Date: 2006-03-19
From: Fontana Dam

To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 1.1
Weather: clear sky

Before I delve into my excuses of today's pitiful excuse for mileage, I'd like to recap on a few things. I have been out here over two weeks now, and we are about to enter the mighty Smokies...and so far, I've lost a pair of socks very mysteriously, Swansons has lost two pairs. I have two burn holes in my fleece, and in my vest, and one in my pants from our killer fires, thanks to Boomer, who put whole trees and eco systems into the blaze. Boomer, we found out, has quit the trail life, and his great stories and fires will be missed. Swansons has had 6 blisters that are still healing and my wonderful, loyal feet are still holding strong at zero. We have a root canal under our belts, seen a random yawning jaw dislocation,lost an Australian, a Sunshine, a Pinky, a Turkey and a Lockjaw, one great sunrise, two great sunsets and tonight, my very first s'more over the fire. So far, so good.As for today, it wasn't a total wash. We hiked the 1.1 miles from the Fontana Marina to the Fontana Hilton (which is an awesome shelter) so is was a "nero", not quite a "zero" day. At first, I was a little reluctant to do it, but the group we were hangin with last night was persuasive and the sore throat I've been carrying around for a few days was killer this morning, so it was a good idea. Weather forcasts for the Smokies aren't looking so hot, expecially tomorrow...100% chance of rain. So, it was good to have a day of semi rest. However, am not good at sitting still, even while double dosing on Vitamin C and trying not to get sick.We had an awesome breakfast at the Fontana restaurant. Amazing, two eggs, home fires, sausage, biscuits and gravy, apple cobbler, sprite and two cups of coffee. And not a single piece of food left over!After breakfast, the ping pong game of all ping pong games errupted in the rec room, Swansons and I against Bear and The Tortoise. nobody won but did you know you don't need a table to play ping pong?   Just a very large room with wood floors! It was intense....nuts, really, and, as usual, or as hikers, we are hungry has hell afterwards. But the restaurant was too expensive, so we ganged up and all headed down to the general store where we bought bread and lunch meat, root beer, combos, chips, mustard, cheese and mayo and all headed back to the rec room, and had a picnic, oh, and s'more ingredients for later. It looked like and elementary school cafeteria...all that white bread and junk food... Bear, Snake, Jazzy Pants, Roadrunner, Swanson, Milkdud, Monk, Pebbles, Tortoise and I...oh, and there was little pudding cups that finished the school cafeteria effect.After our picnic, the clouds began to roll in around 2:00PM and we decided to do our 1.1 before the rain came and ruined our big day.Now, to talk about actual hiking in my trail journal--Our packs were heavy! Heavy...6 to 7 days worth of food that we probably don't need for the Smokies..which everyone seems to be a bit apprehensive about. Is it the weather? Or the bears?. I, myself, believe it is the wild pigs milling about. We have heard they are the things that will get ya, who knew?The hike today felt great. I wish we had done more, but my cold appreciated the break. The shelter we are in holds twenty and we are filled to capacity, twenty hikers and one dog. We didn't bother to hang the food bags tonight, just off of hooks on the ceiling to keep them safe from mice. There are garbage cans right outside, so if a bear is around, we figured he is comin' whether we hang bags or not. Just keep the food out of your pockets, right? Big day tomorrow, up, up, up into the Smoky Mountais..in the rain.