Date: 2009-05-05
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 30.7
Weather: overcast clouds

It officially rained every day I was in the Smokies and I am so glad to be done with them. I was so ready to be done with them I hiked 30 miles to get out of there.I started hiking at 8 and made really good timing all day. I just kept reaching the next shelter and deciding I had time for 7 more miles, just 8 more mile. When I reached Davenport Gap Shelter, it was almost dark and no one was there. I had heard warnings about that shelter and didn't want to be there alone. It still has the bear cages, which kind of freak me out anyways. Decision made: 4 more miles to Standing Bear Farm Hostel. I got to the hostel a little after 10p. The hike between the shelter and here was an intimidating one in the dark. There were a lot of creek crossings in a pretty rapidly moving stream. You cross over the Pidgeon River. You cross under I40. Lots of things to freak you out when you typically go to bed at darkfall.When I reached to hostel, Raindancer and Raspberry couldn't believe I had caught them so quickly. I knew I had been close to catching them a couple of days, but they only knew I started 2 days after them in the Smokies. I also caught Aesop and Sweet Lou, who I haven't seen since Hiawassee, and Texas Turtle and Pirate Mike, who I met in Fontana Dam. Texas's wife is coming out to hike with him. It is planned to be for a month, but he hopes it's longer. Texas and Pirate had a long day yesterday (one shelter short of what I did) and apparently I was very close to catching them since we all hiked the last few miles to here in the dark. I'm taking an extra day at the hostel because my feet really hurt and have lots of new blisters from being inside wet boots all day. I learned from Raindancer proper techniques for washing one's clothes without a machine that she perfected in while in Gambia in the peace corps. All I care about is that I have dry socks. They are glorious. I have spent most of the day lounging around and reading.I have my shoes on a boot dryer so I hope I can have dry boot when I head out tomorrow. Because I planned for 7 days and only took 4 to get through the Smokies, I didn't need much resupply here. I'm going to be meeting my mother in Hot Springs on Saturday. I plan to hike two 15ish days and hike into town that morning.I received an e-mail from Walking Home formerly Maine Man Mitch telling me to hurry and hoof it to Hot Springs. I told him I busted butt and made identical time as him through the Smokies, so I have no chance of catching him unless he stops for trail days and I continue hiking. I still haven't made up my mind whether I want to try to catch a ride to trail days.I'm interested to see how good the outfitter is there. I still think I need bigger boots and I'm uncertain how much longer I can make my pack work. I ordered the wrong torso size because I am a girl so I wear my waist belt higher than if I were a man. They did their best to adjust it and make it work at Neels Gap, but it was a major source of discomfort through the Smokies. I know I could sell it and recoup most of my money, so I need to just look and see what kind of packs they have in Hot Springs. Sadly, I love everything about my pack except that it doesn't fit me right. Oh well.I'm grateful for another night in a bed, dry socks and cold soda. Praying for no rain tomorrow and that I can withstand the pain of a 5 mile steady climb of 3000 foot elevation gain.