Date: 2011-03-31
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, a big mixed day today. A cold start with temps of 33* (JimDog has a little thermometer) and a hellacious wind blowing. Being at 5454' on a bald probably not helping. Putting on wet clothes just over freezing temperature is better than coffee to get you jump started in the morning though, as the only way to warm up is to keep on truckin' down the trail. The calf I pulled yesterday was stiff as a board when I woke up, and I did some extra stretching today. Usually I stretch my calves, hips and hamstrings before and after hiking, but paid special attention to the calves today. Hiked in fog (I keep saying fog, but at this altitude it is really clouds that we're in. People looking up at the mountains could see up but wouldn't be able to see the tops.) almost all the way to Clingmans Dome over continuous ups and downs with the same crappy footing as yesterday. Hiking with JimDog and Art Gipsy as we're splitting a room tonight. We did, however get very lucky weather wise when we got to Mt. Buckley (6525') just before Clingmans - The clouds were broken and we were getting occasional sun and fantastic views from the West side of the ridge as the clouds built up under the ridge on the East. Dropped pack and took some fabulous photos there. Art Gipsy is an independent nature photographer and is hauling some big camera equipment, and spent quite a bunch of time there shooting. I shot some video of clouds coming over the ridge behind us and creeping down the western side of the ridge, should look real nice.Arriving Clingmans Dome was interesting, came out on a little spur to a paved walkway with families pushing strollers up to the observation tower. Kind of a culture shock in a strange way seeing all the clean people wearing heavy jackets and hats and us in t-shirts and covered in mud to the knees smelling like thru hikers. We did manage to get good views from the top of the tower and got some pictures before the clouds rolled back in and the views were lost. Temperature at the top of Clingmans were even colder, being the highest elevation on the entire AT at 6643'. All the trees had thin coatings of ice on them, and on the trail in shaded areas 5-6" of snow were on the ground, but only in very small isolated patches. I bet a couple hours earlier the ice on the trees would have been even better looking. Oh well.The calf continued to hurt slightly all day, but when I would stop hiking for more than 2-3 minutes it would stiffen up and take 10 minutes of hiking to loosen again. I think I'm actually going to zero for a day tomorrow here in Gatlinburg to give it a little healing time.   Don't like taking two zeros in a week but this one is justified and necessary in order for me to continue to be able to hike.We got to the parking area at Newfound Gap in sleet still inside the cloud cover, as even though it was a long descent to the gap we are still almost a mile up. There were 6 hikers there including me trying to hitch, but the goddamn tourists either didn't want to pick any of us up, or had never seen hitchhikers before, beause liiking miserable in the sleet in the side of the road with a thumb up would normally get a ride pretty damn quick, but we got smiles and waves instead. Though about lining a couple people up at either end of the parking lot, some to hitch at one end and some to throw things at the people that don't stop at the other, but decide that was poor form and definitely bad karma. Eventually managed to get through to the NOC outfitter for a shuttle, but they said they could only fit 4, so we were worried about the other two. A pickup truck finally stopped, and agains better judgement, three of the others decided to go down 15 miles in near freezing temperatures in the bed of a pickup. No thanks, I don't think I'd like frostbite. Shuttle finally arrived and we wound our way back into town, and by the time we were at the outfitter, I could hardly walk on my right leg it was so stiff. It was warmer down in town, the car's thermometer said 33 at Newfound Gap, and 46 in town, but I was still all wet and chilled to the bone. Hobbled the block up to the Family's Inn and met up with Jim, (Gipsy was already up in the room having taken the pickup) and saw, to our blessed and ecstatic relief, a giant jacuzzi just off the lobby steaming and bubbling away. Oh. Hell. Yes.Decided on dinner first after getting situated, with me and Gipsy getting beds and Jim on the floor. Went over to Smoky's Sports Pub, home of the Mountain Burger, the "Biggest Burger in Gatlinburg". I got a double. 2 lbs of meat, 5 strips of bacon, cheese lettuce, tomato on an 8" bun. Jim took a picture on his phone and I sent it to Jen, and I'll post it here. Considering that amount of food and the beer in the big mason jar, it was good prices too. I did finish half of it there (with some onion rings and potato salad), and took the rest for lunch tomorrow. Back to the hotel for some Jacuzzi soaking action, and my leg felt about 300% better.Very tired, sleep now.