Date: 2003-03-25
From: Deep Park Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Here in Hot Springs, staying at Elmer's Hiker Hostel. Very impressed with the town so far! Stats and technical comments are at the end of this entry, for the info-hungry. So, after I last wrote in Franklin, some very important things have happened! Instead of cramming them all into one entry, the following few entries are some ruminations on different aspects of the trail. This entry is devoted to certain highlights so far.BALDS RULE. Not men, but mountains. I guess we don't really have as many grassy balds up north, but there is nothing more spectacular than climbing an exhausting few miles up through trees to come into a huge summit clearing. I have yet to sleep on one, but I spent some quality time on Siler's Bald (between Franklin and the NOC) and on the incredible Max Patch, which gives a great 360 view of what is behind and what is to come.RAIN IS OKAY. I finally got to test out my mettle when it rained on us for the first four days of the Smoky Mountains. The plus side is that we got to cross Fontana Dam two days before they closed it due to wartime security. I had no view (literally, none) from the highest point of the AT, Clingman's Dome, but since I was up there alone on the tower I performed a rite of spring (which consisted of stripping down to only my boots and gaiters and singing "It's Raining Men" while skipping naked around the tower) and lo and behold, not only did I score some trail magic in the form of grilled hot dogs and a mocha at Newfound Gap, but the weather cleared up the next day for beautiful views from the ridge.HOSTELS, NOT MOTELS. Enough said.I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN...Miles are just miles. And if I hike from sunrise to sunset, as I did yesterday, I can do 23 miles even with achy blistery feet. Even though it is frustrating to take three steps for everyone else's two.DANCING ON THE TRAIL. Line dancing with the ladies of Franklin was some of the best fun I've had so far. They even taught me a line dance to "Backstreet's Back." Those women can body roll and grapevine like nobody's business. I also did a little clogging at The Front Porch, a Mexican/Bluegrass Restaurant owned by Curtis and Maria of Standing Bear Farms. If only they hadn't been out of ice cream!Read on for more ruminations on the trail, and to find out what trailname I've been given.HARD FACTS:The Route (Since Franklin NC):3/12 camped 8 miles from Hwy 643/13 Rufus Morgan Shelter (18 mi)3/14 Sassafras Gap Shelter (8 mi)3/15 Cable Gap Shelter (15 mi)3/16 Fontana Inn (5.5 mi)THE SMOKIES3/17 Mollie's Ridge Shelter (12.4 mi)3/18 Derrick's Knob Shelter (12 mi)3/19 Double Spring Shelter (7.2 mi)3/20 Icewater Spring Shelter (13.8 mi) 3/21 Tricorner Knob Shelter (12ish mi)END OF THE SMOKIES3/22 Standing Bear Farms Hostel (18 mi)3/23 Groundhog Creek Shelter (7.5 mi)3/24 Deep Park Shelter (23 mi)3/25 Livin' it up in Hot Springs at Elmer's.The Gear:Dropped: heavy fleece-lined stuff sack, clunky $15 old-school Petzl light, fleece pants, extra fleece shirt, extra lotion (kept a film cannister full), camp sneakers, the Databook (kept the Handbook and maps), extra P-cord, the Integral Designs tarp (too small).Picked up: fleece Kathy Ireland sandals for camp (best purchase by far), lighter stuff-sacks, Hennessey Hammock (already mentioned this), Petzl Zipka light.