Date: 2007-03-29
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap, US 441
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

We were awake early--long before daylight--but waited until just before daylight to get up and start packing. We always seem to be the first ones to stir in the mornings. We were not in the clouds any longer so were hoping for a clear view from Clingman's. But soon after daylight it rained a little for less then 5 minutes and we thought it was over. So when we started out at 8am for Clingman's Dome, 4.6 miles away we were without rain gear or pack covers on. We had only been on the trail for probably 15 minutes when it started to rain lightly, so stopped and put it all on. We soon got too warm when we started climbing again and took the rain gear off and left it off for quite a while until it started raining harder. About this time we were starting to be in the clouds. At Clingman's we did not have a view and it was raining again. We stopped anyway to rest and eat a Snickers bar.Throughout the day we had our rain gear on and off several times. Going down from there was as bad as it was 2 years ago. It started raining harder and the trail was a muddy mess and the rocks, roots, and logs were very slippery. I slipped on a rock and lost my balance but instead of falling I ended sitting down on my rump on the side of the trail. The trail was like a trench so sitting down on the side of the trail was like sitting down on a low stool. Toto then told me he had fallen forward after tripping on a root but had caught himself on his hands. He said he had already decided we were coming into Gatlinburg to clean up and rest. We hated to do it but we both need some good food, a shower, and our clothes washed out and dry. We got to Newfound Gap at about 4pm. We had been hiking in the clouds for some time and it was even cloudier at the gap. Other hikers were there sitting on some rocks above the parking lot. Tintin and his brother, Joseph Stalin, were there with Pooch and Tom Dooley having some snacks. Tintin and J. Stalin were waiting for their cousin to arrive to take them in to town. We stood at the road near the parking lot and put out our thumbs for a ride and after only 5 or so minutes a family leaving the parking lot stopped and asked if we wanted a ride to the bottom. They were also going into Gatlinburg so offered a ride. They ended up being from our home state of Ohio. They had lots of questions about our hike, etc. They are really a nice family. The road here at Newfound Gap is the only road that crosses the trail in the Smokies.I have not been enjoying the Smoky Mountains and am excited to have only 2 full days left in them. We have been pushing ourselves quite a bit and I have been getting very tired and when I get that tired it is difficult to carry on a conversation, especially at the end of the day. But even this morning before we even started I was tired. We decided that the climbing has probably been more difficult the last few days because of the higher elevations. Clingman's Dome is at 6643 feet. Our legs haven't been working as well and we've had to stop to catch our breaths more frequently. We had totally forgotten how difficult this trail is.Well, our clothes are washed and rinsed in the bathtub and hung to dry. Toto has been sitting on a bench out on the street watching the people and journaling in his journal. He just returned and now we are going back to Shoney's for dessert or ice cream.