Date: 2011-04-23
From: Franklin, NC

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 97.2
Weather: clear sky

4/18: Microtel had an expansive breakfast buffet, so carbo and sugar loaded to the max. Picked up some more supplies at Dollar Store. Took five minutes to get a hitch from the 64W on-ramp, many thanks to the people of the Franklin area for facilitating transfer to/from the trail. On trail at 1230. Nice day to hike, but usual haze-obscured views. At least its not a brown haze. Well rested and well-fueled, very perky. Stopped for the day on a ridge, just short of the side trail to Rocky Bald. Managed to get in almost 18 miles in the partial day.4/19: 0620 start. Cool, humid morning. Arrived at Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) at 1020. Ran into Norm again, an extremely nice fellow, one of the very few I've had occasion to talk to, given that I don't do the shelter thing. (We met at an earlier water stop, and at a lookout tower.) Ate a couple of pancakes with some very tasty blueberry topping, among other things. Very good pricing on food. Once again full of 'town food', was back on trail just before noon, ready to tackle the immediate lengthy uphill. Of course the skies cleared for a while in order to heat up the climb. But no problem, full of rocket fuel, just motored up. Finally stopped for the day just short of 'Jacob's Ladder' - didn't know what that was, but it sounded like a strenuous climb, so didn't want to finish with that. Almost 24 miles for the day.4/20: Overnight, had to deal with some sort of noisy night bird. Made about a half-dozen consecutive noises, every few seconds. If it's an owl, sounds very different from any I've heard before. I threw sticks at it, trying to get it to fly elsewhere, which eventually it did. 0645 start. Glad I got packed up early, as the rain/wind really came a few minutes after I got going. Jacobs Ladder turned out to be no big deal. I'm having trouble with my pack cover, it will not stay on in strong wind, so I'm walking down the trail with one hand holding the bottom, rather inconvenient. The rain lasted about three hours, a good soaking, but at least it didn't go on ally day. Passed through the Fontana Dam area around noon, considered going off-trail for hot dogs, but let the opportunity pass. Filled out my permit for Smoky Mountains Park and headed up. You are required to stay at shelters/designated campsites while in the park, so quit early, at 1630 at Birch Spring gap, which has no shelter, only tent sites. 20 miles for the day.4/21 Showers during the night, but quit before sunrise. I can't find my cell phone this morning. I'm sure I had it out yesterday evening, checking for reception. I think. Where the @#$! is it? That's what I spent the day wondering. Foggy and drippy, then clear at higher altitudes. Very pretty continual carpet of flowers higher up. Seems like lots of short ups and downs, somewhat wearing. Couldn't figure out why it was so hard to get snacks out of my shoulder strap pocket, dug around and found out my cell phone was in there. What a relief! Quit for the day at Double Spring Shelter, that is, camped nearby (per the rules). Nice tent site under evergreens. 24+ miles.4/22 Foggy, drippy, breezy all night. One plus of staying at shelter is using the privy (if it has one) in the morning. 0730 start. Only 10.5 to Gatlinburg, so should be easy day. Fog, no views, cold. Can see nothing at Clingman's Dome, plus windy and wet. Forked up at CD bypass trail, went two miles out of my way before realizing the error. Gasped my way back, fast as I could. What can I say, the rain/fog had me in hunker down mode, my brain was shut off to conserve energy. Cought another hiker about to make the same mistake. Big downhill from CD seems even worse when you've already wasted two hours going the wrong way. Kept calculating where I would have been had I not screwed up. Weather still sucks. Finally at Newfound Gap (hitch point to G'burg) fog so thick, many hikers already trying for rides, cars can't see them. Hiker I saved from wrong turn managed to bag a ride, then got space for me, what luck, only took a few minutes. Totally different environment once down to G'burg, warm, partly cloudy. Picked up my resupply box at the outfitter, then started calling for motel rates. Didn't want to stay at the popular Grand Prix as I figured it would be overrun with hikers. Other places wanted $$$ as it was Easter weekend, but Bales Motel was $30, so walked down there. Very tranquil setting, room was very large and everything worked and was in good condition. Can use laundry at neighboring condo development, but no soap there so spent too much time running around trying to find small box of soap. Finally founds some, go the shower and laundry off the checklist. No guest internet here, but can use there computer to check email.4/23: 0 day. G'burg what a hoot. Definitely 'tourist oriented', fudge shops to funnel cake and everything in between. I came to think of those walking the streets as 'double-wide nation' and I'm not talking about their residence. Trying to line up a shuttle back to the trail tomorrow, didn't act fast enough for the one provided by the outfitter (they can only take 4 people). Gran Prix pointed me to a trail angel who does Sunday runs for no more than gas money, awesome. Heading back to the trail 0900.