Meredith and I made it to Hot Springs, NC Sunday and it's a good thing we did..Pige, Calves, and other hikers that arrived in town Monday morning said they woke up to a fire within eyesight of their tents. They had stayed at the shelter only 3 miles outside of town and hustled into Hot Springs walking next to burning trees. By Monday afternoon a 5 mile stretch of the trail from Garenflo Gap to Hot Springs was closed. We watched helicopters fill buckets in the French Broad River and dump water on the fire all day long. We heard that section of the trail could be closed for weeks.
We had a nice, relaxing day - big breakfast at the diner where I caught up with friends I hadn't seen since before the Smokies and meeting new hikers. Meredith bought me a massage and we both soaked in a mineral soak tub for an hour. Meredith got picked up for her flight at 4:30PM, I spent the rest of the day eating and drinking and slept on the floor of Pige and Calves' room at the Creekside Motel.
I woke up early Tuesday morning so I could eat breakfast at the diner before hitting the trail. I ran into Earnhardt and Griz who were also planning on getting back on the trail that day. J Biebs, Calves, Pige and the others were taking another zero day in Hot Springs. The trail out of town was nice and had some pretty views of the town. It got hot quickly, forecast to be 80 in town and 70s on the trail. The miles that day weren't terribly difficult, but the heat made it hard. I stopped for lunch at the first shelter, 11 miles into the day. I picked up some avocado from the Hillbilly Market in Hot Springs that I ate with tuna and pepperoni.. trying to snack on things other than sugar!
While I was eating 3 slack packers came in, Pipen, Whatever, and Papa Bear. They left Hot Springs that morning also and had someone meet them at Allen Gap, 15 miles in, with their packs, then planned on hiking 5 miles further to Little Laurel Shelter.
I stopped at a Mom and Pop store at Allen Gap for a chocolate milk and ice cream cone. On my walk back to the trail I almost stepped on a 5+ foot long rat snake on the side of the trail. I was jumpy the rest of the hike.
The last 5 miles of the day were very hot and mostly uphill. I arrived at Little Laurel Shelter (AT mile 294.1, 19.6 miles for the day) just before 5 - several new faces were there eating dinner. The three slack packers I met earlier in the day rolled in shortly after as well as Griz.
Wednesday I got moving at 6AM and on the trail by 6:40, ready to get in my new longest day of 22.8 miles. It was warm enough that I left camp in shorts and a t-shirt - I knew it was going to get hot. The day started with a climb and rock scramble to Big Butt Mountain (hehe). I felt sluggish and it kept getting hotter, with no clouds in the sky. The forest floor was lush green with grasses and wild flowers but the trees still didn't have any leaves. The bad thing about being first on the trail in the morning is having to break all the cobwebs. I walk through them until they eventually cover my arms, legs, and face and then fight to remove them like thin wisps of hair. I know it's too early to complain about bugs but the gnats are already biting, making it difficult to even stop for breaks. All day long I hear chipmunks running around the forest, fighting or mating or both..they can make a lot of noise for such small animals, they sometimes make me believe something bigger is stomping around in the woods.
I came across two section hikers heading south who told me there was trail magic at Devil Fork Gap, 1.2 miles ahead. I picked up my pace and hustle down there to see..as I got closer I could hear people, cheering and laughing. I got to the Gap and there were maybe two dozen hikers there and a table set up with hot dogs, water, beer, and some sweets. There were two Hiker Bubbles that were hanging out there - one was large, loud, and had their own cheer/chant. The other bubble seemed to want to separate themselves.
I only stayed about 15 minutes so I could get to the shelter still another 7 miles away. Those last miles were mostly uphill and I could feel the heat and fatigue from the day. I got into camp at Hogback Ridge Shelter (AT mile 316.9) around 5:30 and quickly set up camp, there were tons of tents already set up and the water was at least 1/4 mile away. After dinner the large loud hiker bubble I had seen at the Trail Magic marched in, making a water stop. One of the trail angels from Devil's Fork Gap agreed to slack pack all of them to Sam's Gap, 2.5 miles past the shelter, so thankfully they weren't staying. Two former thru hikers hiked into the shelter and offered everyone there beers - first trail magic delivery!
Thursday morning I woke up 5:30AM so I could watch the sunrise over High Rock, less than a mile away. Beautiful sunrise, but rather disorienting to watch the sun come up on the left side of the trail. The AT doesn't always go north, it winds east and west and even south. I kept having to check my trail guide to make sure I was still heading in the right direction.
When I got to Sam's Gap, 2.4 miles into the day, I found Speedy there, who I had only seen briefly in Hot Springs on Sunday and previously not since day 2 in the Smokies. He decided he would hike to Uncle Johnny's with me, about 24.5 miles further. We got to Bald Mountain at around 10AM, 9 miles into the day. Beautiful views, clear blue sky.
I heard about active bears nearby, one that (temporarily) stole a hikers pack. The rest of the day was mostly downhill. I stopped for lunch at 12:45 with 11 miles left to hike. My feet were aching..I had only taken 3 doses of ibuprofen (Vitamin I, as the hikers call it) since I started the trail, all in the first week. I decided to take some, fearing that the afternoons miles would otherwise be miserable. It did the trick and the miles started flying by again. I got to the next shelter, 20.7 miles into the day, at 2:50 and decided I was going to do my best to get to Uncle Johnny's Hostel (AT mile 343.8) before 6PM, thinking that's when the free shuttle into town left. I raced down the mountain, completing the 6.3 miles by 5:10PM, for a total of 26.9 miles for the day. The shuttle had already left, but I was still able to order a pizza, eat some ice cream, and take a nice hot shower. I got in 26.9 miles today, and hoped my legs would work for the 13 miles of climbing the next day!
We had a nice, relaxing day - big breakfast at the diner where I caught up with friends I hadn't seen since before the Smokies and meeting new hikers. Meredith bought me a massage and we both soaked in a mineral soak tub for an hour. Meredith got picked up for her flight at 4:30PM, I spent the rest of the day eating and drinking and slept on the floor of Pige and Calves' room at the Creekside Motel.
I woke up early Tuesday morning so I could eat breakfast at the diner before hitting the trail. I ran into Earnhardt and Griz who were also planning on getting back on the trail that day. J Biebs, Calves, Pige and the others were taking another zero day in Hot Springs. The trail out of town was nice and had some pretty views of the town. It got hot quickly, forecast to be 80 in town and 70s on the trail. The miles that day weren't terribly difficult, but the heat made it hard. I stopped for lunch at the first shelter, 11 miles into the day. I picked up some avocado from the Hillbilly Market in Hot Springs that I ate with tuna and pepperoni.. trying to snack on things other than sugar!
While I was eating 3 slack packers came in, Pipen, Whatever, and Papa Bear. They left Hot Springs that morning also and had someone meet them at Allen Gap, 15 miles in, with their packs, then planned on hiking 5 miles further to Little Laurel Shelter.
I stopped at a Mom and Pop store at Allen Gap for a chocolate milk and ice cream cone. On my walk back to the trail I almost stepped on a 5+ foot long rat snake on the side of the trail. I was jumpy the rest of the hike.
Wednesday I got moving at 6AM and on the trail by 6:40, ready to get in my new longest day of 22.8 miles. It was warm enough that I left camp in shorts and a t-shirt - I knew it was going to get hot. The day started with a climb and rock scramble to Big Butt Mountain (hehe). I felt sluggish and it kept getting hotter, with no clouds in the sky. The forest floor was lush green with grasses and wild flowers but the trees still didn't have any leaves. The bad thing about being first on the trail in the morning is having to break all the cobwebs. I walk through them until they eventually cover my arms, legs, and face and then fight to remove them like thin wisps of hair. I know it's too early to complain about bugs but the gnats are already biting, making it difficult to even stop for breaks. All day long I hear chipmunks running around the forest, fighting or mating or both..they can make a lot of noise for such small animals, they sometimes make me believe something bigger is stomping around in the woods.
I only stayed about 15 minutes so I could get to the shelter still another 7 miles away. Those last miles were mostly uphill and I could feel the heat and fatigue from the day. I got into camp at Hogback Ridge Shelter (AT mile 316.9) around 5:30 and quickly set up camp, there were tons of tents already set up and the water was at least 1/4 mile away. After dinner the large loud hiker bubble I had seen at the Trail Magic marched in, making a water stop. One of the trail angels from Devil's Fork Gap agreed to slack pack all of them to Sam's Gap, 2.5 miles past the shelter, so thankfully they weren't staying. Two former thru hikers hiked into the shelter and offered everyone there beers - first trail magic delivery!
Thursday morning I woke up 5:30AM so I could watch the sunrise over High Rock, less than a mile away. Beautiful sunrise, but rather disorienting to watch the sun come up on the left side of the trail. The AT doesn't always go north, it winds east and west and even south. I kept having to check my trail guide to make sure I was still heading in the right direction.
When I got to Sam's Gap, 2.4 miles into the day, I found Speedy there, who I had only seen briefly in Hot Springs on Sunday and previously not since day 2 in the Smokies. He decided he would hike to Uncle Johnny's with me, about 24.5 miles further. We got to Bald Mountain at around 10AM, 9 miles into the day. Beautiful views, clear blue sky.
I heard about active bears nearby, one that (temporarily) stole a hikers pack. The rest of the day was mostly downhill. I stopped for lunch at 12:45 with 11 miles left to hike. My feet were aching..I had only taken 3 doses of ibuprofen (Vitamin I, as the hikers call it) since I started the trail, all in the first week. I decided to take some, fearing that the afternoons miles would otherwise be miserable. It did the trick and the miles started flying by again. I got to the next shelter, 20.7 miles into the day, at 2:50 and decided I was going to do my best to get to Uncle Johnny's Hostel (AT mile 343.8) before 6PM, thinking that's when the free shuttle into town left. I raced down the mountain, completing the 6.3 miles by 5:10PM, for a total of 26.9 miles for the day. The shuttle had already left, but I was still able to order a pizza, eat some ice cream, and take a nice hot shower. I got in 26.9 miles today, and hoped my legs would work for the 13 miles of climbing the next day!
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