Date: 2023-10-11
From: Silers bald shelter

To: Laughing heart hostel
Miles today: 79.1

Day 131Chilly and foggy start to the day made us get to a late start. Hiked onto Clingmans Dome which is the highest point on the AT and also a tourist trap. Not as bad as Mt. Washington but people kept looking at us like we were crazy. A few asked about thru hiking and were quite amazed. We met one man who's a physiology professor and his colleague wrote a paper about the physiologic changes on thru hikers. If I remember that after the hike, I'll look for the article to read. We met another previous thru hiker and we talked to him for a while, he gifted me his water bottle. I had lost mine somewhere on a mountain, I think after my last trip and fall, it's a good thing too since we have a 12 mile water carry tomorrow. The trail always provides. Melissa's fall count: 92Beginning mile marker: 195.5Ending mile marker: 210.8Nearest city/town: fontana dam, ncIcewater spring shelter 15.3Day 132Chilly start to the day, but we managed. Early on there's a turn off for Charlie's bunion, which we'd heard about and knew it used to be on the AT, so we decided to go for it and it did not disappoint. It had been so cloudy but we got a beautiful sunny view. We managed with the heavy water carry and we were happy when we got to the shelter and their was a spring about 10 ft away. We also got there and settled in a bit before it started raining. We met a ridge runner that was setting up a tarp to keep the wind out a bit, which I was very thankful for. Ridge runners are people employed by the ATC and they each have a section they "run" to help make sure hikers are following rules, minor upkeep of shelters/privies and be available for help and/or questions. We've met a few along the way and they've always been great. This one, for the Smokies, was very judgemental and not helpful at all. He just made sure we had a tent and said the shelter would be full tonight. He didn't even direct us towards a tentsite despite watching us look around for one. Section and day hikers reserve where they plan on hiking to, backpackers pay for an 8 day pass to get through the smokies and they can sleep in whatever shelter, but if it's full, they get kicked out and have to tent.  Luckily there was still room and we didn't have to tent in the cold rain. Even with a full shelter, tarp over the entrance, and small fire; the shelter was quite cold overnight.  Melissa's fall count: 92Beginning mile marker: 210.8Ending mile marker: 223.4Nearest city/town: fontana dam, ncTri corner knob shelter 12.6Day 133Not just a chilly start to the day, but a cold one. Glad we got to stay in the shelter. We are now adjusting to the idea of not completing this thru hike all the way this year. If it gets too cold in VA for too long, I'm throwing in the towel. We've accepted this and we'll just get the miles done at some other time. We had been leapfrogging two very nice ladies lately and had lunch with them at a shelter. And with the past two nights at the same shelters we got to know them well. We were both planning on hiking out of the Smokies today and we were trying to get a shuttle from the trailhead to the hostel. Well, Diane said her husband would be sitting in his truck at the trailhead. He had started the hike with them but blew out his knee. He ended up driving us and giving us all his trail food that had just been sitting there untouched. And, even better, he grew up in carbondale, IL, so we were able to have a nice chat about that. The Standing bear farm hostel was more commune than hostel. Half the people there were on work for stays, that seemed heavy on the stay and light on the work. Some very very odd folk about. The resupply was minimal but worked and the beds at least comfy.  Melissa's fall count: 93Beginning mile marker: 223.4Ending mile marker: 241.5Nearest city/town: ncStanding bear hostel 18.1Day 134We decided to get a late start and rest a little. Frozen pizza for brunch was filling but we are starting to get tired of pizza as its such a hostel mainstay. Despite the late start we reached our goal shelter before 5pm, after easily passing some 20ish year old guys huffing up the hill. We decided to push on 3 more miles after dinner to brown gap tenting which is where they were planning to go, but never arrived.  Melissa's fall count: 93Beginning mile marker: 241.5Ending mile marker: 251.5Nearest city/town:hot spring, ncBrown gap campsite 10 milesDay 135Our night/morning was interrupted by numerous trucks of hunters coming in and parking near our tent, some dogs. Between that and the cold we got a very late start(after 10).  The last set of hunters to arrive were a different bunch hunting for mushrooms. They were a couple of nice old fellows but still decked out in full camo. We didn't have the heart to tell them mushrooms can't see. Just as we were leaving, the group of young guys finally reached the spot. We moved on up the hill and never saw them again. It's nice to see our trail legs outpace younger folk. We headed up to max patch, a clearing for an old airport into a mountain with some good views. But with the cold we didn't linger. Afternoon threatened rain with sprinkles, but held off until we were in our tent. Despite the late start we still got in 16 miles. We found our own little stealth spot in a grove off the trail. Even with the rain it was much warmer through the night at least.  Melissa's fall count: 93Beginning mile marker: 251.5Ending mile marker: 267.4Nearest city/town:hot springs, ncStealth campsite 15.9 milesDay 136Much warmer start to the day which was nice since everything was soaked from the rain. Short day of hiking today to get into Hot Springs, NC. The sun kept playing games and acted like it was going to shine for more than 30 seconds, we tried to dry our tent out but it didn't work. We got to Laughing Heart Hostel pretty early in the day. Excited for showers, laundry, real food, real beds, and naps!! Melissa's fall count: 93Beginning mile marker: 267.4Ending mile marker: 274.6Nearest city/town:hot springs, ncStealth campsite 7.2 miles