Date: 2006-03-21
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: overcast clouds

THE SMOKIES ARE GORGOUS!!!! Hiked our longest day with full packs today, so far. Nice feeling. We really want to catch up with our little group so we are skippin a town visit to Gatlinburg and gettin' ourselves right through the Smokies in the next three days.This morning was a first for me. First time putting on icy cold and still wet socks, pants and shirts. Very strange feeling. Even put my gloves back on and they were still soaked. The fire did nothing for our poor stuff. But the temperature had risen a bit in the night and we were greeted with at least 40 degrees outside and no more rain, just thick fog.Slept 12 hours last night! That's a first for this trip. All, or most of us were passed out by 7:30-8:00PM and we were up about the same time that morning. Nice way to greet the day, with a full night's rest under your belt, despite the fact that you are putting on soaked clothes.The hike started out muddy and wet but soon got humid and the rain gear was soon stripped off. Then, the greatest thing began to happen. The wind began to blow the fog off and the sun began to shine. We got our first good look at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. And as we climbed higher it got nicer. Still lots of mud, but a lot of good views today on and off big green mountains.We ate lunch on top of Rocky Top and watched clouds hide the mountain, then watched it suddenly reappear again. It was a sight!The Smokies have lots of green also, despite the lack of leaves on the trees. Lots of grass and moss, and lot of Rhododendruns. The terrain wasn't that bad either. Lots of rolling ups and downs with a few steep climbs.Towards the end of the day, Smokey from Michigan, caught up with us and we pounded out the last few miles with him, as drops of rain slowly began to fall. So the day went from nasty to amazing back to nasty.The entire day I had been feeling great, even think I drove Swansons insane with the way I can't take long breaks. But the last mile ws almost hellish! Well, not quite. But I was drained of energy and rediculously starving, and all those ups and downs began to get annoying. I found myself singing theme songs (especially the one from the Little Mermaid), just to take my mind off my tired legs on up hills. It works most of the time. Just can't look up--if you look up, you just get more tired seeing how much more you have to climb. Whatever works. I find disney songs to be a great help! Ha! Ha!Once again, the sight of the shelter brought an overwhelming sense of joy, especially since the rain was just making its presence really known. We three were the only thru hikers but there was a nice older married couple there getting a fire going in the shelter. They were so sweet. They shared with us pork jerky and it ws like having a bag full of bacon! Amazing! Carol, the wife, had wet naps as well to wash our hands with. Oh, it's the little things that count..We ate dinner, some of us at two dinners, and I downed some hot chocolate. Switchback also showed up, so it is the six of us all cozy in this little shelter. The fire is still going, and so is the rain, so it is time for bed. 8 o'clock is almost passed my bed time!!