Date: 2017-03-26
From: Newport, TN

To: Newport, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Day 19: Newport, TN - 0.0 miles:I woke at 7am, unable to sleep in even on a zero day. With Toepick and Odin still sleeping in their bed, I went about watching my favorite movie that I've been wanting to see soon after beginning my hike, For Love of the Game, with Kevin Costner. I was able to squeeze in about an hour of it before Toepick was up and wanting to set out for breakfast. I plan to finish the remainder of it tonight.By 10am we found ourselves sitting at a table in Cracker Barrel, surrounded by locals in their Sunday best, fresh out of church. We both played the game that comes on every table, where you try to see how few golf tees you can end up with which, according to the rules, determines how smart or idiotic you are. We both concluded the trail has turned our brains into mush. We were soon fork-deep in eggs, pork chops, hash browns, grits, biscuits and gravy, fried apples, and French toast. With belt buckle loosened, I waddled out and took my spot in the passenger seat as Toepick drove us an hour away to Max Patch, a large bald mountaintop just outside of the Smokies that allows for 360-degree views. We will be hiking over it tomorrow when we return to the trail, but with no guarantee of a view then, we took advantage of the good weather today.As we zipped along I-40, we sang to country music, and I introduced Toepick to Home Free, a dominantly a capella country band that cover a lot of your favorites. She's hooked now as well. We reached where the AT crosses a gravel road near the base of Max Patch after half an hour of winding our way up the mountain, hitting every bump and pothole in the process. Before climbing to he bald top, we walked a couple hundred feet into the woods along the AT and dropped off the remaining trail magic from Toepick's stockpile over the past several days: Coke (I kept two), Mt Dew, chips, crackers, brownies, and bananas. At a small Creek crossing, we left the food under a rhododendron bush and placed the soda cans in the water, allowing them to chill. Our timing couldn't have been better as half a dozen or so hikers soon passed by as we left to go climb up.The top of Max Patch was bustling with activity, as far as mountaintops go, with tourists aimlessly walking around, taking photos of mountains in the distance. The Smokies rose just to the south, the tops hidden behind low hanging grey clouds. Isolated pockets of rain temporarily dotted the horizon in nearly every direction at some point during the afternoon, but Max Patch remained sunny and warm, though with a constant, stiff wind. Several hikers dropped their packs and enjoyed the view, and one, named Booty, serenaded Toepick and I with his miniature guitar. After close to two hours we finally made our way back down the steep incline and returned to Newport.We returned at 4pm and, as we sat in the parking lot chatting, noticed a building nearby with a lot of activity. After using Google maps, we discovered it was a small four-screen theater. Out of curiosity I checked the movie listings and noticed the next round began at 5pm and, more importantly, only cost $5 for a ticket. With a limited selection, and after watching a movie trailer, I decided to go see The Shack. Toepick stayed behind and utilized the time by watching crappy TV and napping. Along with seven other people, I sat in the darkness of the small auditorium for two hours and enjoyed a fine film. My only critique would've been trying to bite off more than it could chew, topic wise, but overall a solid flick. Oh, and Tim McGraw should narrate more. He's dreamy.Tomorrow I'll return to the trail, along with Toepick and Odin who've enjoyed several days off as I trekked through the Smokies, and will continue north.