Date: 2007-04-06
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well, a great nite's sleep and a heater cranked up tp 75 was just what I needed! Persistent (Nicole) called me and invited me to breakfast with her and Eric, butI passed, as I had bought some breakfast stuff at the General Store. By theway, I know "the word" is that this place does not have good resupply, butunless you are very picky and need special food, I think resupply is totallypossible here. It is pricey though, but between the General Store and theOutfitters, I could have easily resupplied for 4 days. Maybe they get wiped outwhen big #'s of hikers come thru, but I am in the a big group, and there seemedto be enough stuff. Just my 2 cents.I don't know if I mentioned that we had caught up to Sailor again, @ Cable GapShelter, so we were all heading into Fontana Dam on the same day. I ran intohim at the P.O. I don't think he is headed out till Monday, his wife, Teresa iscoming up for a visit, and I am going to have dinner with them tonight. It willbe really cool to meet someone that has signed my guestbook!Today I mailed my memory card of pics and my maps and pages of the guidebok thatI no longer need, home to Rachael! A milestone for sure. I went to the outfitters and bought some handwarmers. Seems we'll be headinginto the Smokies just in time for record breaking lows, into the teens the nexttwo nites. BOO HOO!! If I were rich, I'd stay here and hike out on Monday whenthe temps are a bit warmer, but alas, that is not the case. Oh, all of my running around was by car, via Eric! Thanks! My knees love younow! I am feeling positive again, ready to confront my fear. There is ice and snowon Clingman's Dome today. I feel that when I make it thru the Smokies, I willhave really accomplished something very big on a personal level.   I have just layed around and have been allowing my body some good time to repairitself. Seems my knees aren't to keen on bendig the way they were meant tobend. My legs just want to stay straight out these day! LOLJust got back from dinner. Persistent and Eric, me, Sailor and Teresa all had agreat time. We ate here at the lodge, and Sailor and Teresa were nice enough tobuy me dinner. I told them that when Rachael and I open our restaurant(someday), they can come up for dinner and it wil be covered. Teresa was a verynice and outgoing woman. It was great meeting you, and I hope your trip home issafe and uneventful. (on the way here, a tire from some vehicle ahead of herflew off and hit her car! She is ok, but her car is pretty banged up. I'mgoing to look at it and make sure the radiator and other components on the sidethat is banged up is ok.)On the way out of the restaurant, I ran into Blue Yonder, who had hiked in fromStechoa Gap today. She is a hiking machine! I forgot to mention that when I mether the first time (when I was hiking into Stechoa Gap) she had some friendsthat she was going to stay with that nite. Next thing I know, these people, whoI had never met, offered Persistent and I a place to stay as well! I was takenback, they'd never even met me before.I'm sure I'll think I am crazy for turning down such a generous offer, but wedeclined, as we felt like we were just getting some momentum going. I justwanted to mention this, because the hiking community is the only place I've everbeen where people are so willing to give so much to a total stranger. The waythe world should work.So I heard from Blue Yonder that Rockstar is headed in tonight. Hope I get tomeet her, we've emailed few times, and I think this is the same Rockstar.Anyways, Persistent and Eric are moving over to my room for tomorrow nite.Sailor's wife is trying to talk us into staying through Sunday and hike out onMonday, so we'll be with him. Trust me, it is SO tempting when the talk is lowsinto the teens with winds of 15-20 mph. A former thru-hiker who Sailor ran into here told him she and other hikers hadto be rescued from the Smokies in 2003 due to the weather turning bad. Apparently they all stayed inside a bathroom and about froze. She told Sailorto wait until Monday to leave. Ah, decisions, decisions. I guess time willtell if we are meant to hike out on Easter Sunday or not. That's life on thetrail. Just enjoying some rest but I miss my hammock. ~Certain