Appalachian Trail Day 25 - Standing Bear Farm to Roaring Fork Shelter & Max Patch! (Mile 241.8 - Mile 257.3)

 I loved my stay at Standing Bear Farm.  I have to admit, there were some bad reviews on the Far Out app (fyi the app is the best way to navigate the trail), and we had some misgivings about staying there, with some reports of wild kids running about and loud, noisy party types.  Yes, there are children living on the farm, but they played like any children fortunate enough to live in the country, and they were well behaved and polite when interacting with the guests.  There was the normal amount of noise, which by Appalachian Trail standards, isn't a lot.  Everyone in our area was asleep by 9:30 at the latest.  

I wake and break down camp and head over to the kitchen area to sit near a smoldering fire.  I perch on a cut log and chat with other hikers.  There are a lot (maybe 25) people, with five or six sitting around the fire, some hikers clearing out of the bunkhouse, and others making coffee and breakfast in the kitchen cabin.  I go to the house to settle up my bill, which isn't much because I only had to pay for a campsite and two beers.  

This is our last full day on the trail for this section, and I'm stretching it out as long as possible.  This experience has been amazing, and the thought of leaving for a while is bittersweet. I am excited to go home and see my family.  I miss my bed.  I would say I miss creature comforts like daily showers and a never-ending supply of clean clothes, but I can live without them.  Living out here teaches one the difference between needs and wants.  A backpacking, nomadic lifestyle is the bottom rung of Maslow's Hierarchy.  We have hiked 18 days straight without a break longer than a few hours. 

We have reached another milestone of our journey.  Today I am thrilled to be moving on to the next section of the Appalachian Trail guide on the Far Out App!  I'm sure most people would be like "so what?," but to me it's another psychological accomplishment.  The trail is so long that the app is split into sections.  I purchased the entire trail at once for a discounted rate, and download the section I am currently hiking so I can access the information when I don't have cell service.  I am now on the "Northern TN & NC" section (232 miles), and can delete the "Georgia thru Great Smoky Mountain National Park" section (242 miles).  This may seem like like celebrating the minutiae, but it's wonderful to see progress!

 

We head up the trail around 9 am.  This is going to be one hell of a climbing day.  Straight out of the gate, we have a 2600' climb this morning, but at least it's over five miles.  Thankfully, the day is warm but not uncomfortable, and lots of clouds are moving overhead, shielding me from the hot sun. 

GG and I frequently hike alone during the day and tend to meet up when whomever is in the lead (usually GG) decides to stop, whether it's at a snack break, or a special view, or at lunch.  I tend to lag behind because I love to identify plants along the route. I have several plant identification books downloaded to my phone, and they are a little challenging to flip through on a small device.   

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)

I get to the top of Snowbird peak around lunchtime.  The peak, like so many in the Smokies, is a bald, without any trees.  The trail crosses a gravel forest road and I get a glimpse of a really strange looking satellite dish surrounded by a fence and lots of "keep out" signs.  I stop to walk around the facility and continue on down the trail. 

The remainder of the day is rather uneventful.  I have hiked five miles, all uphill to this point, and now I have a 1500' descent over the next three miles to the next shelter, and another 10 miles until we stop for the night.  Thankfully, there are several beautiful views to be had today.

I get to the highlight of the day: a huge open bald named Max Patch, which is Appalachian Trail famous.  All day I have had my left foot in Tennessee and my right foot in North Carolina.  The mountain is known for it's amazing 360 -degree views, and thankfully the weather allows me to enjoy the spectacular views from the top. I would love to stay up here and watch the sunset. I bet it's amazing. While I am at the top, I get a text from GG saying she is heading down to the next shelter, so I guess I had better go as well.  At least I get to continue to enjoy some views on the hike down.  The trail is a combination horse trail and forest road, thick with ferns and moss covered birch.  

GG is set up at the shelter when I arrive.  I quickly set up and we are off to bed by 9 p.m.  Our last night on the trail for a while.  Good night!

Todays stats:  15 miles, 5200' elevation gain

Section stats:  178 miles, 46k elevation gain

Trail stats:  257 miles, 63k elevation gain