Date: 2005-03-20
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Standing Bear Tree Farm Hostel
Miles today: 33.7

It was a beautiful day to be hiking. Proof was there were a ton of day hikers everywhere.   The sun was shinning with not much of a breeze. I love hiking through the smokey's on days like this.   The beauty of the Smokey's can hardly be described. I believe the first time I ever saw them I told someone back home I found the place god lives.   I still feel that way.   I have never been there when there wasn't snow on the ground but I could imagen that it is even more beautiful when the forest is more alive.   I can't help but feel good when I walk through them.I spent the final days in the smokey's camping with and passing Paladin.   I would like to sit around and let him leave camp ahead of me to see how long it would take to catch up to him with an hour head start.   I think he hated when I would catch him.   Although we stuck together to see Charlie's Bunion and to be each other photographer.   Good thing too I got a great black and white of him out on the bunion.   Thanks for modeling Paladin!I had Paladin talked into camping out at Mtn. Cammerer fire tower for our last night in the Smokey's. I had always wanted to camp there but never have.   I came close in 2001 but turned back less then 1/4 mile from the tower.   This time I made it all the way out there.   Now that I see the tower I don't know why I never went out there before.   It was one of the nicest firetowers I've been in.   Very nice to sleep in too.   I only wished that we could have seen the sunset that night. The clouds got in the way and in the morning we were completely fogged in so there was no sunrise for us either.   In the morning we cleaned up the tower after ourselves and headed back out to the A.T.   We were heading into Standing Bear Tree Farm Hostel for the night. I had a supply box, which I dropped off a week ago, waitting on me there. I couldn't wait.   I hauled butt to get down there and into the hot shower to warm my chiled bones.   Paladin arrived after me.   I got my supply box and just hung in the heated bunk house.   After a while I got into the shower. While in there I heard a man's voice yell "hey Hippie blah blah blah stumpknocker".   What he's on the phone??? "No I'm Here-It's Stumpknocker"   Now how we ran right into each other again is beyond me.   He had no clue I was even this far down on the trail. I had orginially told him I was heading for Virginia to hike this month.   So I told him to give me a few minutes and I'll be out there to talk with him. I could not believe it.   He was there to drop off a box for Goldie Locks and Moosie.   He had no idea I was in the area until Paladin told him that I was there.   Somehow Stumpknocker and I always run into each other. It has happened for years.   Always in the same places at the same time.   So after I got out of the shower we sat there in amazement while we try to figure out everything.   He decided to stay and hike for a couple of weeks with me. But first he was slacking me at least to Hot Springs. COOL!   I love to slack.   Stumpknocker drove me to the nearest town where we picked up a few beers then headed back to the hostel to hang out.   What a great finish to the Smokey's Mtn. Cammerer firetower, running into old friends and cold beer!   Another great day!