Date: 2009-03-25
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Grand Prix Motel in Gatlinberg
Miles today: 12.5

My trail name is Nice Lenses.It was windy cold and rainy all day. So much for pictures from Clingman's Dome.We all struggled to get out of bed with the weather as bad as it was. I considered staying there for the day wrapped in my sleeping bag. Oh yeah, another rule in the park. Thou shall not stay at the same shelter two consecutive nights. We all left about the same time. There was a privy at the next shelter 1.5 miles away and none here. Skipped breakfast and ate it at the next shelter. There were still a few residents from the previous night there when we arrived. The privy was nice. Had three full walls and a half wall at the entrance side with a swinging door to enter. I dont know why there was a hook and eye lock on the door, you could stand on the outside and easily look over the half wall. I know I felt a lot more secure with the door locked though.Ate my cereal and left for the days hike. I teamed up with Leafy as a safety team for the day. A good idea with the weather the way it was. Wow! the fire alarm just went off at the Gatlinberg library and we had to exit. It is new, the third day open and very nice.Leafy and I are not a good match for hiking. He is faster on the uphills and I am faster on the downs and levels. We stayed together though. I led up and he led down. Slower person in the lead.Got to Clingman's and it was very windy. There is an observation tower at the top with a very interesting spiral ramp leading up to it. The observation area was, of course, closed so early in the season, but the views would have been stunning I am told. The wind literally almost blew me off the ramp twice. I took two pictures of the beautiful grey view and got off the tower as quick as I could. I was freezing. I only had on my capilene shirt under my light rain coat. Warm enough while climbing, but not for standing in just above freezing with a very cold wind chill. We ate lunch just out of the wind at the base of the ramp.We pressed on the four miles to the next shelter which was the last before Newfound Gap and the road to Gatlinberg, 15 miles away. With the weather, the shelter was full at 3:30 when we got there. To add insult to injury, the shelter is a half mile hike downhill from the trail. Decided it was to much of a risk to stay and hope all the hikers with reservations didn't show up.We hurried along the five miles to the road and got there at 5:30. Five miles in two hours at the end of a very difficult day.There were many huge trees in this area that had been blown over with very big root systems and associated rocks and moss still clinging to the roots. A very nice place for any self respecting gnome, troll, or other woodland creature to call home. Many were dry under the root area.At the road there was no visibility, it was raining, and the wind was still with us. Would you let three wet,stinking hikers into your car? A family from Arkansas in a pickup asked if we would mind riding in the bed since they was full in the cab. After the day we had and waiting 20 minutes for a ride we said we will take any ride we can get.The weather at 4000 feet lower was way different from the trail. No wind, sprinkles, and warm.We checked into the Grand Prix Motel and exploded our packs all over the room to begin the drying out process. I split a room with Leafy. Showered and went for food. Full, came back to the room and went to bed. Woke up later at 11:45, 9:45 in Denver and called Grey Squirrel since this is the night she works late.Had a good conversation. She was glad for the update as there was no cell service in the Park for updates. I don't know but she likes to hear that I am safe at the end of each day. I love you too.See you on the trail.John