Date: 2009-04-06
From: Cable Gap Shelter, NC

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

There was a funny conversation yesterday morning that I wanted to tell you about. Everyone was getting packed up and it was warm enough for me to actually sit and eat my breakfast. Snake Eyes is a guy who wears a hiker's kilt. The kilt comes up several inches above his knees and is made of a lightweight, fast-drying (read thin) material. He was telling us that once summer gets here that he plans to go without underwear under his kilt. Ugh. I told him he needed to learn to sit and move around like a lady, because I really don't want to see his junk. He answered that his Mom was making him another one that wraps around further which will keep everything covered if the wind whips his kilt around. I'm like it is more than the wind. So while he was getting packed up, I kept saying you have to do that differently. You must sit with your legs together or push your kilt down between your legs. Can't bend over at the waist, but must kneel. George (a lady hiker) popped up with if you are going to wear women's clothes you have to act like a lady. Ha. I don't care what people wear, I just don't want to have to worry about getting flashed especially first thing in the morning. Pink Blaze Nazi wears a kilt also, but his is longer and much fuller and doesn't make me feel like I'm going to see stuff I really don't want to see. I think I frustrated Snake Eyes a bit and I'm sorry for that, but I wanted him to be aware. Back to today. The forecast was for the weather to start getting bad as the day went on. I got up early, packed my stuff and made lots of noise like Dave asked. Dave was hoping to get an earlier start than he normally does, but I guess it was too early. He just stuck his head out of his sleeping bag, said morning and disappeared back into his bag. Ha. I finished packing and hiked out around 8:15. It was much colder already and I hiked out at a quick pace to stay warm. The day's hike started with an ascent and those always warm me up. It was just a short hike today and I was hoping to make Fontana Dam around noon to hopefully miss the upcoming snow. It spit at me a few times, but not hard enough to make me stop hiking to put on my rain cover. The route did give me some views of my destination and Fontana Lake. However, the winds were blowing and I didn't stop too long to enjoy the view. Once I got to the lower elevations, I passed through a couple of areas where the forest floor was not covered by leaves. Instead it was carpeted with little green plants and small flowers. Spring is coming, but it will be covered in snow by tonight. Hope they survive. I was most excited to see the trillium blooming! They are a beautiful plant. All the ones I saw were had a red flower. I made it to the Fontana 28 AT Crossing and picked up my permit for the Smokies, but the temperatures were falling and didn't take the time to fill it out. I just stuffed it in my pocket and will fill it out later. I thought I had an easy hike of less than a mile to the shelter and boy was I surprised when I found a bump to be hiked over. It wasn't a great elevation change, but I was expecting a flat stroll. When I look back at the elevation chart in the data book it does show a small bump, but I didn't see it that morning. It was hardly a speed bump, but it still irritated me. It was starting to rain a little harder and I was ready to be at my destination. I only saw two other hikers today and when I asked where they were headed they just said south. I tried to be nice and said stay warm and one of the hikers said yes we heard in a very unfriendly tone. I just said bye and hiked on. I found out later that one was a novice hiker and that Jeff refused to take them to Newfound Gap in the Smokies due to the weather. Explained their tone when I mentioned the weather. I made it to the Fontana Dam Shelter to find Many Names and Huck hanging out. I called The Hike Inn here as instructed by the owner to schedule my shuttle from the Visitor's Center. Nice, big shelter that sleeps 20 hikers, but still a shelter even though it is called the Fontana Shelter. Not somewhere I'd want to wait out the upcoming winter weather. I hiked back up to the road from the shelter and hiked the three-tenths of a mile to the visitor's center. There was a ridgerunner there from the Smokies telling the incoming hikers about the winter weather advisory. He said that above 5000, which is where most of the trail in the Smokies is located, was expecting over a foot of snow. Brrrr. He asked if I was going in. Nope, I have a reservation at The Hike Inn. He said good and was happy that I had someone to pick me up. I told them there were many hikers behind me, but that I thought most were going to be looking for places to wait out the weather. He took off to warn the other hikers. I put on another shirt and got my pack in travel mode. I have a habit of leaving items that are not attached to my pack behind in people's car; therefore, I stick my map case that I usually have stuck in my waist belt in a pack pocket and I collapse my hiking poles and anchor them to the outside of my pack. Nancy was there very quickly and I didn't have to wait in the cold at all. Made me very happy. Nancy, one of the owners of the inn, introduced herself and helped me throw my pack in the trunk. I cracked up when I saw a towel thrown over the passengers seat like people do for dogs. Smart lady as the hikers can be very wet and muddy when we come out of the mountains. It was a short drive to the inn and she showed me my room where my mail drop was sitting on the bed. She invited me to lunch at a local diner, but only gave me about 15 minutes to get ready. I washed my hands and face, but couldn't get my hair to look at all presentable. I just stuck my ball cap back on and I was as ready as I could be. Ha. I tried to call Mark, but no cell service....not even email. UGH!! I had sent him an email on the summit this morning that I'd call him when I got in between 1 and 2. I hope he doesn't get too worried. I went to the main house to go eat. I ended up not eating my breakfast bar this morning and I was starving and I love eating in little diners. I met Jeff, Nancy's husband and other owner of the inn. She told me that we would be having lunch with her neighbor Herb and we were off. Great Lunch!! I had the lunch special which was delicious and some great conversation with Herb and Nancy. Herb picked up the tab which totally took me by surprise. I felt bad as I hadn't been able to clean up and totally stank, but they told me they were immune to smelly hikers as they are around us so much. They made me feel very comfortable and welcome. Great time and thanks Herb for picking up the tab. I got back to my room and took a much needed shower. Ahhh...feels so good to be clean. I put on my rain pants and down jacket and took all my smelly clothes to Nancy to wash. She did my laundry and now I have clean clothes. Yeah. She let me know that we would head to town around 5 for dinner. I put out my spot and sent my daily safe message hoping that Mark would check his email to know I was okay. I tried to find the weather forecast, but all I know is the winter weather advisory last until Thursday morning. I am happy that the bad weather came right before I head into the Smokies instead of while I was in the Smokies. I am content to hang out here until it warms back up a little. I am the only hiker here at the inn which only has 6 rooms. I don't know where all the other hikers are headed, but I hope they get somewhere warm and safe. Nancy dropped me off at a little Mexican restaurant where I ate another huge meal and tried to answer my emails. I went outside and called Mark and talked to him briefly. He was a little anxious, but understood the lack of cell service. I told him I'd call back tomorrow during our town stop. Nancy then took me to the store for supplies. When we got back the inn had filled up with section hikers. It is snowing pretty hard and I'm in for the night.