Date: 2011-06-16
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: On trail near Cown Camp Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.1

Day 87 - I had an uneventful night and it never did rain. I visited with the Chattanooga family a little and was on the trail by 7:45am. I moved along fairly fast this morning, wanting to get to U.S. 60 and hitch hike into Buena Vista. I had decided if I was going to rest for a couple of hours it would make sense to get into town and do it there. This was all subject to me getting a ride; I had told myself if I did not get one within 20 minutes I would scrap that plan and hike on. As I exited the trail at U.S. 60 at 1:40pm, I was pretty sweaty. I decided to go ahead and change into a dry shirt. While doing all of this the only traffic passing by were logging trucks. As soon as I got my shirt on, I heard a vehicle approaching so I hastily put my thumb out and has the vechicle drove past the driver rolled down the window, without stopping and said that his wife was behind him and she would give me a ride. No sooner had he said that, a van approached and pulled over and I was on my way into town. They had been fishing with their sons but he had car trouble so he was going to have that looked at. She said that between her dad and the two of them, they pick up a dozen or so hikers a week, as they come across the mountain. Again, a little prayer answered to have been picked up so quickly. The lady's father had been the minister at the Children's Home in Greeneville, TN at one time so she a little familiar with east Tennessee. My guide book listed Todd BBQ as a place to eat and it sounded better to me than Hardees, so she agreed to take me the additional mile across town so I could eat there. I had a nice, big helping of a pulled pork platter, baked potato, beans and a salad. Around 3:30pm, I decided I needed to hit the road. They were still calling for isolated thundershowers through the day and I thought I better get going. So, I stationed myself outside of Todd's and waited and waited. So as quickly as I got picked up to get into town I was starting to question how I was going to get out of town. Around 4:00pm a lady and her mom were leaving Todd's and offered me a ride through town back to U.S. 60. This would greatly increase my chances of getting a ride back up to the mountain. They did this and as soon as they dropped me off it started raining. I got shelter at the BP station, went ahead and put my boots on and covered my pack. It did not rain long so very soon I was back out on U.S. 60 and stood for another 30 minutes to no avail. Again, a little road magic appeared, the same lady that had initially picked me up had dropped her mom off and she stopped again and offered to take me all the way up the mountain. I was very lucky as no one else was interested in hauling me. I got onto the trail at 5:00pm and my plans were to go only to a campsite 5.7 miles away. I knew I would be finishing this day hiking in twilight but I thought it was OK. The nearest shelter was 3.4 miles away but it was 0.6 miles off the trail and that did not interest me in wasting miles like that. At 5:35pm I passed the 800 mile mark of my journey but I could not celebrate long because I was having to climb nearly 2,000 feet within 2 miles and it was kicking my butt. I don't know if it was the heat, the heavy meal on my stomach but I was struggling. I had no choice but to go on, there was too much day light left and too rocky to set up camp anywhere. Finally, at 7:15pm, I arrived at the Cow Camp Gap shelter turn off. This spot on the trail was wide enough to set up my tent so that is exactly what I did. Around 10:00pm or so, I saw lightening in the distance so I went ahead and put on my rain fly. I have been sleeping without it because it retains so much heat. Around 11:00pm I heard what I think was wolves howling, it did not sound like domestic dogs. I wondered how far off they were and if they would bother me. I do not know if they have wolves in this area, I will need to check that out. I was pretty tired, having hiked a total of 15.1 miles for the day but also enjoyed a real meal. My total miles traveled are now at 802.3.