Date: 2003-03-23
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: broken clouds

March 23I didn¢t write a journal entry last night because I was way too tired to by the time I went to bed, so this entry is for the past two days. Yesterday I did 18.1 miles to the Standing Bear Farm outside of the Smokies. My longest day yet, but I was pretty awesome all day. By the time I reached the farm I was almost sorry it wasn¢t two miles further on so it could have been my first 20-mile day. My legs just felt great and my pace was super fast all day. Up on top of the ridge around 6,000 ft there were still a few small snow patches near the trail, but after descending about 4,000 ft to Davenport Gap, it looked as if the trees were only days away from full bloom. All the red maples were out, and I even saw one dogwood tree that had bloomed. Down around the Pigeon River and I-40 all the redbud was out as well. I enjoyed the cold weather in the Smokies when I wasn¢t wet, but spring is still a welcome sight.When I got to Standing Bear Farm (about 200 yds from the trail) I met Tennessee. She¢s a lawyer in her early 30¢s that was raised in east Tennessee but now lives in San Francisco. She showed me around the place, and I pretty much immediately knew I would enjoy my stay there. The owners of the farm had just built everything a hiker would need. There was a huge shower, privy, kitchen, shed, laundry area with laptop computer for internet, bunkhouse, and cabin. It¢s kind of hard to describe the place to someone who hasn¢t been there. The owners were really friendly and super laid-back. The whole atmosphere there was very unique, and I was really into it. Late in the evening, Maria, the wife that lives there, took all us hikers there for the night (me, Tennessee, Java, Pop Tart, Redstreak and Squirts) into Cosby, TN, to a Mexican Bluegrass restaurant that her family owns. The food was fantastic (and spicy), and the band was great to listen to. It had the same unique, super laid-back atmosphere as was at the farm. By the time we got back to the farm I was absolutely beat and went straight to bed.This morning I took my time doing all the things I needed to do there, like laundry, going through my mail drop, and cleaning my posts and stuff. I didn¢t leave there until about 1:00, but before I did I got a huge hamburger from Curtis (the husband) to cook in the kitchen area. The thing was so big it took a good 10 minutes to cook, and the center of it was still a little pinker than I like it. When I was finally ready I took off up Snowbird Mountain with my suddenly much heavier pack (stupid resupply!). The climb went by pretty quick, but when I got to the top I found that the forest up there had been recently bulldozed. When I was up there less than 2 years ago the top was completely forested except for right around the FAA radar. Now the whole top is bald. It made for a great view, but I was too depressed about the forest being destroyed that I didn¢t really enjoy it. Afterwards the last 2 miles to the shelter seemed to take forever.Tonight is a beautiful night with all kinds of stars out, and I¢m under my tarp for just the third time. Tomorrow I may pull my first 20-mile day depending on how I feel.