Enter Virginia

Greeting from Damascus, VA once again!

Kris and I arrived to the trail town again Monday.  This time hiking in on the trail that runs right through someone's backyard and through the middle of town, making our first stop for ice cream extremely convenient.  The small town with a population of about 1,100 has just enough for a hiker to reload on food and fuel and get cleaned up for another stint out in the woods.  And surprisingly, one of the best coffee houses I have seen in a while... even before hitting the trail.  Mojoe's coffee house knows their espresso drinks and makes a mean blueberry pancake.

While we were sitting in the shop, taking full advantage of some wifi and an overload of caffeine, some fellow lady hikers came in to get a smoothie and I happened to over hear their conversation.  The ladies, Dr. Cheryl Hanly and Shenna Shotwell are hiking for a cause.  Their cause is titled "Tell Bullying to Take a Hike; Forge the trail of equality, love and acceptance" and their goal is to spread awareness about the impacts and dangers of bullying, especially among children and teenagers.  They want to help reduce the rate of suicide and are hiking over 2,000 miles to make it happen in their own way.  Their cause hit very close to home for both Kris and I due to recent happenings.  If you are interested in checking out their website follow the link: Learning to Live OUT Loud

As we crossed the state line into Virginia, Kris warned me of the "Virginia Blues".  What I did not fully realize before now was that we will be in Virginia for 500  miles of the hike.  Many people get discouraged and feel as though they are not making any progress because they spend so much time in the state.  However, this state, being almost 1/4 of the trail, will offer many different experiences and excitements   First up will be the Grayson Highlands State Park.  This is the portion of the trail famous for the wild ponies.  We should be passing through the park in about three days.  So, one step at a time, we will make it through Virginia.

The last week of hiking gave a wonderful view of Laurel Fork Falls and relatively mild terrain.  The falls were  large and powerful enough to push off mist  up the rocky trail.  The terrain was nice enough to allow us to make a 14 mile day, our highest yet.  Not much compared to other hikers, but progress none the less.  We also found several Pink Lady Slipper flowers along the trail, which are uncommon to find.

I have finally purchased my first non-resident fishing license of the trail.  As we will be in this state for a considerable amount of time, the logical choice was to buy a license and collapsible fishing pole.  I should be receiving my 4'5", five piece, 1.5 pound Daiwa spin reel and rod (and case) in about a week and I could not be more excited to get a line in the water and some fresh trout in my belly.

Kris and I have replaced the MSR whisperlite cooking system we have been using with a Jetboil.  This will allow us to boil water in less than three minutes, making fuel last longer and food ready sooner.  We are excited because this means that it would be feasible to cook hot food for lunch and we were able to find the French Press piece to fit the pot!  Yay!

So, those super fancy and crazy expensive Salewa boots that have been destroying my feet and morale for much of the trip are now on their way home.  My dad boxed up and mailed my old Columbia boots that I used for work before coming out here.  When I opened the box there was still sand in the material and soles :).  I have replaced the insoles with "Super feet" insoles for a high arch and am excited to see how these work.  They are already more comfortable and lighter, but we will see how they function with a full pack and climbing mountains.

Kris has replaced his winter sleeping bag for a lighter 50 degree bag, I have a fresh supply of music including the new Daft Punk album, and we have a full supply of Vitamin I (ibuprofin).  One more stop at the post office and we are Northbound again.  We should be passing through Marion, VA in about 6 or 7 days.  Until then, thanks for reading and talk to you all soon!

Great Smoky Mountains

The portion of the AT which runs through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is tough. 
We hiked in from the "Fontana Hilton" on 5/8/13.  The hike was approximately 11 miles including hiking across the dam with a wonderful view of the lake and the mountains we were just about to climb.  A brief rain shower during the walk across the dam welcomed us to the Smoky Mountains.  In the time it took to walk across the dam, the shower cleared and just enough sun was able to cause some "smoke" to rise off the hillsides.  After about a mile we found the AT thru-hiker permit deposit box at the trail head. This is the first year that the National Park is requiring thru hikers to buy a $20 permit before entering the park.   It is also the only segment of the trail that hikers must pay to pass through.   The fine is $125 and I haven't heard of anyone being hassled yet, but we shall see.  Entering the park is a climb that took most of the afternoon.  It was long, but nothing too difficult. 

Two days aftr hiking into the park,  I found out that my very dear friends little sister had passed.  Sarah and I have been best friend's since we met in 5th grade and she introduced Kris and I in 7th grade.  It was the first sunny day in about a week when Kris and I stopped for lunch and got the message.  We could not get any calls in or out for 2 days afterward.  This was the first time I wanted to leave the trail.  It was so tough knowing where I needed to be but not being able to get there.  My heart hurt so bad for Sarah and her parents, Tina and John.  Alea Crider was a beautiful 19 year old girl that loved to laugh.  It has been incredibly hard and I can't imagine the pain her family is going through.  Please say a prayer for them. 

We have passed through the Smokys now.   It was tough but beautiful none the less.  Rocky Top Mountain was a breathtaking and stunning view that I hope to visit again some day. 

Appalachian Trail Days, Damascus VA

Since starting the trail in April, the talk around the camp fire has been about making it to Damascus,  VA in time for Trail Days.  Now that the weekend has come and gone, I doubt that the topic of conversation  will stray far from Trail Days. 
The AT runs directly through the center of this town and every year they invite hikers to come in and enjoy some hospitality. 
Tents are everywhere from private lawns, to the outfield of the ball field, and on private lots along the river. 
Some of the Lollygagger clan found them selves camped in Sherwood Forest.  Norush found us and invited us in.  Along the river on private property, we were just outside of tent city but far enough away from the Riff-raff crew.  Sherwood forest was the only camp community with a "grotto", a pool set up in the creek with a fire pit in the middle of the pool and a hammock over the creek.
Vendors set up within tent city had no intentions of selling products.  Their main mission was to make any necessary repairs to equipment, or in many cases, just replace and upgrade.  Hiking poles were cleaned, fixed, and replaced.  Nobody and Toka had their tent repaired from where Sawdust decided to run through it. 
The First Baptist Church gave free medical screeings including skin cancer screenings and foot exams and treatment.  Even the doggy doctor was there to give the hiking pups a check up. 
Saturday,  everyone gathered for the annual hiker parade.  Unsurprisingly, AT hikers past and present get together and walk.  The parade goes through town as a sea of happy and refreshed (some rowdy) peace lovers.  It was a shock when shouts, screams, and thuds began spreading quickly from very close to the end of the parade and very near behind us.  A car drove into the crowd of parade hikers, hitting several people and trapping one under the vehicle.  Supposedly the driver was elderly and a medical condition caused the accident.  We found out later that night that everyone involved was stable which was a huge relief for all of the hikers. 
Fires were everywhere,  so it wasn't hard to find a group of people to just stand and watch the fire with.  As the evening progressed, the people and drums got louder.  We had heard that there was a drum circle but it wasn't long before we could hear it.  We followed the sound to the other side of tent city where the mood changed and the temperature was muchgreater than just a few yards away.  We made our way through the crowd and immediately found ourselves in a circle of intranced hikers dancing a circle and chanting around a giant fire.  No one poked this furnace, just threw more logs on it.  Something tribal happened dancing in the mud and being roasted by the fire. Everyone has their own motives and personal opinions but around that ring, everyone was there for the same reason, to celebrate.
The next day things started to break down.  Hikers drug themselves back to where they were before the celebration.   Some stayed to recover and some just hit the trail from Damascus.  Waiting on our ride, we stayed Sunday night through even more rain.  Monday morning, sleeping like a champ, I woke up on a water bed.  Water had collected under the tent and lucky did not leak through.  Everything was wet, soggy, and muddy.  What an excellent excuse to go to a hotel in Abington to clean up and dry off...and see Star Trek!  Norush managed to get us a ride with Rush Hour and his girl friend Tara.  It was a great night with great people.... and popcorn and dry clothes... it's the little things. 
Before we left Damascus,  we sadly had to say good-bye to Nobody and Toka and the three best hiking dogs on the trail, Sawdust, Ghost, and Mustard.  They were headed back to Knoxsville for the summer concert season including Reggae Fest and Bonaroo.  It was sad to see them go.  They were excellent hiking buddies and great friends.  I'm going to be super jealous when they are listening to The XX live and we are eating Ramen noodles.   I have a feeling we will see them again soon though.  
Well, now we are waiting for a shuttle to take us back south to finally get back on the trail.  It will be tough after being off for so long, but I cannot wait to get out of town!  We will be going back in at Hampton, TN near Laurel Fork Falls and should be passing back through Damascus in about 6 days.  Check ya later!

Photos below include the entrance to the Trail Days event with Sawdust and the other pups seeing the doctor.  Kris and I with brand new beanies hand stitched by ladies for over 900 hikers.  And just hanging around Camp Mellow with the crew.  Good times and great people. 

Max Patch

Max Patch is one the biggest highlights for hikers on the trail.  It is a bald mountain with a complete 360 view of the mountains around.   We were blessed with a beautiful day and amazing sunset.  It is so hard to pick a picture to post because thy are all so good.  We caught up with Laura and Caterpillar up there as well as hiked up to the top with Mohawk,  so it was a great crew to enjoy the sunset with.  The night was a beautiful clear night so Kris was able to get some spectacular shots of the stars.  Sorry y'all can't see them yet.  
Sadly,  the bald is having to be renourished since four wheelers left the road and trail and rutted up the hill face a few months back.  It is a shame that people choose to ignore and disrespect such beauty, but the mountain will heal and we will learn from their mistakes.

Hiker Trash invade Damascus, VA

Any one who hikes often, reads backpacker magazine, or has been on the trail this season knows that Appalachian Trail Days is the party to attend.  This is a festival hosted by the city of Damascus, VA that welcomes hikers and vendors to enjoy the outdoors and adventure stories for an entire weekend.  Vendoirs set up as well as tenters throughout the town.  An area known as "tent city" is set up as a base camp, and a vendor area is set up downtown.  Weary hikers can set up and then explore to find hair cuts, medical exams, foot exams, even pet exams, free food, sales of the season, and lots of giveaways. 
So, finally, we have arrived... and so has the rain.  The rain will not rain on our parade.  Well, literally it might, but we will enjoy walking in this rain as long as it isn't cold and we can dry out afterwards. 

The Great Smoky Mountains have been an adventure.  And Gatlinburg was truely a tourist trap!  As all hikers have said, and many have ignored... hikers; do not enter Gatlinburg.  The chances that you will never leave, or leave broke are extremly high. 

But now that we have a weekend with some signal and places to charge our phones, multiple updates are soon to appear.  Stay tuned!  But for now, I am going to snag some free food and maybe some free booty.

A minor bump in the road

   We left the Nantahala Outdoor Center on Thursday.  It was a six mile climb that never seemed to end.  Evey time you came around a corner there was another hill to climb.  The spot known as the Jump Up is a rock outcrop with an incredible view, but is still not the end of the climb.  This climb was a true test of ones use of momentum.  Stopping to catch ones breath or readjust a pack strap, only makes the next three steps that much harder and more painful to get moving.  If that is what getting old feels like, no thank you. 
   That night wasn't much easier.  The Sassafras Gap shelter did not really have any good spots for a tent so we slept on a slope with the wind coming straight up the hillside and under the rain fly.  What's better is that Kris and I both got a bit of a head and chest cold.  Needless to say, the next day hiking was a bit tough and unfavourable weather was on its way in so we decided that a day off the trail was in order. 
   Donna from Cabin in the Woods picked us up at Stecoah Gap.  Her loft cabin was cozy, dry, and affordable.   It gave us a chance to recoup. She even gave us a ride into town to get some juice and cold medicine.   The weather only got worse while we were there, and with poor sleep because of the colds we stayed a couple of nights. 
Monday we had to get to Fontana Dam to pick up our packages that Momma Jane sent for us.  Our ride up there was a little later than we had hoped but we got to the Fontana Village and kind of fell in love with the place.  It is gorgeous.  The lodge gives awesome views of the smokeys.  The campus is huge.  There are rooms and cabins all different sizes.  Multiple swimming pools and playgrounds.  Hill billy putt putt and a full disc golf course.  Not to mention tons of hiking and outdoor recreation.  Since it was too late to get to the trail and we still had stuff to do, we decided to stay.  They gave us the thru-hiker rate, which was the deal of the century for this place. 
   The restaurant was a little pricey but man, did we eat.  2 appetizers,  2 entrees,  dessert, and drinks.  That food never stood a chance. 
So today we enter the Smokeys.  It will be a little while before I can update again.  Bringing up the rear for the Lollygaggers, we may see some of them again at Trail Days in Damascus.  We are planning on a mail drop in Gatlinburg, which unfortunately means we have to go into the tourist town, but I have been challenged in a hot sauce challenge, and the challenge has been accepted.  I just have to hike the 45 miles from the Dam to the road access to get there. 
   Check back in in about a week.  From Fontana Dam, the Great Smokey Mountain National Park Clingman Dome Lookout, and the Pepper Palace Nasal Napalm Challenge, there will be pictures. 

Photos below of wild flowers, a sweet rock outcrop from the climb out of the NOC, the view from the Fontana Lodge restaurant,  and a photo of Momma Jane at a waterfall on the AT during her visit. 

Wild flowers

One mile took me almost an hour today.  The wildflower explosion was almost over night. 
This is just a couple of my favorites so far :-)

Until next time!

Happy hikers

The Nantahala Cener gives hikers a chance for clean faces and full bellies. 
Ring Master
Kitty
Springbok
Iris
Mohawk

Photos

Cookeh climbing Siler Bald

Lollygaggers at the top of Siler Bald elev. 5,216

Trail magic

After a long and hard climb we found some trail magic.  Sandwiches and cold soda.  Even somewhere to wash our hands!  The trail angel was Kicho.

Nantahala National Forest

Nantahala National Forest is beautiful forest that the trail runs through from outside of Franklin NC, until reaching the boundary of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.  The Nantahala Outdoor Center is a great outdoor center outside of Bryson City.  The trail runs right through the park and gives a hungry hiker a chance for a burger and some clean laundry.  This place is a mecca for kayakers and rafters.
We entered the National Forest about a week ago (what day is it?).  We took a zero day in Franklin, NC because Momma Jane came to visit and bring us and a couple of the Lollygaggers some good home cooked food and homemade pecan pie. 
When we got back on the trail on Saturday, it was a rainy morning.  Mom dropped us off at Winding Stair Gap and walked about 0.1 miles on the trail to see the waterfall that the guide book said was there.  This just gave her a chance to see some white blazes and just a taste of the beauty and wildflowers.   It was really great to see her but we were ready to get back to it.  Then the rain really set in, the temperature dropped, and the flash flood warning came in.  So we got to a shelter at Siler Bald and claimed a spot in the shelter.  And it rained.  For 36 hours.  Those who were in their tents were damp or wet.  Those who were in the shelter were sardines.  And everyone was damp and cold.  Everyone that came in on Saturday stayed and took a zero day on Sunday because of the conditions.  Monday morning, the forecast was iffy so some of the Lollygaggers headed back to Franklin to dry out and jump ahead to Gatlinburg.  The others (ourselves included) pushed forward to the NOC and then to Fontana Dam. 
The three days since the deluge have been beautiful.  Every day I notice new wild flowers.  The forest is so green with new Spring growth.  The trail has taken us past water falls and springs with water flowing right out of the rock, so delicious and clear, we can't tell what has been filtered and what hasn't. I have lost track of all of the views of the landscape. 
It's difficult to walk and look at all of the beauty at the same time.  Shoot, sometimes  its just hard to figure out where to step, let alone figuring out what kind of bird you hear singing.  The descent into the NOC took almost a whole day and just about blew my knee out.  We were supposed to head back out today but it is a 7 mile ascent before the first shelter and after that burget, I'm just not sure that's gonna happen. 
So now, as I wait on the laundry to finish and drink this awesome soda, I think a beer and a nap by the river are in order before we try to find a campsite near by. 
We should be at Fontana Dam Friday or Saturday and then into the Smokeys!  I will try to post more and some photos later.