The Birds were either showing what they though of me or trying to protect me from the bears.

 (revised)

MONDAY 5/23 Newport TN

The next day I was just milling around and talking to the other hikers.  I ended up in the kitchen area having a “hen” session.  One of the guys that does work around the place mentions having to go into Newport for some supplies.  I caught a ride.

When I loaded up my gear, I realized I didn’t have my water bottles.  Then I realized I hadn’t retrieved them from the shuttle with the trail angel yesterday.  Of all the things to forget, that ain’t one of them.

I got dropped at Wal-Mart in Newport and they were kind enough to allow me to store my pack in a buggy at what used to be the curbside pickup storage area.  

During my shopping spree I got a watch to connect to my pack since one on my wrist tends to bug the bejesus out of me.  At first when I was looking over the watch selection I was getting worried since the cheapest was nearly $30 but then I happen to spy the rack that had the watches in my price range: Cheep.

I also found another drybag of sorts; but a little heavy.  I am going to use it to put my warmer gear in and hang it off the back of my pack.

Then I went into the grocery section and went hog wild again.

I still had supplies left over from the Smoky but I bought like I was totally out again.

I picked up some Ranch wings and a Dr. Pepper to eat now and I decided to try my luck on Uber.

I got picked up.

Can you believe it?!?

I held my breath until the driver entered the Wal-Mart parking lot. ( He did not! He was too busy scarfing down those wings and Dr. Pepper).  

The ride was short, about 4 miles, and I was dropped off at the Econolodge that is located next to a Love’s Truck Stop.  I recognized that the hotel used to be a Hampton Inn.  I got checked in and I ain’t never been in an Econolodge with a room this comfy.  The vanity in the bathroom was pure Hilton.  I got a GREAT deal.

A quick trip to the Love’s that had a Chester’s Fried Chicken to get a Chicken gizzards and livers order then I spent the evening getting scrubbed down and relaxing while going over my pack and supplies.  

I quickly realized that I had way too much food.

One day I’m a gonna learn.

The next day I basically relaxed and then after lunch I strolled over to the other side of the interstate to the Dollar General (like he needed more stuff).

I picked up some Aleve, drink mix, granola pars and the last pack of spam singles.  As popular as those singles seem to be I can’t understand why these stores don’t keep more on hand.

On the way back I stopped across the street from the hotel at a “sportsbar”.  Google had some good reviews about their burger.  It turned out to be a smoker's dive, but it had a DAMN good Cheeseburger and fries.  I washed it down with a PBR.

Now here’s the interesting part; when I tried to pay I was informed “no credit cards.”  Seems that I saw the usual barrage of credit card stickers on the door as I came in.  The barkeep pointed to an ATM machine.  I had to inform her that I had never set up my  cards for the ATM.   I had left my cash in my room and I told her I had cash in the room and could I leave some collateral and come back with the cash.  She only took my name down on my ticket and with a promise that I’ll be back I was allowed to go.

As I left I looked at the door again and sur’nuff; the stickers were there.

I returned within an hour with the money.  The barkeep saw me and had a look of relief on her face.  I know she would have had to pay my tab  if I hadn’t shown back up but after trusting me I wasn’t about to stiff her.

The rest of the evening was repacking the pack and setting up a shuttle.

That pack was heavy; food heavy.

WEDNESDAY 5/25 Standing Bear Farm

My shuttle picked me up at 0715 in the morning.  I had been up since 0500 going over the pack and partaking of that succulent continental breakfast.

I had him drop me off at Davenport Gap so I could say that I had at least walked that section to Standing Bear Farm.  When we got to the gap and I was being dropped off where the trail angel picked me up on Sunday; there on a rock sat my two water bottles.  They were right where I had left them.

I had bought two more 1 ltr bottles of water and I filled up my old empty one and allowed the shuttle driver to dispose of the other. 

The shuttle driver wished me luck and then he was gone.

Soon I was on the trail again.

I made good time to Pigeon River and right before I crossed that bridge there was another shuttle driver picking up 4 hikers.  It was my Treker from Gatlinburg.  He recognized me and we exchanged pleasantries while those hikers were loading up their gear and then I continued on.  I crossed the river, crossed under I-40 and found the Tall Staircase to climb up to the trail. 

At the top I misstepped. 

I’m sure if someone had videoed me I would have been doing a spot on imitation of Martin Balsam in in Psycho falling backwards down the staircase minus a knife slash across the face. 

Luckily I caught the handrail. 

But not before my body tried some superhuman gyrations and growth spurts to keep me from rolling end over end down to the bottom of the stairs. 

Ouch!

Nothing that required EMS intervention but I did aggravate my left foot again plus adding a couple of other pains and soreness. I limped to Standing Bear Farm (only 0.9 miles) and will hold up here for a day or two to see if I’ll need higher medical intervention or if my powers of self healing are still intact.

But while convalescing I was going to eat up the extra food I had bought.

By Friday I felt confident enough to risk the trail again.

I was going to leave out early Saturday morning and so went to settle up my bill on Friday night.  Beside cash, which I don’t have an unlimited supply of, they take Venmo.  I had earlier downloaded the app and set it up, so I thought, and they walked me through it.

Payment Declined.

For the next hour it was Declined.

They told me about an ATM that was near and I told them my sob story about not being set up for them.  Apparently Venmo has a habit of not going through plus Standing Bear Farm’s WiFi was acting up.  I was allowed to go with a promise that I would try again when I got to Hot Spring.

SATURDAY 5/28 Groundhog Creek Shelter

I left standing Bear farm about 8 AM.  The trail was a steady climb to Snowbird Peak; a hike of 4.6 miles with a 2522 ft ascend.  I got there by 1330 and had my lunch.  Since I hadn’t dropped pack my back was hurting.  It felt good to have dropped it.  Snowbird Peak has an FAA antenna station there with a wooden fence surrounding it.  There was a grand view of the surrounding area. I walked around and took pictures then I took a nap; about a half an hour.  I was moving again by 1430.

The descend was easy going and I soon made Groundhog Creek Shelter by 1700.  There were three others already there.  Old Woman who claimed her pack weighed 46 lbs.  She spent the night before at SBF and was still there when I had left that morning.  She must have passed me on Snowbird while I napped.  A hiker I had met on the trail named Llama  and then Yukon Jack.  Yukon was the type that claimed he had hiked trails all over the world and single hand fought bears on every one of them.  He also was able to travel about 30 miles a day, in the snow, uphill both ways.

But we had a peaceful night

AT 248.7 - 1944 to go 2828 elev. 

SUNDAY 5/29 Roaring Fork Shelter

I was on the  trail by 09:30.  I had my first break at Rube Rock Trail around 1150.  The next half mile was a descent to Brown Gap Springs which was a Trio of dirt roads.  Then the fun began: It was a steady climb up towards Cherry Creek Trail.  Then a leveling off until I made the Max Patch road.  A quick descent down a tunnel trail of rhododendron that started to rise again.  Then I came to a dirt road that led to the parking lot for Max Patch. From there it was nearly a 400 foot climb.  About half of it was stairs but these stair makers knew their craft.  They should hold a class for the other stair makers who seem so clueless.

Another great view on the top of Max Patch, a bald.  I soon started my descent.  As I left the meadow that crowned Max Patch I saw a box terrapin.  He looked at me like; “Take my pic and you owe me five bucks!”  I decline that photo opp.

The trail after the bald was again a tunnel of rhododendrons that kept the sun off and made it cool.  Soon I came to a spot that opened up to a meadow that was part of the meadow that covered Max Patch.  It was a beautiful view up.

(Yes, I’m as frustrated at this point about not being able to post pictures for ya’ll to see as ya’ll are about not having any pictures to see.)

At the Buckeye Ridge trail there was a bit of confusion on which way the AT ran.  I had to put on my glasses to spot the White Blaze a good way down the trail.

In a bit I came upon an abandoned road then in the next half a mile I was at Roaring Fork Shelter.  I arrived about 1900.

Old Woman was there.

AT 257  - 1936 to go

MONDAY 5/30 Memorial Day @ Catpen Gap

I was up and going by 08:30. I was able to hike until 10: before I had to drop pack to relieve my back. There was a stream here and so I filled up my water bottle. Ol' Wha-hoo-he passed me while I was filtering my water. I thought he had left Standing Bear before me.

Soon I was at Lemon Gap and looking at the steady climb up to Walnut Mountain. The trail up was covered in trees and since the leaves were coming out a view was getting far and few between. I made Walnut Mountain, which is a bald, and enjoyed the meadows as I walked across. These meadows on top of the balds tend to harbor rattlesnakes who likes the sun and the rodents that tends to live dangerously and wants to sunbathe. I kept an eye out.

On the otherside of the bald, just past the tree line is the "shelter". I must say, this is one of the worst shelters I've seen so far. A pavilion would serve better.

To say this place needs work is an understatement.  There are holes in the wall I could put my fist through.  In the picture on the left is one hole that some hiker tried to close up by putting an emergency blanket there.  A rat met me at the entrance and tried to act like a maî·tre d'hô·tel.  I told said rat that I wasn't interested in his accommodations.

On the other hand; the area around the shelter was very nice.  Lots of good campsites.  I didn't visit the water source but now the privy was another matter.  

That's it in all it's glory and no; the picture ain't tilted, the privy is.  The lack of a "door" is compensated by the privy's opening faces away from the shelter.  I bet there has never been a line waiting to use it, though.

Finally after lunch I got ready to leave and headed out to the left of the shelter.  I was going down hill and saw the turn off for the water.  I notice that the trail went into another meadow but this trail was overgrown.  The AT is very foot heavy and the trails tend to stay clear except for the occasional blowdowns, which needs a volunteer team to clear them.  I checked the map part of my Farout app and it showed me I was a 1/4 mile off trail.  I took the wrong trail again 

I retrace my steps back to the shelter and realize that the trail passed in front of the shelter then continued. That's why they got the white blazes.

There was a short descend into Kale Gap then the climb up to Catpen Gap.

Catpen was where I decided to stay.

There were a few campsites in the tree area but the Gap itself was just a meadow.  I didn't go into that area; I didn't want to temp the rattlesnakes.

After setting up my hammock I hiked up 1/4 of a mile to a stream to get water. Hiking is a lot easier without that pack on. I made my dinner then settled down for the night.  I was asleep by hiker's midnight with my sleeping bag over me. 

AT 263.3 - to go 1930

TUESDAY 5/31 Garenflo Gap 

A couple of times during the night I felt movement with my hammock. I would throw back the sleeping bag, switch on my headlamp and look around. Nothing ever seemed amissed.

It wasn't until the next morning that I realize what was going on.

When I awoke, I got up and started breakfast. While the water was heating I started packing. I notice that there was bird crap on the bag and the hammock. They must have been roosting in the tree above me. Luckily I had my bag over my head or I might have had to delay while I washed it off. This experience was a first for me but the mystery of last night was solved.

I got moving by 0800 and did the steady climb to Bluff Mountain that was a mile away. I crested by 0930. Quite a few large boulders on the summit with tree cover. It would have made a good campsite. After a rest of maybe 15 minutes I started again only to realize I was on the wrong train, again.

It was only about a 100 yrds this time and ended at another campsite. I retraced my steps and realized that I had taken a break right at the junction of this side trail to the AT. The side trail went straight and the AT bore off to the left. I need a keeper (he needs to remember to look around for them blasted blazes).

It was a steady decline from Bluff Mountain. About a mile down I dropped the pack to ease my back on a blowdown that was across the train. Later on I came upon a couple of caves just pass the junction of Big Rock Spring trail.

The first one looked like it had a bit of depth to it while the second one I could see what seemed like the back wall from the mouth.  But I decided that spelunking wasn't part of the itinerary today and kept going.  Maybe one day upon a return.  

About a mile out from Garenflo Gap I realize I had a signal and called the Happy Gnomad's Hiker House which was located just off the gap. They had no room. I inquired about a shuttle and their was busy. I was bound and determined to get the sleeping bag cleaned of the caca before I slept in it again. They was able to provide me with the number of a local shuttle driver.

I waited until I got to Garenflo Gap before I called. Here at the gap the trail intersected with a dirt road. There was a fire pit and a couple of camping spots. I had a signal still and was able to call the shuttle driver: Jason. We agreed on the price and the pickup point which wasn't going to be the gap. I would have to walk down the dirt road about 1/2 a mile to the paved part. Jason was aware of the dirt part being badly washed out and didn't want to take his vehicle across it.

I hiked down the road to the paved part and about 1/2 hour later Jason was there.

We loaded up and headed towards Hot Springs. The only route he had to take in this area was NC 209, which is known to most motorcycle enthusiast as the Rattler. Jason was a pro on that road; he took it like a bobsledder at the Olympic, bobbing left or right into the turn as needed. I just imagine I was on a ride at Six Flags.

We soon came into Hot Springs and I was dropped off at the "backdoor" to the Laughing Heart Hostel. Sultry was there to greet me. He took me around the the corner to his little desk and we talked turkey. I told him I wanted the cheapest he had with linen. He laughed at that. Soon he gave me the grand tour and I choose my bunkbed for the next three night.

Now to get that bird shit washed out.

AT 268.3 -1925  to go