My Trails

4/19 – 15 miles
It was a long downhill hike into Fontana Dam. I stepped out onto the road leading to town at about 3:00 in the afternoon. There was some excitement in town because police cars were streaking up and down the road with their sirens screaming. We learned later that some young hiker had too much to drink and got in a fight with some people at a shelter near Fontana Dam. The people called the police and they came and arrested the drunk kid. He was later released and told not to go onto the Smokys. That would have been the end of it except the kid wouldn’t let it go. He started up the trail into the National Park threatening to use a knife on the people that called the police on him.

News like this travels fast through hikers on the trail and it wasn’t long before the Park police and sheriff’s crew – with help from several tips by thru-hikers – captured him and took him into custody. Now he’s really in trouble. Now he has federal charges against him.

Incidents like this are rare on the trail, but it just goes to show that even on the AT you are not completely insulated from the bad side of human nature.

There are a few hikers dropping off the trail, and it always makes us sad when we hear of someone giving up. I met a young lady a couple of days before reaching Fontana Dam, and hiked off an on with her as we closed the distance to town. As we got to know each other I realized why I was so happy to hike with her – she reminded me of Karen, my soggy-shoe hiking companion. This hike was the first AT expedition without my daughter and I was missing her.

When I hiked out of Fontana Dam, I heard that my new friend could not go on. She had tented alone in the rain the night before, and come close to hypothermia. That, and equipment problems caused her to call her hike off.

This post is out of order. Sorry! 4/15/12 – 11 miles – The shuttle picked us up at the motel this morning and took us back to the trail. It took almost an hour by the time the elderly driver rounded up passengers at two motels and stopped at two gas stations to get twenty dollars of gas. The first station was closed and it took the driver several minutes to walk into the second store. He shuffled like the old man character that Tim Conway played. One of the hikers jumped out to pump gas or we would still be there.

The hiking was fairly easy most of the day. There was a lot of uphill to start but it was graded well. Once the trail reached the mountain ridges, we had views for miles in all directions. The weather has been great for views. We have been lucky so far.

After a particularly hard climb over 5000 feet, we came to a stone tower on top of Wayah Bald built by the CCC in 1938. It was used as a fire tower for years, and then in 1983, it was renovated into a tourist attraction. On one of the placues that outlined distant mountains, it showed Clingmans Dome in the Smokys 26 miles away. It will take us 80 miles to reach it by trail.

Tonight I am camped with two hikers my age. They are called Saturday (because she thinks every day on the trail is like Saturday) and Beatnik, a retired teacher.

I know, Wilson, it’s time for bed.

4/18/12 – 9.5 miles
It rained all night long, sometimes lightly and sometimes at a downpour. Rain spoils everything. I found out my tent has a hole in it someplace. I seam-sealed it before I left but there must be a small pinhole someplace. The inside of my tent is wet along with part of my sleeping bag. I’m thinking about getting a new tent and sending this one home.

I hiked all day with a water laden pack and off and on rain prevented me from getting anything dry, so tonight I am staying in a shelter. I told everyone that I snore and they don’t seem to care. They may not be so forgiving in the morning.

Tomorrow I will hike 13 miles to Fontana Dam and the entry point to the Great Smoky Mountain NP. I may take a day off before I start the park. I need a little rest.

4/17/12. 7 miles-
The NOC is quite a complex. There are cabins, restaurants, stores, an outfitter, and kayak rentals. I took a shower and washed my clothes, picked up supplies, and had a half-pound cheesburger, then headed out of town. Hikers refer to places like these as blackholes. Once you get in them, you have a hard time getting out.

The climb out of the NOC was really hard. You start out at 1300 feet and climb to over 5000 in six miles. It’s one of those mountain that have several false tops. Every time you think you’ve reached the top, just out of site is more mountain, and then at the top of that is more mountain, until at last you come to what your sure is the top, but no, there is still more to climb.

I spent the night camped by a lofty shelter made for 14 people, but tonight because of rain packed with about 18. I am tenting and hope to stay dry.