Days 10 to 15

Wednesday, March 11, Standing Bear Farm, Tennessee.

Hey everyone. Thanks for keeping track of my progress. It may not seem that I'm having a great time in my blog entries because I'm constantly complaining about aches and pains, but I assure you that I'm having the time of my life. I'm typing from the laundry room of the Standing Bear Farm just outside the Smokey Mountains. I'm two days from Hot Springs, NC for my first zero day and I'm super psyched! I only have time to update some of my blog. I'll write about the Smokies in Hot Springs.
Keep up the e-mails to me. I can check them on my cell, but It's very difficult to reply. I want to assure everyone that all of your notes of encouragement are pushing me along, one foot ahead of another. Oh, my trail name is "Steamboat."

Day 10, March 1, Sunday

Start: Carter Gap Shelter
Stop: Franklin, North Carolina
Mileage: 15.9 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 107.7

No Journaling today. I spent the night in comfort at Haven's Budget Inn, in Franklin, NC.

Day 11, March 2, Monday

Start: Winding Stain Gap, Franklin, Tenn.
Stop: Siler Shelter
Mileage: 3.7 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 114.4

Harvey, Dan and I are sharing the Siler Bald shelter with two other guys tonight. The unknowns are an old man with a late 90s purple and yellow ski jacket and a former army guy who left Feb. 7. He zeroed at this shelter last night because his water bladder froze and he didn't want to be dehydrated on the trail. He seems to zero in every town he passes, even those far from the trail.
It's going to be a cold night on the trail tonight with temps in the single digits again. Harvey and I debated staying in Franklin with Grumpy, Tatonka, and Jeff, but we decided to make it to Fontana Dam by Saturday AM to pick up our mail drops leading into the Smokies.
To catch up on yesterday, Harvey and I hiked a long, tough 15.8 miles to Franklin, via Winding Stair Gap at US 441. The weather was uncomfortable at lunch and unbearable by early afternoon. We reached the summit of Albert Mountain just before lunch and we were greeted with a wall of clouds off the ridgeline. With no view to satisfy our efforts of bouldering hand-over-hand up the mountain's last 1/4 mile, we hiked .5 miles to the next shelter to lunch. The wind began to pick-up and snowfall steadily increased as we ate our typical lunches of candy bars and Gatorade. We knew foul weather was approaching, so we blistered down the mountain at a very fast pace the last 8 or so miles. Tatonka, Grumpy, and Dan left the trail at Old US 441, while Harvey and I continued on to Winding Stair Gap. The last 3.1 miles was brutal. High winds, snow and steep inclines. We descended to the relative calm of the trailhead at 3 pm. Within 30 seconds a van pulls up with no other than our good friends Tatonka and Dan, who had caught a shuttle from the other gap a few miles away. They told the shuttle driver, Ron Haven, to swing by on the chance we had made it down. It could not have been timed better. Ron owns the Haven Budget Inn, in Franklin. A former pro wrestler, and current lord of Franklin, Ron smelled of stale tobacco and aftershave. He shuttled us to town in a van he swore he bought from a forgotten country music star. The motel was clean, but unsightly. Ron caters to hikers and bikers, so expectations were not high. Hot water, the weather channel and a shuttle are all we really need.
The six of us; Dan, Harvey, Tatonka, Grumpy, Jeff and I, ate our first meal out on the trail together at Cody's Roadhouse, which hit the spot. I had a salad, rolls, 1/2 ribs, 1/2 chicken, a sweet potato, and fries, plus four Sam Adams. Consequently, I was too fat and happy to journal yesterday.
Today Harvey and I breakfasted with Grumpy at Wilson's Restaurant, which seems to cater to geriatric evangelicals. All three of our ages couldn't add up to the age of any other patron or employee, and Grumpy is retired! They food was delicious and reasonably priced. Other than a rushed shuttle to the trail, that was the day up to now as I shiver next to Harvey in a simple 3-sided shack more than 100 miles from home.

Day 12, March 3, Tuesday

Start: Siler Bald Shelter
Stop:Wesser Bald Shelter
Mileage: 17.9 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 129.3

Harvey and I pushed nearly 18 miles today, crossed 3 balds with beautiful views, and we are about 2 days ahead of schedule, but what occupies my mind tonight is a dog that is passively probing our camp. He/she looks very tame with its tail between its legs. The dog also has a collar, but I can't seem to make out any tags. It looks to be a coonhound/golden mix. I approached the dog near sundown with some saltines, but it would not come.
It would sit very proper on the hillside east of the shelter, but would walk away when I approached. I'm sure the dog is very hungry and smells our food. This breaks my heart. I hope to catch it tomorrow and bring it to the NOC to see if anyone has called it in lost. If not, then I'll call Animal Control.
Other than my heavy heart over the dog, which just makes me miss Brinkley more, today was another milestone day. The 17.9 miles, plus blue blazes, were the most miles hiked on the trip so far. Last night was brutally cold with temps plunging near zero. My sleeping bag is only rated to 20 degrees. With the cold air and loud snoring from the unknowns, I probably slept less than 3 hours. The rest of the night was spent shivering. The only way to get warm was to move, so at 7 am, when a beautiful sunrise lit up the sky, Harvey and I hurriedly ate breakfast and hit the trail 15 minutes later. Our goal was Cold Spring Shelter about 12 miles away, but we soon realized that our early start afforded more sunlight to hike. We decided to push on to Wesser Bald Shelter at mile 129.3.
Three great views were provided by Wayah Bald, Rocky Bald, and Wesser Bald. Balds are mountain tops with little vegetation, which provides amazing panoramic views. These views we have been missing in North Carolina because of the rain. I'm satisfied with pushing myself today, but as I get ready for bed, I can hear the lost dog out in the woods rustling the leaves with each step.
Tomorrow it's on to the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I'll have a warm bed.

Day 13, March 4, Wednesday

Start: Wesser Bald Shelter
Stop: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Mileage: 5.7 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 135

Almost one day ago I was freezing in my sleeping bag at the Silar Bald Shelter, and now I'm journaling on a bench along the Nantahala River at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in flip flops and shorts with a full belly and a drop box from Kat. Today was a fairly easy 5.7 mile hike down from Wesser Bald. The downs are still tough on the knees and bottom of my feet. My soles are very sore and I've got 4,000 feet of vertical climb to get out of the NOC's gorge tomorrow. Tonight I'll sleep in a warm bed and I'll put down a few beers prior to setting out early tomorrow for the tough hike to Fontana Dam. Today there is not much else to add except to say I'm enjoying this afternoon immensely.

Day 14, March 5, Thursday

Start: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Stop: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Mileage: 16 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 151 miles

With each day, Harvey and I push ourselves a little harder, and today was no exception. We hiked 16 miles today, starting at 8 am, and climbed more than 4,000 feet in vertical gain with an average incline of 7.8 percent for the eight-hour day that blistered my feet, but hardened my will to finish this journey.
The sun warmed the frozen ground, which made for some muddy hiking, but the mild temps were a relief from the chill of winter we've been experiencing. We hiked 8.1 miles to Cheoah Bald to lunch this morning and Harvey and I gorged ourselves with all sorts of hiker food stuffs, including cliff bars, beef jerky, energy chews, chocolate bars, Gatorade, bagels and honey. We added a few Jolly Ranchers to celebrate our morning triumph. The day also brought another milestone - 150 miles from Springer Mountain. The nice round numbers are enormous moral boosters. With warm temps, big mileage and strengthened body, I feel for the first time today that I'll complete this hike.
Also, I failed to write about our first trail angel, Apple. Yes, his name was Apple, for it was even spray painted on his jacket. We met Apple while descending Burningtown Gap on March 3. Down the trail, about 100 yards away, Harvey noticed a strange soccer ball-like dome. A smaller green tent was next to it and a pickup truck was a few yards further away at the Gap. A man greeted us by the name of Apple and asked if he was our first trail angel, and we said yes. He seemed very pleased. We were the second and third hikers he's seen this season. Number one was Manzinitas, who was one of the unknowns at Silar Bald Shelter. He turns out to be a professional gambler in Vegas. Apple usually cooks for hikers, but this early in the season we were treated to cookies and hot chocolate. It was a great way to finish the last five to eight miles on our first 18 mile day. I hope to spend a weekend next year as a trail angel in Georgia.

Day 15, March 6, Friday

Start: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Stop: Fontana Dam Shelter
Mileage: 13 miles
Miles from Springer Mtn: 164 miles

Two weeks ago I began the Approach Trail at Amicolola Falls and it feels like another lifetime ago. I feel like I've always been on the AT, which is not bemoaning my decision, its just that the trail has left a lasting impression in a short amount of time. I now scoff at 10 miles being a long hike, but it was only eight days ago that I was lumbering up Blood Mountain in Georgia. Today, Harvey and I put 13 miles in the book while managing two hours at the Post Office in the village of Fontana, which is more like a food court of the resort that is barely moving this early in the season. Harvey and I had our first hitch of the trip, which was from a very nice lady in a Range Rover. We never thought a Range Rover would stop for two smelly hikers. She said the two is slow now in the offseason, but due to the economy it was the "off-off season."
The General Store/Outfitter was closed, so we lunched and dined on our extra food stuffs from our mail drops. We managed our second hitch leaving the Village from two amateur "Archeologists," who had spent the day panning the mountain with metal detectors for "white gold." I told them, "You never know what's under your feet until you look," which pleased them.
The accommodations tonight is the Fontana Dam Shelter, otherwise known as the "Fontana Hilton" due to it's 24 person sleeping capacity, grassy area, close proximity to a bathroom with a shower, and a view of Lake Fontana. Harvey and I are again sharing the shelter with only ourselves, which means there's a lot of elbow room on the sleeping platform. I'm taking up enough space for 12 people.
I'm entering the smokies a bit wounded tomorrow. My left foot has four large blisters. It's quite painful. Also, my trekking pole broke today during a rather mild fall while bouldering. Two poles have really saved my knees since Neels gap and I have some tough elevations ahead of me this week. I'll have to supplement my good pole with a leafy pole, as Pirate would say. But my wounded foot isn't breaking my spirit. The mountain breaks you down just as you begin to think you are strong enough to conquer it. No one can move mountains, but if I keep the resolve to finish this hike, than no blister or tight knee can stop me. It may slow me down considerably, which is not good news as I strive to meet Kat in Hot Springs, NC on Saturday. I must make "Standing Bear Farm," and exit the Smokies on Wednesday to have a chance. From there it's two to three days to Hot Springs, where I'll definitely take my first zero. Tomorrow I'll do a little foot 911 and head on. The hike today was one of little note, except for the pain. There were few vistas and the sky was gray. Sunlight broke through the clouds near sundown, so there is hope for good weather tomorrow, which will be quite the trail magic considering the shape I'm entering one of the AT's toughest sections.

Days 16 and on will be posted on Saturday! Again, e-mail me and keep in touch.