Date: 2009-04-30
From: Double Spring Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Oh, what a day. I started by climbing the highest mountain on the AT, I went into Gatlinburg, TN, crossed the 200-mile mark and ended up back on the trail. A real drastic change in environments. I woke up feeling great. Although it poured last night and it cleared up for this morning, it left behind a thick fog and a stiff wind. I felt really good this morning and the legs were fresh. I hiked the 1000' climb up to Clingman's Dome no problem and I actually RAN up and down the observation tower. I took pictures of the fog, you could barely see 50' in every direction. The wind blew all the rain off the trees onto me and it was 48*. Cold, foggy and finally groves of pine trees at elevation, it felt like home! I felt so good I ended up doing the 10.5 miles in 4 hours over some real ups and downs. I got to Newfound Gap at noon, the one paved road crossing in the 70 miles of the Smokies. Now I must take my head out of the wilderness and get focused on getting into town. I got a real quick hitch coming out of the gap, a nice guy in an Xterra picked me up. He's working in the park for a few days measuring air pollution levels. I'm glad I went to Gatlinburg because the ride down showed me so much of the park that I would have missed had I just stayed on the AT ridgewalk at 5-6000'. My hitch drops me off in town near the Happy Hiker, the outfitter, and suddenly I'm in Gatlinburg. What can you say about Gatlinburg? It's bizzare. It is home to Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum, a Hollywood Wax Museum featuring Elvis, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, and a ton of cheesy t-shirt places, and a bigger newer hotel on every block. Every single person who's there is on vacation, like 30,000 people in the town the size of Freeport. They're all cranky and almost all of them were overweight, had a mullet, or both. It felt like OOB after smoking crack, and served as real good people watching. I stayed in the safety of the Subway where I knew none of them would find me. The one saving grace was the trolley service, which will take you all around town for 50 cents. I got to the grocery strore and loaded up on some of my new favorite trail foods. And, I got an ice cold pint of Magic Hat #9. Yum. I drank it on the sidewalk of the shopping plaza while repackaging all my food. Haha, such is the hiker life. The library was too far out of town, so pics will have to wait until Standing Bear Farm hostel in 2 days. I went to Subway instead and ordered 2 footlongs, I ate one and packed out the other for dinner tonight. When leaving, getting a hitch was tough. Families on vacation don't stop for dirty hikers. I was forced to call Smoky Mtn Taxi and pay $35(!) for a 12 mile ride out of town. Everything's expensive in Gatlinburg and it was one of those rip off situations where they knew I'd pay because I had no other choice. Whatever, I didn't want to stay in town and pay $70 for a hotel room. Anyway, now I'm back in a shelter 3 miles past Newfound Gap. I am with an entirely different crew of hikers than yesterday, Voodoo, Chef, and 2 other thru hikers, plus 3 guys from Florida just hiking the north half of the park. We are having a sweet fire and going to bed. Belly full and feet are good. Kick: $35 taxi ride was bullshit! No opportunity for a Clingman's sunrise. Kiss: Climbing Clingman's, completing my first 4 mile hour, crossing the 200-mile mark, being able to get in and out of town and still do 13 miles, and completing 100 miles in the past 7 days. Happy Trails,Transition