Date: 2005-10-22
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter, TN

To: Fontana Dam Shelter, NC
Miles today: 30.2
Weather: light rain

30.2 miles todayI'm sleeping in a shelter!!Fontana Dam Shelter, NC I woke up at 5am again, but just layed in my sleeping bag and thought about the day ahead of me. At 5:45 I started my coffee and ate a couple apple fruit pies, some dark chocolate and some salami that I'm trying to use up. It rained some last night, but not nearly as much as was predicted. I still get to carry a wet tent all day though. :-))) I packed up and went down to the spring and filled a water bottle and was hiking at 7am. I had to use my headlamp for 25 minutes until I could see good enough without it. It was hard to see with my headlamp because of the light beams reflecting off the clouds I was walking in. I got up to Silers Bald where there are supposed to be vistas, but I could onnly see about 50 yards. I walked by Silers Bald Shelter without stopping because I could see people in there sleeping yet. Most of the walk for about 3/4 of the day was up and down between 400 and 700 feet. There wasn't a whole lot of flat walking. After about 7 miles I got to Derrick Knob Shelter and filled both my water bottles because it had a better spring. I signed the register and hiked on. In another 4 miles I was going over Thunderhead and Rocky Top and still could see no views. That was too bad because I know it's really nice there when you can see. I stopped for a few minutes on Rocky Top and made 1 1/2 sandwiches and walked while I ate them. I passed by Spence Field Shelter without stopping. I saw more backpackers today than I've seen in a long time. I passed about 15 in small groups of 2 or 3 hikers that were heading my way. I'm guessing they were just out for the weekend. I walked by Russell Field Shelter without stopping. I was going to sign the register there, but there were about 4 guys that were being rowdy. They didn't see me and I just kept walking until I got to Mollies Ridge Shelter where I did stop long enough to sign the register. There was a sign at Birch Spring Tentsite that said it was closed because of an aggressive bear. I picked up my pace a little. :-))) I was walking out of the Smokies and had gotten to about 3500 foot elevation when it finally cleared up. It was so wet and windy all day that there was mud that I had to walk through. The mud was from the wind getting the trees wet from blowing the cloud through and the trees were dripping so much that it felt like rain. I walked down to the Visitors Center at Fontana Dam and sent in my last 2 days journals and recieved alot of emails. I will have to try and answer them by the time I get to NOC in 2 days where the next phone will be. I walked up to the shelter and since there wasn't any place to set up my tent and no one else was there, I set up inside the shelter. I hung my tent inside so it can dry out over night. Today's walk was nice even though I had no views. It's nice to walk in the mountains sometimes when clouds are covering you and today it kept getting colder as the day went on. I'll never complain about walking on a cold day. :-))) My only regret for walking through the Smokies this time is that I didn't get to see any deer or bear, but I did get to see Hopefull '03 and it's always great seeing his happy face. :-))) I'm out of Tn now on this hike for good. There is no clear line where you cross from Tn into NC. The trail runs for well over 100 miles right on the border of the 2 states. I'm up to 25 leaves now. I've decided that I AM playing the leaf catching game after all. :-))) Since I don't have anyone to compete with out here, I'm going to allow a different group of people to start playing each day until I finish this hike. The group of people that I've decided to let play for now are any people that are in the desert southwest. Hey, that's alot of competition!! Tomorrow will be a new group...and the next day and the next day until I summit Springer on the 30th. For anyone who doesn't like my rules, just remember...it's my game and I make the rules. ;-))) Oh yeah, my 25 previous catches count too. So I'm at 25 catches and everyone in the desert southwest are at zero, so I'm winning!!!