Date: 2014-04-27
From: Fontanna Dam

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Good day to you all and thanks for following my journal. I'm well into the Smokies now and really enjoying it. Now, it's not to say the trail is not hard, it is at times. Up down, up down, lather rinse repeat. Walk, eat, sleep, lather rinse repeat. However, when ones pack is light from no food it's time to take a trek into town and get my food box. Never know what Phil and Jack will put in extra for me! Today's stop, resupply number three on the trail is Gatlinburg, TN, home of Dolly World and other assorted fun. I've been thru here many a time on my way to paddle rivers in the area and even vacationed with my family down here. It's silly and fun...but I'd rather be on the trail. The scenery is stunning and it's just good to get away from and reconnect with nature. Oh I guess I better get back to Dolly World. I got off the trail 15 Miles from Gatlinburg and got a shuttle into town. There is a story there and it's a bit long. Suffice it to say my shuttle was late, and I hopped a ride with another hiker who's hubby is recently retired and is providing hiker support along the trail. He's driving and She's walking? Anyway they dropped me at NOC great outpost and I picked up my new extended life battery for my iPhone but my food was not there. Hmm, this is what happened last time. I finally got my box, forgot to say my name is RedRobin...Phil had put a big label on the box with AT hiker Red Robin to make it easy to find...silly me I used my real name and the store associate could not find my box. Oh well, lesson learned in the land of dual personas. My evening was spent in quit solitude eating the largest angus burger of all time with a huge plate of mac and cheese. The waitress was shocked I could eat all that food--well I'm burning about 5200 cal a day so Heck, give me the cheesecake and a ice cream chaser!(OK all, No I did not have the cheesecake and ice cream and the mac n cheese was small. Back to the hotel for another awful nights sleep...I really prefer my hammock or temperpedic mattress. Motel 6 left the light on for me across the street and it shined in my windows all night and I could not seem to get the cheap shutters right to block out the light. Up early started packing doing laundry calling Phil, and thanking him for my Can of trail magic...A can of Peanut Brittle to share with my hiker buds....well half a can to share:-) My box contained other goodies too, my new carbon fiber hiking poles...read that feather weight and stronger than steel! Now it's to the outpost to get my shuttle to the trail and send a few things home I'm not using anymore. Gee, I don't seem to have any time for Dolly World...maybe next visit. Sorry for the long post but to continue this shuttle idea. The owner of The Grand Prix ended up shuttling a bunch of us in his work van back to the trail that Sunday. (see pic. We all headed north at our own paces. I had intended to hike 17 miles to a shelter but not with a full pack and a late start. Along the way, I met Wired, an awesome hiker who is on her 3rd leg of the Triple Crown of hiking. She has already completed the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. Wow can she move. You might want to check out her blog as I think she can blog and walk at the same time and has enough energy to to cover 38 miles in a day! Well, a highlight of the day was a side trail to Charlie's Bunion. (See Pics). Then Wired hustled on to complete a 26 mile day and I halted at a 10 mile day (smart move on my part even though the shelter was 1/2 mile off the AT).