Date: 2009-04-17
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: clear sky

Happy Birthday, Dad! Got up and moving @ 4:15 and hit the trail by 4:45. It was very cold, but the hike up Clingman's was almost entirely uphill (expected as it's the tallest point). I warmed up very quickly. Hiking in the dark uphill was interesting. When we got high enough on the mountain and turned around, we could see the lights of @ least 3 cities to the south. It was very cool. However, once we started hiking downhill to the trail leading up to Clingman's, the water on the rocks made the dark hiking tricky (for me at least). I fell down for the first time today. Not just tripped. Full on fell down. 3 times. First on my butt, then on my face and then on my butt again. It pissed me off to no end. It was embarrassing, but mostly I just felt stupid. I wasn't hurt or anything, but it put me way behind Splice & Cous. I started to take the downhills very slowly, and I was already starting to get hungry and tired. The girls (Scabs & Roach) were way behind me along with a guy named Samwise. I finally got to the Clingman's Dome parking lot, exhausted, only to find that I still had a 0.5 mile climb up a steep paved road to get to the tower. I hurried as fast as I could b/c I could see the horizon getting light. I was praying the whole way up that the Lord would give me the strength to make it up the hill. I finally came to the top of the mountain and ran up the path to the tower. Thankfully, the sun hadn't risen yet. It was very cold @ the top of the tower, especially when the wind was blowing. The view was amazing though. S&R made it up about 15 minutes later. We were all able to catch the sunrise. It was awesome. We took many pictures and then ran back down the tower to get out of the wind and cold. We ate breakfast at the bottom of the tower and then charged down the mountain towards Newfound Gap. We made it down 7.9 miles in about 2.5 hours. My knees were fine, but I may have strained my left calf muscle. We hitched a ride into Galinburg from this guy who runs a shuttle service. We said we didn't have any money before we got in his car b/c we were just going to try and get a ride from someone who wouldn't charge us. He thought about it for a minute and then said he would give us a ride for free. So we got in his truck. However, on the way down to Gatlinburg, he made several snide comments about giving us a free ride. He seemed very unhappy about doing what he termed was his "good deed for the day." Anyway, he let us out and we walked around town looking for a hotel and decided on the Days Inn. We went to do laundry only to find that the closest laundromat was almost 3 miles from our hotel. While we were walking to find the laundromat, the sisters (S&R) pulled up in the back of a car. They got a ride back to our hotel and Cous and I kept walking. Splice went with the girls to let them into the hotel room. About 10 minutes later, the same car pulled up and said they would give us a ride to the laundromat. And for the rest of the day, they offered to drive us around town to the laundromat, the grocery store and back to the hotel. It was amazing. They were extremely nice. It turns out that she was the sister of the pharmacist (Tarheel) I talked to in Franklin. They, just by chance, drove to Newfound Gap to see if they knew anyone, and they recognized S&R from Franklin. If we hadn't gotten up before dawn to see the sunrise, the girls would never have seen them @ Newfound Gap, and we would have spent all day (or taxi money) trying to get our chores done. Amazing. After that, we had dinner and margaritas in town, Ben & Jerry's, and beer from a microbrewery/restaurant on the the way back and then drank beer back @ the motel. It was fun. We were really disappointed though b/c we felt misled by the marquee sign on the hotel advertising hot tubs. Gatlinburg is a complete tourist trap. It reminded me of a theme park without the roller coasters. I think there used to be a Six Flags there, but then they just elected a mayor and became a town instead. I don't think I would go back there again. Otherwise, it was a really good day. I know that the Lord was with us today. We are going to have a short day tomorrow (3 miles). I love you and miss you, Amanda.