Date: 2013-11-22
From: Fontana Dam

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

We were so sad to see Gayle and Amanda leave. They gave us big hugs and lots of cheer to motivate us for the grand finale. We rode two hours from High Five, Gayle's Gatlinburg home, to Fontana Dam. Last night they waited on the dam. They could see our headlamps as we bopped down the dark forest path. Oddly beautiful experience last night as we walked to them. I was in the lead. I saw this brilliant sparkle and actually thought it might be a diamond. Thinking maybe someone lost a piece of jewelry I stopped and looked closer. I'm so relieved that I didn't reach for it. It was the eye of a huge spider reflecting my headlamp beam. After that the girls and I noticed the brilliant sparkles everywhere. They were all over the path. It was a bit creepy but also pretty as our path glistened before us like they were guiding our way down. We've been in the woods so long and still we are awed by the beauty of Nature. It offers us wonders everyday. Yesterday Cub found a huge snail, a fuzzy black caterpillar and an empty birds nest. She also loves yelling "Bear vomit!" or "Bear poop!" Whatever the case may be as it is often very big piles of mush with undigested berries. We wonder if the bears are eating stuff that makes them sick. Gayle said Robins eat fermented berries and get drunk. Any one out there a bear poop specialist? We have a book called "Scats and Tracks of the Southeast". We had to buy it because we've seen so many evidences of animals we spend a large part of the day surmising what it could be from. Cub says bear poop is sweet smelling according to the book. None of us are scientifically minded enough to actually test out that theory. We need a bear poop sniffer...anyone want to volunteer?LOTF- as in the words of Peter Tosh:...watching all the birds passing by Oh how sweet they sing And oh how much I wish that I could fly And I try I said I try Good Lord I try I really try try try But I got to Pick myself up Dust myself off And start all over, againWe value your strategies. We feel your pull to get us home. We think a new spiritual book is in the making. Watch out being a Lord and all... It might catch and a new LOTF religion might be born. Can you imagine its interpretation hundreds of years from now? People will be praying to you in bird suits waving sacred hot glue guns. Good thing we hiked the 33 miles yesterday. It started raining on us after just a few miles today. With the cold temperatures we really cannot afford to get wet. We made it only to Cable Gap shelter. It was about 8 miles including our Fontana Dam walk. Note to future hikers... the dam has open public bathrooms with showers! for free. This area loves hikers. The shelter is called "Fontana Hilton". It's has a shower too and overlooks the water. It is super nice. Shortly after that are more bathrooms. Both these and the dam ones have a large room where you could sleep in a pinch. They also have soda machines. You can also catch a shuttle for $3 into Fontana Village. They have a big friendly sign welcoming hikers. All the hikers said it was a great place to stop. It's a pretty hike around the dam. We are now holed up for the afternoon and night. Rain is expected all night with dropping temperatures, OF COURSE!!!' We hope we can hike out tomorrow. This shelter is itty bitty. It supposedly sleeps 6 yet we have filled the whole thing. It's low to the ground, has big gaps and no bear hanging devices. Lots of sleeping and reading ahead! Good thing I have a great book!