Date: 2020-06-16
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: Double Springs Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.5

Chilly last night, high 40s. I slept in my puffy but had no leggings, so I was sweaty up top and cold down below. Had another Slimfast protein shake for breakfast. 2 down, 10 to go... The ripe peach I packed out partially redeemed breakfast.Plan was to do twenty miles today, then ten to Newfound Gap tomorrow and go into Gatlinburg (the "oddest town on the AT" according to Guthook). Sunshine is meeting a friend there, and I've run out of M&M's, so it works out.Shortly after heading out we ran into a southbounder with wild grey hair named Subway. He left Maine last July, took a break for winter and Covid, and is aiming to reach Springer the end of this month. He looked pretty excited, and had lots of questions about the trail ahead and where to stay in Franklin.The sky started clear but soon clouded over. It was chilly hiking out, but after my body warmed up it was pleasant. Passed a few backpackers, which I expected. Then I passed a dayhiker, which I did not. The Knoxville man said he had hiked six miles up (3000 feet elevation gain) from Cades Cove to this seemingly remote stretch to visit Thunderhead mountain. He hikes the park 2-3 times a week. I would encounter a number of other dayhikers today. I would say it's possible to slackpack the Smokies given the number of side trails available. For those inclined, they could return to a hostel or hotel every night.A couple of girls passed us as we lunched on a knob below Thunderhead. One of them carried a bear bell. Bear bells are intended to warn bears of your approach when they are upwind and apparently so distracted they don't hear your footsteps, clacking trekking poles, or singing 80s pop songs to yourself. There is also a theory that bear bells are like dinner bells for bears. They go to investigate the strange noise, rather than fleeing it. Bears, like people, have different personalities. Best not to expect a bell to keep them all away.On Rocky Top I watched clouds drift around me. By the next knob we were totally socked in by fog. But as we climbed Thunderhead the sun came out and we looked forward to a view. Sadly the whole peak is thick with eight-foot-high rhododendrons, preventing any views. So we followed the rhodo tunnel down the other side.All afternoon was like walking through a raincloud. It didn't actually rain on me, but the air was so moist drops condensed on me. They also covered the trees and shrubs, which in turn dripped and rubbed against me, wetting me from socks to head. Despite a high close to 60 degrees it felt cold and raw. As I approached tonight's shelter at Double Springs Gap I startled, and was startled by, three large wild turkeys. They fluffed their feathers and stalked off a few paces, doing their best to ignore me.At the shelter a fire was already going thanks to a couple from Wisconsin out on a 5-day hike over numerous Smokies trails. More backpackers trickled in. A father, brother-in-law, and grown son from Alabama, a trio of guys with a church youth group also from Alabama who have done several sections. A thirty-year-old woman from California now working in Vicksburg. And a guy named Joe. Two of the boys from Alabama didn't bring jackets, expecting warmer weather. They sat shivering in front of the fire, shrugging off my suggestion they wrap their sleeping bags around them.I laid my shoes and socks out to dry in front of the fire. I was a little aggressive I guess, because one of my Injinji sock liners partially melted thanks to the polyester in it. Oh, well!That crackly plastic won't help ward off blisters in that condition. I'll have to get a new pair in town.Sunshine had cell service. He showed me a new announcement from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). Apparently they will now encourage thruhikers to return to the trail. So my hike may officially "count". So far every part of the trail I've traveled has been open, and now it looks like the entire trail but Katahdin is officially open (Katahdin opens July 1st). The ATC is just bowing to reality. They did everything they could to shame and chase hikers off the trail for three months. None of it was supported by any evidence, like the speculation thruhikers would infect small mountain towns. In reality it would have been the other way around if at all. And it's the small towns that want the hikers for business. They were the first to reopen. Every shuttler and hosteler has lamented the ATC's actions. Their last announcement several weeks ago was to start forming a commission to study what things to think about before reopening, like some obscure bureacracy, but that they weren't going to do anything until there was a vaccine or the virus disappeared. Now over a month after the forest service and other landowners had removed temporary restrictions the ATC is simply acknowledging the reality that hundreds of thruhikers are returning to the trail, in addition to the hundreds that never left. Okay, rant over.It's going to be a cold one tonight, maybe in the 30s. Not what I expected for June. Glad I decided to bring at least some minimal warm clothes. You never know with these mountains.