Date: 2013-04-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It's been a few days but I had no reception in the hills. Verizon is big down here and AT&T plays second fiddle. I started the Great Smokey Mountains on Wednesday and hiked 11 miles staying at mollies ridge shelter. I tent camped because there was really not much room and it didn't look too accommodating. No worries about bears as I hung my food in the bear cables. I have a stainless steel mesh bag to protect my food from mice as they will climb out on the bear cable and into your food. I am the only hiker so far that's carrying a mesh bag, I wonder! Yesterday I hiked about 12 miles and stayed at Derrick knob shelter at about 4900 ft. I purposely left early hiking inorder to get a place inside the shelter as we were expecting thunderstorms and hail storms. When I got to the shelter it was full and so I had to tent it. People who had reserved a spot I the shelter failed to show up and as a result I packed my tent and slept in the shelter after all, which was good because it rained and hailed and lightning out most of the night. This morning I woke from a decent sleep as the sound of the weather drowned out the 15 piece Snorchestra complete with wind section. It was nice not to have to carry a wet tent to add to the weight. I have about 40 lbs on my back because I'm carrying food for 6 days.This morning as I made my oatmeal I watched a deer walk right up to a tent at the shelter to within 25 ft of me. I didn't even scare it as I fumbled to get a picture. I just hiked to the top of Clingmans Dome Tower which is the highest elevation on the AT at 6655 ft. I guess it's all down hill from here right? It is truly beautiful up here and the visibility is endless. The ridge runner who oversees the shelters in the park said we were lucky because most of the time the mountain is in the clouds. I a still hiking with three of the original seven hikers I started the trail with and have just taken a shuttle into Gatlinberg for the night. A nice shower and a piece of red meat, maybes pint or two to celebrate a few milestones. Today we hit the high point on the AT, we have reached the 200 mile mark for our hike( actually 199) but who's counting. Lastly the total hike is 2185 miles and so we actually have less than 2000 miles to reach Mt Katahdin.My feet are doing ok but they are really sore after a long day walking. I am noticing I have less nerve pain from my diabetic neuropathy which at first gave the feeling of hot spots that I thought were causing blisters. I haven't had any sugar issues thank God and think after a while longer I'm gonna toss the rest of my meds. Maybe I'll keep that little purple pill a while longer. I have also noticed with great excitement that my arthritis in my fingers has all but disappeared. I have no more joint pain in my knuckles and wrists. Tonite I'm gonna go thru my pack and rid myself of all items I haven't needed over the last three weeks and try to she'd another pound or more. You'd be surprised how little you really need out here and counting an ounce here or an ounce there makes a big difference on your back. I had to carry extra water yesterday because the water source was iffy at the shelter and an extra 3 lbs combined with extra food for the Smokies put me near 45 lbs. thank God it was only 1.5 miles up to the shelter.