Date: 2013-03-21
From: Campsite between Laurel Falls and Hampton, TN

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: scattered clouds

First blisters of the trip, and I have three of them. The relentless pounding of 25.3 miles followed by 17.8 yesterday finally wore on my toes and the arch of my left foot. I spent several minutes this morning carefully and generously applying moleskin and medical tape. My feet were MUCH happier today Just as planned I camped outside Hampton, TN last night. The first 12 miles or so of yesterday were relatively uneventful - just a lot of little ups and downs. (I've decided I much prefer long, steep ascents and descents over constant dips and little hills. I find with the former I can prepare myself and get into a steady rhythm, while the latter prevents me from ever getting in the groove.) But the last 5 miles of yesterday were REALLY cool! First came a neat old barn, looking used and forgooten in the middle of a grassy field. It reminded me of my home state, Indiana. Then after I crossed Dennis Cove Rd the terrain immediately and drastically changed. Suddenly I was hiking in between and around huge rock faces with large boulders dotting the path, creating an obstacle course. There was a neat, albeit slightly precarious looking old bridge straddling a river with big stone steps leading up the mountain. Coming down the other side of the mountain revealed Laurel Falls, the first legitimate waterfall I've seen yet on the AT. About 200 yards down river from the falls was my favorite part of the whole day. A tall, steep rock wall plunged straight into the rapids of the river, and the trail wrapped around the rock face on a little ledge aout 18 inches wide, just two feet above the river. That was the sweetest 30 feet of the trail so far!As I pitched my tent on the river bank an hour later I could tell I was racing the weather. The wind picked up, the sky was overcast, and it just smelled like rain. It wasn't very cold. I was surprisingly able to set up camp and eat without any gloves quite comfortably. But as soon as I laid down and zipped up my rain fly it started snowing. A hard, wet snow. And the temps dropped. I woke up shivering in the midddle of the night and had to fully "mummify" myself in my bag. I found out today that it was low 20s last night. The weather forecast is calling for a record low tonight in Hampton of 15 degrees. Hardly seems like a record, but then again i'm from Indiana. I'm currently nestled in my 0 degree bag at Watauga Lake Shelter enjoying the sound of the stream nearby. Speaking of shelter, this is a nice one. And on that note, I've been meaning to say hats off to the trail maintenance crews. Since Erwin the trail has been very well blazed and maintained.Anyway, to wrap it up...I resupplied in Hampton today - just 3-4 days of food to get me to Damascus, VA (I cross the TN/VA border in just 36 miles!) I successfully managed my first hitch hike ever today. My previous attempts only resulted in a sore thumb. But this afternoon I got a ride from town back to the trail head and then hiked the 8 miles to this shelter. If I keep a good pace I'll be arriving in Damascus on Sunday morning in the pouring rain Well, I've written quite enough. Cheers!