Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 344.3 A day of rest in Erwin TN. I saw some hikers off to the trail this morning after breakfast. I’ll probably see a few of them at the next stop. The only difficult decision today was deciding which fast food restaurant to try out for lunch. Bojangles or Pal’s Sudden Services – hadn’t been to either one before. I opted for Pal’s but first had to figure out how to get in. I finally…
Daily Miles: 11.1, Total Miles: 344.3 A bit blustery last night but not much rain. A rare, mostly downhill hike to Uncle Johnny’s Hostel and the Nolichucky River on the outskirts of Erwin TN. The kind of strolls where I let my guard down and not focus on what’s in front of me. My foot was completely stopped by an upturned tree root and I went down fast. Barely able to get my hands out in front of me. I…
Daily Miles: 17.0, Total Miles: 333.2 Started to rain as I was getting dressed so hung out for an hour or so until it slowed down. Nearly out of water so headed to Hogback Ridge Shelter. Had a chat with Buttercup and Booyah who were having breakfast together. I then did the 25-minute round trip to the spring creek. I got down to Sam’s Gap and began a nearly four-mile climb to Big Bald and rare 360-degree views. Only partly…
Daily Miles: 19.8, Total Miles: 316.2 It rained for several hours last night and woke up to a drizzle and a heavy mist. Couldn’t just lay there so put on the wet clothes and got ready to go. I quickly got to Whiterock Cliff and the rocky, narrow ridge walk. Supposed to be great views but it was really socked in and couldn’t see anything. Later, I should have taken the bad weather route, the Big Butt Bypass, but stayed…
Daily Miles: 21.3, Total Miles: 296.4 Why is it I am always sleeping so soundly on the day I need to get back on the trail? Another reason I like Hot Springs NC is that the AT goes right through town. When I reached Main Street I met Kim, a local resident, walking her dog. Nice chat and fortunately her walk was my walk for a few miles. She guided me where to exit the highway past the bridge over…
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 275.1 No regrets for a zero day in Hot Springs NC. A pretty, compact little town with easy access to just about everything a hiker might need. Started the day with my biggest breakfast yet on the AT at the Smoky Mountain Diner. Worthy of a photo. Not really hungry for lunch but couldn’t pass up a few resupply items and a big caramel milkshake at the Hillbilly Market. The tough choice was whether to…
Daily Miles: 6.8, Total Miles: 275.1 Never a straightforward descent but I did eventually get down to Hot Springs. I saw two more whitetail right on the trail on the way down. First stop right off the trail was the Laughing Heart Hostel on the edge of town. I stopped and washed my sweaty hiker clothes for $5. While waiting, coffee and good conversation with Speedy, Red Dog, Stitch, a young Dutch hiker, and Shower, a retired game warden. I…
Daily Miles: 21.5, Total Miles: 268.3 Getting lighter in the morning but a few hikers came by early this morning with headlamps on. I lost 1,500′ right off the bat but gained it all back and then some before reaching Max Patch. Finally saw wildlife bigger than a squirrel – a sole whitetail deer that had been spooked by a barking dog. Reaching Max Patch Road, I lucked into one of the best trail magic stops I’ve had on any…
Daily Miles: 20.6, Total Miles: 246.8 It was cold last night and everything in my tent was frosty this morning. But what a beautiful sunrise from my helipad campsite. Fortunately no one came by last night because they may have tripped on my tent guy lines. All that elevation that was gained in the GSMNP was lost today as I wound down the mountains and exited the NP. I reached I-40 and crossing Pigeon River at below 1,500 ft’. Still…
Daily Miles: 18.5, Total Miles: 226.2 A brisk walk across town to the pickup point for the shuttle back to Newfound Gap. Early Easter morning is probably the quietest of the year in Gatlinburg! By the time the van arrived there were probably 25 hikers milling around. Several had also taken double zero days to wait out the storm. Clearly too many for one van but it got sorted out quickly. Most of the first hikers, including me, jumped into…
