's. Yeah so then I just cruised on my own for 4 miles or so. I think I passed one group of teenagers and one of them commented "going it alone?" or something. The first shelter I came upon was Plum Orchard Gap and I thought I'd head down the sidetrail to check it out for a few. Chatted with an older hiker there for a bit - Route 66 I believe was his name? Didn't stop for too long. Was approaching the sign for the sidetrail back at the AT and there it was - a full can of Natty Light sitting on top of the sign post. Holy crap. I went to head for it and I noticed someone heading Northbound towards me and before I could open my mouth he said "I'll split it with you." Half a beer later I had met Greenlite. We headed towards the NC line doing the get-to-know-you thing. There were definitely a few tough climbs. We actually missed the NC state line because it was this little sign on a tree, but sure enough we found ourselves in North Carolina. Stopped for lunch right on the trail, Hustler came through and said hellos, we headed on. Saw another aggressive bear warning at Standing Indian Gap and pushed on to Standing Indian Shelter just as the weather was starting to turn.

There were a few characters at Standing INdian that night. Rowmin Goat, thru-hiker from the 80s was there with whiskey and ramps. Got to try my first ramp and have my first trail whiskey. Wonderful. Hustler was obviously entertaining. As was Wheeler - from Doylestown, PA I think. Brian, Pierre and Smiling Bandit were there too. The only definitive thing I remember from there on was Greenlite bringing up corn pasta for the first time and Rowmin Goat telling a joke about crotchless panties and also that ramps will do a number on your insides. Wonderful. I hung my first bear bag all by meself that eve. Then saw Hustler and Rowmin Goat just hang their food in the shelter. Started learning a thing or two about bears I guess. Definitely a stormy night. Wheeler tried to name Smiling Bandit "Tuff" after he slept out in his hammock which didn't so much fly with him. Rowmin Goat snored like crazy. Guess I slept a little.

18, April

Tray Mtn to Hiawassee, GA (Dick's Creek Gap, I think). There were a few tough climbs that day and a lot more sun. Met Hustler getting water at some point this day! I recall thinking his stache was most excellent. I remember the topo in AppPages kept showing all downhill into Dick's Creek Gap but there would be some minor uphills that we were just not having. Big push into Hiawassee. We ran into Pierre a few miles from the road and hiked in with him. Had decided to stay at Hiawassee in instead of Blueberry Patch and they were meeting us at the trailhead to take us into town. On the way in we saw a helicopter dipping into a lake to get water to douse the nearby fire on a hilltop. Quite the spectacle. It was such a pretty time of day - I remember that ride to town vividly. Weird to see civilization again too.

Oh the Hiawassee Inn was colorful - run by Ron and Sam, a lovely gay couple. They put us up in the room next to the office which was apparently Ron's mother's apartment until they put her in a home a few weeks prior. Lots of old lady stuff covered in plastic, but felt like home. Shower was AMAZING. Though toiletry-less. I think I washed my hair with barsoap. And my hair appreciated it. They also gave us sweats to put on while they washed the rest of our stuff. Oh god was that wonderful to change clothes for a few hours. Then they let me take their mini-van to the Ingles a few miles away to resupply. I was slightly blown away they would just let me take their car having just met me 20 minutes prior. They sure make'em nice in Georgia.

Ate dinner at the Chinese Buffet a few doors down. Got some Yeungling and a lighter from the gas station. Trying to remember if they had tv? I think they did. And I think I enjoyed that. Switched my stuff over to Chad's pack since it seemingly fit me better and he would take mine back to DC. His waistbelt clasp had broken though so there was this weird 'stepping-in' maneuver to put it on. It was rather entertaining to watch, in retrospect. Yep, Hiawassee Inn. First night in a bed after five nights on the trail. I'm pretty sure that is the longest I would go on the trail without a hostel or bunk. Ha, yep. Maybe I'm a wimp. Great night's sleep. Was rather nervous for the early wake-up and the thought of setting out on my own. But I was determined as ever to do it.

April 17th, Day 4

Rise and shine. Made coffee & oatmeal. Onward. We stopped at Blue Mtn Shelter for lunch which is where Chad checked his voicemail and heard the news that his grandfather had passed away. It was expected but still very sad. He was a trooper to be out there.

We hiked down into what I think was Unicoi Gap which had a terrible climb up and out - and it was really hot if I remember correctly. We met some people from PA at the trailhead down there and talked Yeungling for a moment. Made it up to a camp site on Rocky Mountain where we were gonna stay for the night. An older guy stopped there too and I can't remember his deal exactly except that he was extremely talkative. Then a girl named Carolina came along too. Think we ate the Mountainhouse for dinner that night and oh was it delicious. Oh Mountainhouse beef stroganoff...

THen we hatched the plan to make it all the way to Hiawassee the next day. We were thinking maybe Blueberry Patch hostel which only allowed 12 guests a night or something so we were kinda nervous about getting turned away. Decided to hike on 4 more miles to Tray Mtn shelter but after a tough day had to stop on the top of Tray Mtn to tent. I remember seeing the lights from some town up there...it was dark by the time we stopped. Slept like a baby yet again.

April 16th

Survived the first night o'bear. Lovely morning in Georgia. Took off for Blood Mountain after hiking the 0.4mi back to the trail. Climb wasn't that bad and was absolutely beautiful up there. I didn't know exactly which one it was but apparently you can see Stone Mountain from up there. I can't even remember exactly why Stone Mountain is significant but I'm pretty sure MLK mentions it in his "I Have a Dream" speech. Maybe I'll google that one. Anywho, saw Maui Bob and Pierre up there. And those other folks from Florida or something? I can't remember their deal except that the father or uncle or something made me tell the son or nephew that he looked like someone and make it sound like a coincidence that I brought it up. Can't remember details on that, but I recall them being rather entertained by his reaction. Oh no... first details lost! Maybe that'll come back to me. The father or uncle or whatever also looked really surprised when I said I was attempting the whole trail and said something about praying for me. Thanks guy.

So down from Blood Mtn and into NEELS GAP!! Woooooot!!! I think I had ice cream of some sort and an orange soda. And a hot dog? I'm pretty sure that was the best orange soda of my life. Probably got some more food too. I signed the register, got some more foodstuffs for resupply, poked around a bit. Hung out on the stone patio overlook which was beee-autiful. Saw that guy Jim again I had sat across from at breakfast at Hiker Hostel who I would run into again in PA.

Maui Bob rolled in getting ready for his big shakedown - I think he had started with 60lbs or something. Pierre would do the same. Rainbow and Rasberry rolled down the mountain. Then came One-Step who looked to be in bad shape. He had lost his dog Rooster the day before, quite sad. He had also gone the wrong way on the trail and ended up a few miles or so down the road from Neels Gap. Somebody picked him up, gave him a ride and gave him a few beers. Then he gave me one of those beers which I'm going to count as my first instance of trail magic. Thanks One-Step. He was from Tennessee I think, near Erwin cause he kept mentioning Uncle Johnny's. I know he had at least two sons that he kept talking about. Anyway that was the last I would see of him. Who knows how far he made it - hope at least to Uncle JOhnny's. I wouldn't see Maui Bob again until a random chance encounter at Carvers Gap on the NC/TN state line a month later. Last I would see of Rainbow and Rasberry.

So hard to leave Neels Gap but we pushed forward. 10mi further to Low Gap Shelter (Mi 41.5). No one was supposed to camp between Neels Gap and Low Gap because of aggressive bear activity and I was not about to break these rules. Low Gap was PACKED. So many people staying there. We stopped in a site that already had a fire goin'. Nice people around it, one Scottish woman, a girl named Moe was there that I would run into periodically, can't recall the rest. Made the mac & cheese/mashed potatoes combo someone told us about that I would never try again (gross). Hard to clean the pot on that too. Anyway, no bears that night!

Tax Day

Boy scouts passed us again before we left camp (they had slept 4mi back). Damn those boy scouts and their slave-driver scoutmasters. Don't recall too much about actual hiking on this day. Think we got pretty sunburned. Went through Woody Gap around mile 20 on the trail where folks sometimes catch a ride back to Hiker Hostel for a night in Dahlonega. Hiked about 8mi total to Woods Hole shelter which was a staggering 0.4mi off the trail. Bleh.

Maui Bob was there, as were Rasberry and Raindancer, two girls who had just gotten out of the peace corps. Or I think they had quit after a year. They kept referring to each other as 'Buddy' which got annoying immediately if not sooner. Quite nice though, otherwise. They had dehydrated so much food to bring - I recall thinking, wow they have their shit together. But maybe they just didn't appreciate pre-packaged, uber-processed knorr ride sides like I did. I think we made the trader joe's lasagna that night for dinner actually which was kinda gross. OH! Brian was there too. He and Maui Bob tented and the rest slept in the shelter.

The bear showed up right after dark hit. Apparently the left outside bear cable was a bit too close to the tree trunk than it should have been and the bear had been showing up the past three nights to swipe it...something we maybe should've paid attention to in the shelter log. It got Brian's food and took off up the hill. Still shook me up a little bit knowing it was right out there. It probably got tranquilized and relocated shortly thereafter. Did finally end up getting to sleep that night.

April 14th-ness

Well the boyscouts were up and out early from the shelter. We were the last one's to leave I think. It was cold and rainy. Took off down Hawk Mtn and there were a couple of climbs in the morning if I can recall - first stab at PUDs and MUDs on the AT. We walked by Pierre who had tented right off the trail pretty early on. Then the SUN CAME OUT!! Huge. First sun I saw on the trail. Got to Gooch Mtn Shelter early afternoon and we hung around a bit with Josiah, Kindman and Pierre. I recall I made coffee, in a shocking twist of events. Gave the harmonica a first try as well - no strides were made there. We decided to hike on to Gooch Gap 4mi up and camp there. Maui Bob, Kindman and the couple from Virginia Beach were there as well. Maui Bob helped me hang the bearbag in a nearby tree, tried to teach me some knots. Good man. He was from Bucks County, PA and now lives in Maui. Think he's a professional photographer of sorts? He was carrying some obscene camera equipment weight - 12 lbs or something? He was gearin' up for a shakedown at Neels Gap.

Trader Joe's tortellini that night. I accidentally knocked over the pot and stove while it was cooking starting a minor forest-fire with the denatured alcohol. One of many 'amateur' moments to come. It was definitely really windy that night and the first night we tented in my tiny Eureka solo tent. Slept like a baby though.

One Year Ago Today...

Holy crap. One year ago. Life feels so incredibly different now (not necessarily a bad thing). So we woke up to rain in that bunkroom at Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega. They served breakfast pretty early - 6:30 or 7? - and I ate eggs! Felt like if I could set out on the AT, I could try eggs...wasn't terrible. I remember I ate at the table with a big guy named Jim who on the third day of his hike (you can head back to Hiker Hostel from Woody Gap 20mi or so in) and looking forward to his granddaughter being born in a few months. I would run into Jim again my first day in PA. Very random. Josh who ran the hostel hooked us up with some denatured alcohol in little grapejuice bottles, we settled up, and off we went in the van with Josiah (Red Lion), Pierre, and some other dude I can't remember...I think.

We didn't go to Amicalola State Park where a lot of hikers start but instead hitched a ride to the Springer Mtn parking lot where you have to backtrack .5mi on the trail (southbound..woooot) to get to the summit. As we were strapping on our packs Josh informed me I needed to readjust mine and after attempting readjustments for 15min or so he concluded my pack was just too small for me. GREAT! Off we went in the rain as Josh made mental predictions as to how long we'd last. Reaching Springer was rather anticlimactic since you couldn't see a thing but the caretaker up there registering thru-hikers looked like the knight at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. So if I hadn't felt like I was on a journey yet, it really kicked in there... Met Sam from Ohio who starting as well (would run into Buckeye again down the trail). Signed the registery, Pierre disappeared to place some box somewhere for someone to find (still unclear on that), snapped a picture, and headed north (from whence we came).

Rain was light. First person we met hiking was Joe who was thinking he would name himself Banjo but would ultimately become Smiletrain. He was from Minnesota and into folk history. There were a few climbs on the first day that I can remember. After 7mi or so heading north we decided to stop for the night at Hawk Mtn Shelter - Smiletrain pushed on. It was maybe 4pm when we got there, a fire was already going - Maui Bob, One Step, his dog Rooster, four guys from Florida and a bevy of boy scouts would share the shelter with us that night. Hung the first bearbag on the bear cables. Made a really shitty first dinner. Remember going to bed that night wondering how I was going to possibly going to make it past this first week. Felt like most of the thru-hikers were ahead of me and had to catch up. Anyway, first day...no sun.

One Year Ago Yesterday...

...I was hopping on a plane at the Phoenix Airport after leaving my cousin Tom's wedding brunch in Scottsdale. I had given my laptop, iPod, wedding attire and deodorant to dear sister Kelley for safe keeping and loaded my gear up into my EMS pack Dad had gotten me for Freshmen DOC trips. Yep, adaptive reuse.

Probably the first plane-ride in a long time without some sort of music player and/or reading material but it was about time I got used to being alone with my thoughts...and SkyMall. Arriving in Atlanta was exhilarating and nerve-racking. I couldn't remember the last time I had bought a one-way ticket anywhere. Chad was waiting for me by baggage return and it was mighty nice to see a familiar face right away and figure out the whole MARTA train situation. Come to think of it, most journey's should start with a north-bound train and we were headed for North Springs Station where we'd catch the 2 and a half hr shuttle up to Dahlonega.

We met Pierre (aka Gnarly) at North Springs Station waiting for the same ride with a straw hat and a mini-guitar he was going to learn how to play. Josh who runs the Hiker Hostel picked us up and told us tales of army-training and learning how to fly a helicopter blind-folded on the way up. Finally got there, divied up the food, went through gear one last time... barely slept as rain started to fall.