Date: 2017-03-22
From: Fontana Lake, NC

To: Spence Field Shelter, NC
Miles today: 18.5

Day 15: Fontana Dam, NC to Spence Field Shelter, NC - 18.5 miles:Last night I fell asleep to the sound of rain, and the occasional clap of thunder. I scored a mini fan in a closet next to my bed, something that has always helped me sleep, and sleep I did. I would wake many times throughout the night, but fall asleep almost immediately each time. Toepick, Scout, Odin, and me soon made our way downstairs to a breakfast spread we weren't expecting. On a table before us were six varieties of cereal, milk, OJ, coffee, mixed fruit, yogurt, cornbread, banana nut bread, three varieties of local honey, four varieties of jam, bagels, and lox. I tried a little of everything, save the bread, in order to enjoy more of the other delicacies.After stuffing myself to the brim, knowing I'd be hungry again in an hour, we finished packing our gear and were soon shuttled back towards Fontana. With Toepick renting a car for the next several days, including taking Scout to northern Virginia today, I would be the first dropped off, back at the marina with the restrooms where we ended the day before. I said bye to Scout, have Toepick a hug, and Odin a kiss on the head. I'm sure he'll miss me as much as I'll miss him while passing through the Smokies. I also thanked Jeff for his hospitality before he returned to his car to take the others into Fontana Village where they would hang out until Enterprise picked them up around noon.After a quick deuce in the restroom, my second of the morning, I put in my music to begin the long day I knew awaited. By now it was already 9:45am; I hoped my legs would kick into gear quickly because the Smokies rose up above the surrounding terrain in around two miles. I made a quick stop at the Fontana Hilton to grab a couple pictures of views I didn't have a couple years ago. I passed the restroom where General Burnsides, Moosehead, Tick Tock, and me spent what seemed like hours talking and joking with one another during my original hike. Moosehead and I had even helped shave one another's neck hair so we'd look fresh for the Smokies. No such luxury this time around. Minutes later I was making my way across the Fontana Dam - the blue water to my right, now a greenish brown upclose, and the dam dropping hundreds of feet to my left. A few vehicles sat at it's base, appearing like colorful ants from my vantage point above. I took turns zigzagging across the top of the dam, enjoying the drastically different views offered on each side.After a few minutes up a side road leading up into the woods, I finally reached the little metal bin where I was to insert the permit I purchased back to the NOC. The permits help with keeping track of attendance, as well as monitoring who's in the backcountry for safety reasons. AT hikers are required to carry a copy of their permit with them at all times in case a ranger asks to see it, as well as eventually leave it in another metal bin once reaching the northern boundary of the park. Thru-hikers are given eight days to pass through the 70-mile stretch of trail, but for most it's not an issue. I'm planning to more or less mirror my '15 hike through the Smokies, exiting at some point on the fifth day.With my head down and music going, I entered a zone, riding the wave of feeling good for as long as it'd carry me. At noon, I went up a side trail, thinking it was the AT, and found myself standing below Shuckstack fire tower, standing around 100ft high atop Shuckstack Mountain. Happy that my tunnel vision led me here, I climbed the steep staircase, instantly freezing as the cold wind hit me once I was above treeline. Fortunately the top was enclosed in sheet metal and glass windows, a gradual "fwap fwap" as the wind shook the loose pieces of metal around me. To the north I could see the blue hue of the Smokies rising before me, their tops hidden behind a small blanket of white clouds. To the south, now in a valley far below, parts of Fontana Lake glistened in the sun. I could even see parts of Fontana Village, knowing that, if Enterprise was on time, Toepick, Odin, Scout, and a third hiker would now be crowding into a vehicle with some poor Enterprise employee. Seeing that Toepick and Scout at least enjoyed showers last night, it could've been worse. Just before I continued on, I enjoyed another bagel and lox I had wrapped in my pack and carried from Creekside Paradise on the AT this morning.Two hours of climbing later, I reached Mollies Ridge Shelter. Eight hikers were already bedding down for the day at 2:30pm. This wasn't an option for me and, after a brief 30-second break, pushed on. Continuing to climb for another three miles, I'd reach Russell Field Shelter at 3:30pm. With the constant flux between sweating and then freezing once the cold air hit my wet body, I ducked into the shelter to escape the wind for a bit. I quickly downed a pack of M&M's, a Snickers, a Twix, and a Kit-Kat in front of me few day-hikers who appeared to be in their teens. The smell of pot lingered in the still air of the shelter, and it was obvious I was cramping their style. Within 15 minutes I was back on the trail, determined to reach Spence Field Shelter before calling it a day. Just under an hour later, I had covered another three miles, and it was only 4:30pm. Though I've preferred to utilize the daylight so far, today I was happy with shutting it down early. Having covered 18.5 miles up into the Smokies in seven hours, there's a fine line between pushing too hard and enjoying an accomplishment. I chose the latter.I quickly down a dinner of spam, tuna, pepperoni, and a slice of cheese, brushed my teeth, and have since been horizontal for the past hour. Since leaving Fontana Lake this morning, I passed 44 hikers today. A handful have and will trickle in before the evening is over, but it was nice to get a feel for what kind of bubble I'm in. It means I will have to do either faster or bigger miles in order to land a spot in the shelters. Though I prefer to camp and avoid the cramped, dirty, potentially germ-filled environments that can lead to wiping out hikers, the major plus is staying warmer at night. A few faces I know include: Lucky Penny, Already Stinky, Goat, Divinci, and 82. 82's name precedes him most places he goes because anyone who starts the trail with 82lbs will be remembered.A quick thanks to two people for new gear I've really appreciated so far, but are easy to overlook. Thank you, Holly, for the Crochs. One of my best additions. Other than protecting my feet from unseen ouchies at night, they've proven quite comfortable, and some might say stylish. Thank you, Mom, for the trekking poles at Christmas. I've hardly noticed they're there, but they've saved me from a few falls already, as well as having provided lightweight drumsticks during my on-trail drum sessions.For day one up and into the Smokies, I couldn't have asked for a better day. Although the weather can change quickly up here, the forecast tentatively calls for similar conditions over the next couple days - cold, but at least partly sunny and dry. Here's to that holding true for as long as possible, and to even stronger legs. Tomorrow I continue to climb.