THE MAGICAL SMOKIES pt 2

Day 28 4/19/17

• Miles hiked: 14.6
• Shelter: Pecks Corner Shelter
• High point: Views and weather
• Low Point: putting on cold wet socks and shoes

The morning started off with wet clothes and wet socks and shoes. We hiked from the shelter and knew we had a big mile day ahead since we must stay at the shelters. Starting off cold and wet didn't put us in the best mood but it wasnt currently raining so we found the positive.

It's so wet in the Smokies that when trees fall they just simply uproot close to the trunk. It seems everywhere else  we have seen on the trail, they break off just at the trunk. It's pretty interesting and one more thing that makes the Smokies so special.
Uprooted tree and Russ for size.

A few miles in we came across trail magic provided by a hiking club in the area called Solemates. Honey buns, peanut butter bars and ginger ale lifted our spirits tremendously. We barreled into Newfound gap. There were tons of tourist bused in there but nothing to see but fog. I really wanted our photo taken by the state line sign but Russ was less than enthused with the tour busses there. I waited in line with all the old ladies to get our photo. 🙂 It looks like we took the easy way up.

Just as we were beginning to think it was going to be another view-less, cloudy, rainy, typical spring day in the Smokies, we were surprised. By the time we climbed out of the gap the clouds were beginning to break in places. We made it to Charlies Bunion. This has been another place on our wish list for the trail and we were worried we would get nothing but white clouds. We were lucky enough, they broke just a bit when we arrived.

We enjoyed the view and every single AMAZING view after for the rest of the day. It was a very long day but absolutely worth it, in deed.

And my muddy feet.

Day 29 4/20/17

• Miles traveled: 12 miles
• Shelter: Cosby Knob Shelter
• High Point: patches of sun and views
• Low Point: weather

Started and ended in rain gear today but all the time inbetween was spent in shorts and a breathable long sleeve shirt. The photos do not do the Smokies justice at all. I wish I could send you the smell and thickness of the air. It's magical.

When it rains, the train turns into a a rock bed stream. It's much better than mud.

Snack time with Russ. It is ALWAYS snack time with Russ.


Day 30 4/21/17

• Miles traveled: 10.7
• Shelter: shared cabin over a creek at Standing Bear Hostel with Dragonfly, Rabbit, Duck Fart, Raggedy, Auntie and I Know Things.
• High Point: passing under I40
• Low Point: missing the Smokies

Woke up to rain at the shelter. It was our last day in the Smokies. We packed up and I found a mouse chewed through my netting on my pack. I believe he was after some almonds in a Ziplock bag I had in the pocket but I already ate the almonds. Oh well. We patched it up with tenatious tape and on we went.
We took a 0.6 side trail to Mt Cammerer lookout tower. I'm not usually fond of additional miles but this was worth it. We even caught our second rainbow of the trip.

After we headed down the mountain and out of the Smokies. As soon we exited the park we were greeted with Trail Magic from two vacationers from Florida and a guy who helps maintain the park (I believe his trail name was Bud or Buddy).
As we reached lower elevation the forest came alive with animals and GREEN. Who knew five days of rain and elevation can lead you to forget it's SPRING!?!

We crossed the Pigeon River bridge and under I40. This was momentous for us. We have been stopping by this piece of the AT on our treks from TN to NC since we have decided to hike. We kept saying... We will walk back here one day and that's exactly what we did.

We headed on to Standing Bear Hostel where we showered, did laundry, bought food to get us to Hot Springs and made ourselves a Dijorno Pizza. We hung out with friends and had a good time. Our cabin was built over a creek and the hostel had a commune feel about it.
The cabin

Some cook details along the place.

Our delicious Digiorno dinner.

Friends on the porch.

Other hikers around the fire.

Lil veggie showing her spirit! 🙂

Left to right: 12 pack, Rabbit, Coach, Russ, Auntie, and Raggedy.

Good times.

THE MAGICAL SMOKIES pt 1

Preamble

We really had no clue what to expect with the Smokies. We were absolutely unprepared to fall in love with this place but we fell hard. I was worried we would climb and climb and climb and never descend. Russ didn't expect anything more than the typical NC mountains he was familiar with and we were both surprised.
Day 26 4/17/17

• Miles traveled: 12
• Shelter: Derrick Knob Shelter
• High point: Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain Views
• Low Point: the last mile, uphill, in a thunderstorm

The morning was nice. Sleeping on a flat surface was also nice. We haven't been staying in shelters too much because they have been full or there have been mice. If there is room in the shelter in the Smokies then we are required to stay. We woke up to three deer within 10 feet of the shelter. It was surreal. Me, puffy-sleepy-face (thanks pollen) trying to get a selfie with a deer.

One person in the shelter saw a bear last night and another couple said they saw a panther-like cat this morning. It's still hard to believe but it apparently people believe them to be around. There just isn't much proof. We saw another bunny.

We started to climb early. It was a long day in the Smokies. The rain was on and off and although the terrain looked alright it was very sharp climbs and descents. The views were unique with the clouds and mountain tops.

There are a lot of people in the shelter tonight because of the rain. More people are tenting outside. It smells like poop in here too. I'm certain everyone walked through poop and then came in here tonight. It's not a surprise there is norovirus going around. We are doing everything in our power NOT to get Noro. The ridge runners employed by the ATC are reminding everyone to wash your hands with soap and water and do not share food or much else.
Day 27 4/18/17

• Miles traveled: 13.5
• Shelter: Mt Collins Shelter
• High point: highest point on AT & 200 miles
• Low Point: rain, rain, rain

Overall it was a good day.
Started out dry but we walked in rain all morning. We passed a few shelters and took very quick snack breaks so we wouldn't lose any body heat. We trudged on. The trail turned into a river and then a mud hole.

We passed a few overlooks with nothing to see but white clouds. We walked in clouds all day. When the fog would lift for just a moment we would scan the forest.

We climbed up to Clingmans dome, the highest point on the AT and then on to Mt Collins for shelter.
The little black dot is Russ running to the top of Clingmans Dome tower.

The view. Womp womp. ☹️


We crossed the 200 mile mark and we ran into Raggedy (Andy) and Karma. They are some of our original trail family from before we took time off to rest the ankle. It was so nice to see familiar faces again!!

We love the Smokies. They are filled with mystery, fog, and fir. The smell is awsome. I even suggested to Russ that he might take a few branches and rub them under his arms. 😳

Day 23 - 25

Easter Weekend

Day 23- Good Friday 4/14/17

• Miles traveled: 11.3
  
• Shelter: tent city at Locust Grove gap
  
• High point: crushing Jacobs ladder
  
• Low Point: tired legs
  

Today is the first day my legs have been tired, right out of the sleeping bag. Normally I wake up with fresh, rested legs but not today and today we have Jacobs ladder to look forward to. 😐

Out here it seems that objects in the mountains are further than they appear. For example, you are coming down the mountain and see a road near the bottom of the mountain. IT WILL take you twice as long to reach that road than you expect. Another example, we saw the NOC before walking another 2 miles to get there. You also hear things way before you reach them, like highways, shelters and sometimes storms. 

ALSO INCLUDING OTHER MOUNTAINS. When we climbed up Wayah Bald the other day and a sign displayed the mountains we were looking at on the horizon and it said Albert Mountain. Apparently we were looking at a mountain we summited five days earlier and it appeared to be "only right there, not far at all."

After it was all over with... We climbed Jacobs Ladder without a whole lot of difficulty and we will hike again tomorrow. 🙂

Russ' new ankle braces. 

Boots someone left on the trail. 

Sometimes the trail is just large rocks. 

The green is starting to show. 

Day 24 4/15/17

• Miles traveled: 5.5
  
• Shelter: Fontana Lodge
  
• High point: catching up with Family via FaceTime
  
• Low Point: finding out the lodge is nowhere near the lake (womp womp)

We heard fighter jets pass over us in the middle of the night last night while in the tent. We don't have much cell service out here at all so it's a little unnerving to not know what's happening in the world and just hiking on. 

We have been sleeping at 3000-3500 ft the last two nights and even lower at the NOC. With two people in a tent, sleeping bags are useless. It's just too warm. We know the Smokies are coming. It would silly to assume anything but rain and winter ahead. 

Staying at Fontana Village Lodge for the evening. 

The weather outlook for the next few days. ☔️⛈🌧

We didn't have cell service but Wifi was able to provide us time to Facetime with family, friends and Gracie!!! 

We did hiker trash laundry in the tub and hung it out to dry. This is how we live nowadays. (Also, gross)

We had a great meal and a good night's rest before hitting the Smokies!!!

Day 25 - Easter Sunday 4/16/17

• Miles traveled: 13.1
  
• Shelter: Molly Ridge Shelter in the Great Smoky Mountains
  
• High point: crossing Fontana Dam
  
• Low point: the climb out of Fontana

Woke up at the Fontana Village Lodge. We got right back on the trail where we were picked up at the Marina. We don't skip sections because we can get a ride closer to the trail head. We will hike every mile of this trail. 

We walked over Fontana Dam. It was pretty cool. I was very surprised the visitor center was open Easter Sunday but it was nice to look through the place and learn about the area. 

It was a climb into the Smokies. All day long, up, up, UP. Our packs are SO HEAVY. 7 days of food

We have decided not to stop in Gatlinburg so hiking straight through the smokies will be a lot of work. The climb was brutal but I don't think it was as tough as the NOC climb. 

We climbed to the top of a fire tower. It was pretty sketchy but offered excellent views.

Russ waiting for me at the bottom. 

 We are required to stay in shelters in the Smokies and we must hike with a $20.00 permit through the park. The people we shared the shelter with were nice and considerate. 

Auntie, Lil Veg, Indigo, Dream Catcher, 2 Speed and a few other people stayed in the shelter with us. We caught a glimpse of a few deer the next morning.