Date: 2015-04-08
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Birch Spring Gap
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Let me start by saying that the home/hostel named "Paradise on the AT" is very appropriately named! Dr. Cynthia Post is a great host who has truly mastered the art of hospitality. She had picked me up at Fontana and drove me to Paradise, the home and B&B she and her husband, Jeff, operate and where they live. Once there, the hot shower was invigorating for me, and the washer/dryer removed all evidence of my muddy slide into the Fontana area.Cynthia cooked a wonderful meal of Shephard's Pie, and the salad was also a much-appreciated departure from the dehydrated fare of the trail. We ate outside on the deck as the creek babbled so melodiously through the site.If you are near Fontana, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND "Paradise" as a great stay for hikers or as a B&B.My knee did swell some, so Cynthia provided ice and a "Buccaneer Blue" sticky wrap for support. Both helped me get back on the trail today.Thanks, Cynthia, for all your great help and hospitality. I hope to stay there again!As I was walking across Fontana Dam, I met McKenna, a recent seminary graduate. She was making this hike in the GSMNP prior to assuming her duties at a church in Iowa. I told her that this hike should provide many inspiring moments for sermon preparations. We deposited the top-half of our respective GSMNP backcountry permits in the hiker box and entered the park.The day was unseasonably hot and humid and thus draining. The gnats returned in wave after wave of attacks as they seemed to delight in dining on my O Negative blood. Another hiker had a theory that gnats like O Neg the best. I couldn't disagree although I can't say that I've undertaken any scientific studies on the issue.   My legs became pock-marked from the aerial bombardment. I eventually resigned myself to this fate as once again I had forgotten to purchase insect repellent when it was available at the Fontana General Store. Oh well, you just accept it and move on. At least the bites, albeit bloody, don't itch at all.I passed on a trip off the trail up to Shuckstack fire tower. I then climbed onward and upward and at 4:00, came to Birch Gap campsite. This is the only campsite in the GSMNP not near a shelter. I decided to tent here for the night as it is a great site with a piped spring right there (no trudging downhill and then uphill this time from the watering hole). Low Profile (Maryland), All's Well (Texas), Right Click (Connecticut), McKenna, Roy (North Carolina), and Qui-gon (Massachusetts) are also tenting here. Later JeanBee and her daughter, Hummingbird, came in as they are from the area and are completing a hike of the GSMNP. With a team effort we built a fire in the fire ring that produced smoke in our efforts to fight back against the swarming bugs. We declared a partial victory in the bug wars as the smoke did indeed help some. I enjoyed being seated around the fire as many of us were able to eat supper together.There is a sign warning us of bear activity in the area, so we dutifully strung up our bear bags on the cables provided. Tomorrow should be a long day to Russell Field Shelter, but another sunny and warm hike.