Date: 2008-04-05
From: Siler's Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap- RT 441 
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

Got going rather lazily today- rain and thunder rocked the tin roof of the shelter this morning. Got going around 9:30, I was very much in a rush to get to Newfound Gap today. Not only worried about the weather but also the biggest mountain on the whole AT is today¢¦ Clingman¢s Dome at a whopping 6,643 ft. above sea level. I was worried about the climb so I hiked to Double Spring Shelter which was only 1.7m away for a quick break. Once again a crowded shelter, but I was told that it was not full last night, and That I could have hiked in and had room¢¦ bummer¢¦ but it was a quick 1.7 so that is all right. The fog continued on today as well as a few occasional sprinkles. It was still a beautiful hike- many pine and spruce trees in the area as well as the smell of herbs in the air. The climb up wasn¢t as bad as I thought it would be. I reached the sign that said ¢to Clingman¢s Dome Trail¢ and felt like whew! I made it!   It was foggy as usual and thus the view was much like the mirror in a steamy bathroom. I still grabbed my king sized snickers and my camera, as I hiked up the observatory. The structure looks so out of place, especially to me as a hiker. A big white concrete structure with a ¢view.¢ I enjoyed the masses of tourists going up and quickly coming back down as they ¢couldn¢t see anything anyway.¢ This is where the car tourists and the hikers mix¢¦ it¢s all about the journey for us not just the ¢amazing views.¢ We (Aggie, Brad, and myself) got asked a few questions in passing, which I am always more than happy to answer. After stuffing the snickers in my face and a few photos I was once again off and down the trail.    The next 4ish miles to Mount Collins Shelter continued on with the mud and river hiking. Water was all over the trail in one form or another. Luckily my rain pants and boots held up nicely. Even though Clingmans was the tallest MT, we continued to go up and down to the gap.    Once I reached the sign for Mount Collins shelter and the Sugarland Mt. Trail I had to celebrate. It was a big moment for me¢¦ 200 MILES!!! I built a ¢200¢ out of sticks to show off for the camera. Aqua Maria and Tailgate were the first to come by, they took some photos and passed on in the rain. As Aggie and Brad came down next I cheered and yelled craziness for them. Wow 200 miles can you believe it? Who would have thought my legs could take me this far. Only less than 2000 more to go    After all our pictures were taken We pressed on, the ups and downs continued. Trees had been uprooted all over the trail today, it was kind of an eerie sight to see. It reminded me of Fern Gully when the big trucks come in and chop down the trees; only this destruction is from Nature itself. A mixture of drought and high winds take huge amazing trees and tip them over. Large root clumps and other trees usually go too which means walking next to 10ft clumps of dirt. It¢s truly a site to see. The rain in the green woods made today very beautiful! I think this was my favorite day in the rain and mud yet. Eventually I was able to hear cars, had it been enough miles to get me to the gap? I grew excited as I rushed to the gap. I cheered as I saw the green grass, only to find¢¦.. it was Indian Gap and I had another 1.7 miles to go before I was where I wanted to be. Seriously I was bumming.    So off we went again- only for Brad to say ¢you know what could make this better? If it was pitch black and pouring¢¦¢ Sure enough a few minutes later the skies opened up and it poured. I hiked along in my t-shirt and shorts, knowing if I stopped I would get cold fast. FINALLY as the rain poured down I made it to Newfound Gap. I nearly got hit crossing the road to the parking area; I think my yellow rain pants saved me haha. I found Corkscrew, Bus Driver, Aqua Maria, and Tailgate all hanging out by the car. Corkscrew gave me some snacks and drove the others into town. I waited for Aggie and Brad in the rain. I found they had a bathroom so I went down the trail away to change into some dry clothing. Its always important to remember when coming in from the woods that civilization has another set of rules¢¦ haha like not changing your clothing in a bathroom, you should be in a stall¢¦ opps hehe more a scary thing for the woman who walked into the bathroom than myself haha.    Once in dry clothing I put on my rain gear and headed out into the cold again. I found Aggie happy that I had not hitched into town without them haha and we waited for Brad. Once he got there we became rather famous, all sorts of folks came up and asked us for a picture haha. Jenny a nice lady from MI brought us over a few mountain dews in exchange for a photo op.    Finally Corkscrew pulled in to whisk us away to town- but not just any town- GATLINBURG home of DOLLYWOOD! Haha. I went in on a room with Aggie and Brad at the Grand Prix. Our gear is all over the room and we are clean. We are off to a place called ¢Best Italian¢ with Sunkist, Kyonite, Bus Driver, Wolly, and Corkscrew. Hopefully we can fill our faces and thus become very happy hikers. Oh Food,Sun Beam