Date: 2015-04-09
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter 

To: Fontana Dam Shelter 
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a very challenging 12.5 miles to the Fontana Dam Shelter. There were plenty of beautiful views and challenges to overcome - biggest of which is going downhill on a muddy trail with hundred foot plus drop offs from the edge. I saw lizzards and some large black snakes on the trail. One of them and I surprised each other as I came around the corner! I was like "Holy cow! A huge snake!" and it was surprised and hustled of the trail and I retreated a little to take a picture and video. On the trail down the dam played a game of hide and seek. Sometimes I seemed to be getting closer, and then others it seemed to be getting further away as the long gentle switchbacks brought me down the mountain. On the way down I ran into the Bionic woman who was having trouble with the terrain and her leg and I slowed as if I would hike with her but she seemed to want to be alone so I moved on. It wasn't long before I made it to the Fontana Hilton. The last time I had been here the water was way higher and another hiker and I had gone down to the water behind the shelter on the very steep trail, avoiding carefully the poison ivy for a swim. I jumped in first and found the water to be extremely cold! I managed to fight of the urge to shout an exclamation and put on a poker face. He asked how the water was and with a straight face told him "come on in, the waters fine!" He jumped in and instantly climbed out again and I followed him from the icy water. We had a good laugh of it and he was amazed that I had been able to look so comfortable in the water and I explained that I had been raised in Maine and was almost always the first one in the water in the spring. I had worked hard on that ice water deception and had pulled it on my brother and other friends with good results! I dried off, changed and made it over to Fontanna Village. I did laundry and picked up supplies at the Fontana Village (costing an arm and a leg) I had a heck of a time getting my Smokies permit. My Bank card wouldn't work and I couldn't call the bank as I had no cell coverage so I begged the clerk to get my permit online using her credit card and I gave her cash which she was kind enough to do. I realized I had forgotten my phone charger at the store and that all of this had taken so long that the shuttle service was closed. I was in pain and exhausted and the clerk saw my condition and mercifully asked a maintenance person to bring me to the shelter via the store where I found my charger where I had left it. When I was dropped off at the parking lot and was walking down to the shelter a disembodied voice of a hiker above me asked me if I was thru-hiking. I said "yes" and I was asked if I would like a beer. I said yes and for him to roll it down the hill as I was very tired. A can came flying the right the air and with my snail like reflexes of fatigue, it landed in the weeds at my feet. Grateful, I cracked and drank it on the way to the shelter where I found Giggly Goose, Mamma and Baby Bear, and other familiar faces where there. I was given another beer at the shelter and was offered to join in a safety meeting and I agreed. Back at the Sassafras shelter I had gotten the first good nights sleep, pain free and saw the value of a safety meeting as long as I just used it for pain management. I took two puffs as before and within a matter off minutes the pain was gone. I took a hot shower and charged my phone and went to sleep after listening to the Bible and music.