Date: 2009-03-27
From: Fontana Dam/Hike Inn

To: Hike Inn
Miles today: 0.0

March 27, 2009A zero day for me. Hightop and Boomer headed out after their zero day yesterday. Looks like rain and possible thunderstorms for the next couple days. Hopefully it will be better early next week when I'm in the northern half of the Smokies. A new group of hikers is arriving today. I think I saw Spoons arrive. Wicked is now staying another day. Nancy said her hip/leg is hurting. It¢s strange that you can hike one day and feel relatively good and after sleeping "hurts" appear. I'm eating all day today. You need to take advantage of large quantities of town food because you can't eat enough while hiking to maintain a high energy level. If things go right, this will be my last zero day for almost two weeks and 170 miles. My boots/shoes I bought at Neels Gap are doing great. My toe socks (Injinji) are great also. No new blisters since I walked in wet boots and socks a while ago. I know of at least five other hikers who have bought them since I suggested using them. They may look funny but they really work for me. That's about all for now. It¢s time to start packing. More later tonight. Back from dinner and the grocery store. Nancy left a hour earlier than usual so I could get to the Verizon store to hopefully pickup a new battery for my Blackberry. Good news. It arrived and it was the correct model number. Now I have two spares.   That should last 8-10 days between charges. We went to the same restaurant as last night--Dulcimer Dave and his wife, Spoons, and Wicked. Everything was good but it wasn't enough for me. Nancy dropped me off at McDonald's then took everyone else to Ingle's. I ate a Quarter Pounder meal, and then walked to Ingle's. I bought a piece of apple pie for tonight and some donuts for the morning. I'm turning into an eating machine. I'm the only one leaving in the morning. Wicked's leg is still bothering her. Everyone else is taking a zero day. The lousy weather is making the decision to take a day off very easy. As much as I would like to spend another night here, it really is time to head north. The forecast is for rain and possibly thunderstorms thru Sunday morning. Then better weather Sunday night thru Monday. Rain again on Tuesday then good weather again on Wednesday. Not a bad scenario considering it¢s Spring in the Smokies. I'm all packed except for my food bag. After a quick shower in the morning, Jeff will take me back to the visitor center around 0700. I'm hoping to reach Spence Field Shelter tomorrow (16.4 miles). That will be my longest day of the next 5-6 days. For information, everyone is required to stay at official shelters and campsites when in the Smokies. There is a fairly hefty fine if caught camping anywhere else. Also, there are only two spaces reserved for thru-hikers at each shelter. If others arrives with reservations thru-hikers are required to leave the shelter and setup a tent. Normally, especially if the weather is nasty, everyone just squeezes closer together to make room for anyone who wants to sleep in the shelter. That's about all for tonight. Time for bed. Take care. DaveMin Temp:Max Temp:Weather: Rain and fog