Date: 2008-04-11
From: Silers Bald Shelter, TN

To: Mt. Collins Shelter, TN
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

We reached two milestones today: we hit 200 miles on the AT and we crossed into Tennessee! (Once it was pointed out that we crossed into TN, I realized that we actually crossed into it for the first time a few days ago) The trail through the Smokies follows the NC/TN border, so we've probably had one foot in NC and on in TN for a while now. Tonight's shelter, though, is a half mile off the AT and clearly in TN, state #3 for us. When we arrived at the shelter, Crabby said he had a ceremony in mind. We collected rocks and he made the number 200 with them while I put my trekking poles together to attach a camera and take pictures of the group and the rocks from above.View from Clingman's DomeToday started with intense wind and thick fog, both of which stuck around until early afternoon. That meant no view whatsoever from Clingman's Dome. On a clear day, you're supposed to be able to see 4 or 5 states from the top. Today we just saw fog. I was disappointed, but it's not as if it's the last view I'll see on the trail. Crabby, New Song, and I ate lunch at the highest part of the trail on Clingman's, which is also the highest part of the AT. Pretty cool. I walked up to the observation tower, but it was too foggy to see anything so I didn't bother climbing up. It was so foggy that I could barely see the tower (maybe 40' high) from the ground.The lower elevations in today's hike were very pretty. The trail went through a forest full of old growth trees and moss covering everything. Tara would have liked it. We've been through similar forests before and she calls them E.T. forests because they remind her of the one in the movie E.T. Really cool.The fog subsided and gave way to blue sky and partial sunshine as we made our way down from Clingman's Dome. It stayed pretty nice, so I collected firewood and we had a nice fire through dinner until ~7:00 when it started thundering and raining. I'm comfy and dry in the shelter tonight and I'd rather have rain during the night than while we're hiking anyway...not that I have a choice. It's just the 6 of us tonight: Mustang Sally, New Song, Strider, Tracer, Crabby, and me.Strider and Tracer are hitching a ride into Gatlinburg, TN tomorrow to pick up some supplies they need. They'll get back on the trail and meet us at Icewater Spring Shelter tomorrow night. They've offered to pick up anything we need, so they're getting me a couple of Snickers bars and some Ramen. Nice people.Today's hike was only 8 miles and tomorrow's is only 7.5. I don't mind doing shorter days sometimes, but I'd rather be doing 10-12 miles. It's tough to do that in the Smokies, though, because we have to stay at shelters. Today could have been an 8 mile day or a 15.5 mile day, and I'm not ready for 15+ miles. When I start doing 13 miles without the last 1-2 miles being really tough, I'll start doing longer days. Can't push myself too far too soon or I'll end up getting hurt and heading home.My knee was bothering me today, so I need to keep an eye on it. I'll pick up some glucosamine in Hot Springs (about a week from now) and maybe even zero there. If I can catch Strider and Tracer before they leave early in the morning, I'll see if they can pick some up in Gatlinburg. Maybe the weight of all the food I've had to carry for the Smokies is taking it's toll on me.