Date: 2016-04-27
From: Silbers Bald Shelter 

To: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg
Miles today: 11.0

5/27 - Day Twenty-OneWhereas the hike yesterday beat me like a drum, I won back the title of king of mountain today. Weirdly enough today's hike took us to the top of Clingman's Done, the highest point in the entire AT. After yesterday's ass spanking I was ready to battle a steep ascent to reach "the Dome". But a brutal hike it was not, the elevation gain was significant, but spread out over several miles of good trail.As we climbed the trail, the forest changed from hardwood ridges to pines. The forest around Clingman's was all pine and covered in green moss.As we reached to peak we were greeted by humanity in the form of human tourists, baby strollers and all! The Clingman's Dome observation space ship looking thing sits at the top and there is a road for those not up for the hike.So my crew (Mayfly, Special K, Justin, Mozy, Chicken Little and Maryland Mark) hung out for a while at the base and basked in the glory of looking dirty and smelling like hikers who camped out four days in the woods. Then the questions started.... Where are you going? How far have you come? How long since your last shower? But it was cool interacting and answering the questions.A nice lady who worked at the gift shop came and sat with us (it was her lunch break) and offered me a Coke Zero (small can). I accepted and drank it in one gulp. Then a nice couple from Michigan, having asked numerous questions, felt generous enough to give me a banana, a buck stick and a piece of string cheese. But all great parties must end and we still had over 7 miles to hike before Newfound Gap where we figured we could hitch into Gatlinburg to resupply and sleep.Like the ascent to Clingman's, the trail down was not too bad. Justin and Chicken Little decided they had enough and would hitch to Gatlinburg from the parking lot of the Dome, so only Mayfly, Special K, Mozy, Maryland Mark and myself played on.The 7 miles took the remainder of the day. I hiked with both Mozy and Mark at times and got to know them better. I discovered a major secret behind Mozy's secret of mountain cruising.... He is only 25!!! When I reached Newfound Gap with Mozy we were greeted by a Styro-Foam cooler with the words "trail magic" scribbled on it. This typically is a bummer because these type of trail magic coolers are often empty, but luck was on our side today. Looking in the cooler we found ice cold Coca-Cola's!!!As we cracked ice cold Cokes I saw Mayfly chatting with a lady who turned out to be Special K's mom. As we waited for Special K to bring up the rear I went over where a bunch of people were and they were watching a black bear family down in a valley right off the parking lot. I had just walked 40 miles in the back country... And wanted to see a wild bear. It would take seeing one at a parking lot!So Mozy, Mayfly and I hitched a ride with a nice couple to Gatlinburg (yes people still pick up hitch hikers). The plan here is to get up and get out. Don't get me wrong, Gatlinburg seems like a nice place, but it's better suited for guys like Chicken Little who was very impressed that the steak house served him a hamburger "the size of his face". Now you know why we are heading back to the woods early.Other news to report, today I hit mile 200... Actually I have walked 207 so far. On the wildlife observation side, I am hexed. The word is out that I have a turkey call and so is the accurate rumour that I have yet to see a turkey! I am starting to receive text pictures of gobblers as everyone else has seen a turkey! So tomorrow is a 10 mile day unless the forecasted storm washes us out.