Date: 2010-04-20
From: Watuga Lake

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was the worst day I have experienced on the trail. I learned a big lesson the hard way. One that I will never forget for the remainder of my trip¢¦ NEVER LEAVE YOUR BACKPACK UNATTENDED!!! I headed out this morning for Damascus, the best little trail town on the AT. I descended to a recreation area on Lake Watuga after being dropped off by Bob Peeples from Kincora Hostel. I stopped at a picnic table filled and my water bottle. I spotted a restroom nearby and went to take advantage of the indoor plumming. As I came out and started walking back I could see my stuff lying everywhere. I run over and someone had dumped all my stuff out of my backpack. My wallet had been dumped out on the table along with my clothes. My food back had been tossed over in the side of the woods. When I thought that the only thing missing was my camera and money I realized that all of my photos from Fontana to here were gone with the camera. All the photos of the snow and ice in the Smokies, all the hikers I had met up until now. I was really getting depressed and to make matters worse, I couldn't find my rain fly or my hammock. Then I noticed something floating out in the middle of the lake. Somehow they threw my hammock and fly into the middle of the lake. After about 20 mins of wading into the cold water and debating whether or not to try and swim after it, which I'm sure I would have ended up getting phnumonia, I gave up and packed the rest of my stuff, Went to the top of the road and stuck my thumb out. I got my first ride from Hwy 321 to Hwy 67 from some nice guys that gave me some directions and an apple. Then I got another ride from a bridge on Hwy 67 to Mountain City and from there I hiked a little out of town following the Damascus signs where I called my grandfather and Mike to them wat happened. Mike offered to find me a ride since he has been in Damascus for about a week and was now basically a local, haha. But I said no, too much trouble when I'm sure someone would pcik me up. And sure enough a nice guy did. He was a teacher from a private school who does AT trips with kids. He gave me a ride right into Damascus and dropped me off at MRO outffiters (Mountain Rodgers Outfitters). From there I walked up to the gas station, Cowboys, where Mike had said the place he was staying was near. I asked if they knew could tell me how to find Larry Riddle's house (the fellow Mike was staying with) and they pointed me the right way. I knocked on the door and there was my buddy who I had not seen since Fontana Dam almost four weeks ago. It was good to catch up with him and swap stories. He introduced me to Larry the guy that was letting him stay for work at his private house. He said as long as I was as good a guy as Mike I could stay at his house for the night till my Grandpa arrived the next morning. That afternoon I met up with the some of the guys at Quinceys Pizza-Bar (Smoketsack, Natedog, and DAN). I was really down about the turn of events and did not feel like continuing the hike but my fellow hikers quickly pepped me up and I was looking forward to my grandfather arriving tomorrow to hike with me a few days. He would be bringing me a replacement hammock and rainfly. I can always count on him. He is my trail angel.