Date: 2003-04-21
From: Fontana Dam - Davenport Gap

To: Fontana Dam - Davenport Gap
Miles today: 71.5
Weather: light rain

Fontana Dam - Davenport Gap71.5 miles (235 total miles)The Great Smoky Mountains were fun. Hiking through here was different in several ways. Camping was only allowed in or near shelters, which made for awkward daily mileage. There is only one road crossing, halfway through the park. The signage is very poor so it is hard to know where you are. And when there are signs, the mileage is often way off. But the trail is pretty through the park. It runs right along the ridge, often with cliffs on either side of the trail. That can be beautiful on a sunny day, or unnerving on a windy day.It was hard leaving Fontana Dam. The night before I left, we saw a local 14 year old fiddler girl. When she started singing about her home in the Smokies, it made me glad to be a part of this local culture as I was passing through. I started day 16 with a huge breakfast, and caught the shuttle back to the trail. I caught up with Willow, Slaughter, and Cuba as I crossed the dam. It was fun. I really wished I could jump in the water, or get a boat. We took pictures at the park sign, then started a long, hot uphill. I realized the huge breakfast was a mistake, and I quickly ran out of water. I eventually hit the Shuckstack tower, and continued up and down through the Smokies. As I hiked up to Doe Knob, I came across a beautiful white field. My first thought was that it was snow or hail, but realized it was wildflowers! I would later learn that I had just hit my third state - Tennessee. For the rest of the day, I was walking with my left foot in Tennessee, and my right foot in North Carolina. We laughed when we came to the beautiful shelter, surrounded by wildflowers, with a beautiful spring below, all in Tennessee. Yet the privy was in North Carolina.Day 17 was cold and windy. Everyone was talking about the view from Rocky Top. But when I got there, I thought I was going to be blown clear into Knoxville. I hurried along, not stopping much, except to put on my rain cover. I finally stopped at a shelter at 11.7 miles on the day. It had just started raining hard, and I decided to wait it out. But the rain just started coming harder, and all my friends decided to stop for the night. It made my decision easier. So we spent from about 2:00 in the afternoon until the next morning curled up in our warm sleeping bags, watcing the rain fall.Day 18 was another cold and dreary one. But I had a pleasant surprise in a hiking partner for the day. Until now, I think the only partner I had was Stir Crazy for a mile here and there. But Willow caught me at breakfast, and we somehow got on the same pace. With someone to talk to, my mind drifted away from aches and pains and bruises ans sore muscles. The miles just melted away. Before I knew it, we were at Clingmans Dome.At 6643' above sea level, Clingmans Dome is the highest point on the entire AT. However, the top was just fog. We climbed the observation tower, and saw absolutely nothing. So we had a quick lunch, and went another 4 muddy miles to the shelter. Slaughter joined us on the way down, so we had a group of 3. By the time we got to the shelter, our feet were completely covered in mud, even though it never really rained all day.On day 19, we finally saw some sun again. It was a quick 4.5 miles to Newfound Gap, which meant breakfast. US441 runs through Newfound Gap, the only road crossing in the nation's busiest national park. Since there was no wildlife to see, the tourists took a interest in the thru-hikers. We answered questions, showed off our equipment, and even posed for a few pictures. Some people got rides into town, and Sparky even managed to yogi a soda, which she happily shared with the rest of us. It was a little freaky being back in civilization. There were tourists who smelled like soap (or even perfume), wearing makeup, and wearing blue jeans and stylish shirts. It really was a different world than I have seen in a while. It was another 2.5 miles up the day-hiker infested trail to the shelter for lunch. We had to answer more questions about how we sleep. The tourists got a kick out of watching me filter water. The final 7 miles of the day seemed hot and endless. They weren't particularly steep, but seemed to go on forever. But with the sun shining, we finally got some great views of the Smokies.Day 20 was another fairly nice day. It was mostly cool, and the trail did many gradual ups and downs. The shelter options were either 12 or 20 miles, and most of us opted for an easy day of 12. We saw some more views of the clouds rolling in through the mountains, showing how the Smokies got their name. Trees with beautiful white buds showed more signs of spring. We celebrated Easter Sunday by eating the best food we had left in our packs. For me, that was a bag of mini oreos.On day 21, we did 8 easy but wet downhill miles into Davenport Gap. It rained, but it was warm and surprisingly pleasant. Coming down from the ridgeline, we noticed all the bright green tropical trees. The whole world was green, like a television with the tint turned up. They don't have trees like that in Colorado. It was 1.3 road miles into Mountain Moma's Kuntry Store. I had read in a book that every trail town (except Monson, Maine) has an ATM, but Fontana Dam does not either. I spent my last dollar on the shuttle there, only to find out that Mountain Moma's doesn't take credit cards. But before I could even ask, Willow, Katydid, and Cuba all offered to loan me money until we get to Hot Springs. I got myself a big fat cheeseburger, fries, and a soda. It was one of the best meals of my life. I took a shower, and did my laundry. I cannot believe how much dirt was on my body. Since it was raining all day, we rented a room, which is little more than 4 walls and some cushions. But a night to clean off and eat hot food is fine with me. Hot Springs is only 35 miles away, which we are hoping to do in 2 nights. My spirits are still high, as I am happy to see how many miles I have done. The weather should be cool but dry for the next few days, which is perfect for me.