Date: 2009-04-05
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: few clouds

It's amazing! I actually slept again! My hat kept coming off my head, the width of the floorboards were just long enough for my body, causing me to worry that my down coat that I was using for a pillow, along with my hat, were going to drop to the floor below, and I had to keep turning to place the pain of the hard floor onto another part of my body, but I slept in between! I was the first to get up at 7 am because I had the incentive of someone to meet today at 2:30! This gave me energy to get going! I got dressed in my sleeping bag, went out to retrieve my bearbag, and enjoyed a breakfast of granola, powdered milk, and cold oatmeal. Obie took off at 7:47, shortly followed by Texas Chill (I don't know how these guys manage to get ready so fast!) The deer were out again and were more skittish than they were in the evening. I left about 8:38. It was another slow morning as the views were stunning again, and I could not refrain from taking many pictures. Absolutely amazing.   The walk started out very pleasantly with level terrain and gradually climbed. I had expected it to be chilly at such a high altitude (today I would reach the highest point on the AT), but I was very warm. I stopped to strip off layers, only to find out that I had just reached the top of the climb... I saw a sign that read 0.3 miles to Clingmans Dome! How exciting! The area was buzzing was tourists already, who in turn, were excited to see thru-hikers... "Headed North?", one man asked me. "There are several more up there," pointing to the dome. I smiled, wondering who of my kind was up there. I wound up the ramp to find 'Top of Gothics' who had tented at our shelter the night before. "Good morning, young lady!" he said. He was excited to be picked up by a friend to spend the afternoon in Cherokee before heading back to the trail. He was practically going to run down the trail to get there by 1. I, on the other hand, could take my time, especially as Erik was getting a late start due to all of the items he had to load into his car. The views from Clingmans were clear and far reaching, and I asked a man to take my picture. "Have you heard of that trail that is like 400-something miles long and goes through 3 states?""Do you mean the Appalachian Trail?" I asked."Yes!""I'm hiking that!" I said. "It's 2,175 miles and goes through 14 states. I started two weeks ago from Springer Mountain.""Oh, well you're just a rookie!" he laughed. "You've hardly done anything!"(Geez...)   Sir Richard, Matt, Becky, Peggy, and Paul all arrived and went up to the dome and snacked. I continued on my way. The miles seemed to go slowly again. Once off the windy and chilly summit, the air warmed and I wished I had worn my short-sleeved shirt. The sun beat down, and it wasn't until I was almost at Newfound Gap that I realized I was getting burned. I could see the road above me, and anticipated the sight of the parking lot. I saw a man standing at the head of the trail, and for a second, thought it might be Erik. But it wasn't. Across the road, I saw Monkey Wrench sitting on a fortress wall. He said he felt very out of place amongst the tourists. Eventually, we were joined by the gang from Clingman's who had been having trail magic hallucinations of hamburgers. All of the thru- hikers in my vicinity were planning on barreling straight through the Smokies, except for me. But the idea was brought up by one of them to stop in Gatlingurg for a burger and then get back on the trail. That idea was over-ridden. We took some pictures and snacked, and I kept watch for Erik's car. Finally, I saw it pull in! He came over to meet the group before they took off on the trail again. Part of me wanted to go with them, especially as it was so nice out! I didn't want to miss out! But Erik had planned to shuttle me to Gatlinburg before I had even started the trail, so that was the plan for me. The first thing he noticed about me was that I was noticeably thinner (back in the motel room, I could see the veins in my torso!). We took pictures, walked around a little bit, and jumped in the car, where he had snacks awaiting me! We drove to Gatlinburg and searched for a motel. The pains in my body grew in intensity (particularly the insides of my arches and the outsides of my knees)! By the time we pulled over to get my guidebook pages out of the back of the car, I could barely walk!How the heck did I just walk over 200 miles?!! And how would I be able to walk 2000 more?!!   We found a place to stay, on the advice of someone from the 'Happy Hiker', unloaded the car, and went out for a nice Italian dinner. Erik had brought my jeans and several shirts, so I was able to look like a normal person! I wanted to go back to the room and type up at least one journal entry, but I was too tired. Tomorrow, I would have a big day of writing ahead of me! The pressure was on! I looked out the window and saw the clear skies and warm temperatures and thought about how lucky my compatriots were to be up there in such nice weather...