Appalachian Trail Day 34 - Iron Mountain Gap to Indian Grave Gap in reverse (Mile 365 to Mile 353)

I didn't sleep well last night.  Not because I was uncomfortable.  On the other hand, I was snug in my hammock, even with the chilly temperatures, and had probably one of the most comfortable nights ever on the trail.  However, I kept waking, unable to sleep because repeatedly I thought I heard something and thought it was the bear.  I swear I saw some movement, although in the light of the day I think I was just having a very realistic dream. I even got up a couple of times to shine my light into the shadows next to the road, careful not to shine my light onto tents so as not to bug anyone.   

We are up before dawn and packed up and ready on the porch by 7:30 am.  We talk to other hikers, and a man gives out metal stamped pack tags with the AT logo on them.  GG, Kodiak, and I all get one.  Steve is picking us up to drive us to Iron Mountain Gap.  GG and I will slackpack southbound about 12 miles back to Indian Grave Gap while Kodiak will remain and continue to rest her leg. Steve will pick us up at Indian Grave so we can return one more night here.  

Appalachian Trail Day 33 - Uncle Johnny's Hostel to Indian Grave Gap in Reverse - Slackpack back! (Mile 353 to Mile 344)

We are up with the sunrise this morning.  I slept without my under quilt, hoping I could ship it home, but I was too cold without it.  I need to pare down my pack weight.  Maybe I should just go back to ground in a bivy and tarp.  But I love the comfort of my hammock!  I should play around with other options on another camping trip. 

We wait to be picked up by G-Man at 8:30 am.  We hang out on the front porch and talk to some hikers. Everyone is shocked to hear about the bear in the middle of the hostel last night.  Some people refuse to believe it happened!  They think the hikers saw a raccoon or a dog, however, those who saw were absolutely certain it was a bear. We do some stretches while we were waiting, and Kodiak took a picture of us goofing off. Don't worry, there are shorts under our skirts!

Appalachian Trail Day 32 - Whistling Gap Campsite to Uncle Johnny's Hostel, Erwin, TN - Bear encounter in camp! (mile 331 to mile 344)

This morning is a repeat of every morning on the trail: chilly in the late 40's and overcast.  No rain is in the forecast, so maybe this is a representation of the microclimate of temperate ridge in Southern Appalachia. 

Tang is the first one out of camp. She packed up so fast and does an amazing amount of stretching before I even got out of my hammock. I see her depart, and decide to settle back into my pile of down fluffiness for a little while longer.

GG took down the bear bags while I pack.  Since I don't eat breakfast in camp, I am actually the second one on the trail at 7 am!  I keep hoping that if I get out in front, I will see a bear!  They tend to be nocturnal when it gets warmer, and bed down during the heat of the day.  So far no luck.  I need to clarify that while I want to see bears in their natural habitat, I would like to do so very safely! No angry mommas protecting their cubs, and at an appropriate distance, please. 

GG taking down her tent at Whistling Gap

Appalachian Trail Day 31 - Sams Gap to Whistling Gap - A Perfect Day to Hike (Mile 320 - Mile 331.1)

 We had a lovely night's sleep and wake refreshed. We have an hour to brush our teeth, pack our bags, eat breakfast, and be ready for Steve to pick us up. One of my favorite things about staying in a hostel is fresh hot coffee. I sip on the coffee in between stuffing my gear into my pack.  We have a few minutes to spare, so we weigh our packs on a pack scale on the porch of the bathhouse. GG's is 35 pounds! She doesn't look so happy.

Appalachian Trail Day 30 - Flint Mountain Shelter to Sam's Gap - Nature's Inn Hostel (Mile 308.8- Mile 320)

The rain stopped last night, but the waterlogged trees overhead drip water constantly onto the understory below.  I wake and take out my earplugs, enjoying the plop-plop of water droplets onto my tarp.  I slept exceptionally well, considering I usually need a couple of days to adjust back to sleeping outside.  

GG and Kodiak look less than well-rested, however.  Apparently, my decision to scoot out of the shelter last night was fortuitous.  While we eat breakfast and filter water, GG tells me about the chaos that erupted last night around 9 pm, when I was already in dreamland.  

Appalachian Trail Day 29 - Jerry's Cabin Shelter to Flint Mountain Shelter (Mile 302 to 308.8)

 We wake up and have breakfast at the shelter.  GG and I are packed, and Kodiak is almost packed.  We chat for a little while and discuss our options for today.  The next shelter is only 6.8 miles, but the one after that is nine miles after.  We definitely aren't ready to hike 16 miles, and we aren't comfortable with camping away from shelters just yet, so we elect to head to the next shelter.  Moreover, heavy rain is in the forecast for tonight, so we can get to the shelter early enough to ensure a spot undercover. 

GG and I head out before Kodiak.  I'm sure she will pass me shortly, especially since I can dawdle to my heart's content in the woods today with such a short hike!  GG, on the other hand, will put her head down and hustle through the woods.  She tends to take frequent food and bathroom breaks however, and that's when I usually catch up to her. 

The woods are hazy with humidity, and little sunlight makes its way through the canopy to the forest floor.  At least we won't have to worry about applying sunscreen today. 

Our hike takes us over Big Butt peak; a rocky promontory purported to have great views, but unfortunately there are no views to be had.  We continue to a blue-blazed trail to a small cemetery called Shelton Graves, where two union soldiers were killed when they tried to visit their confederate family members during the Civil War. 

Chicken of the woods mushrooms

I have been hiking for a couple of hours and stop near a spring to filter water and take a leisurely snack break.  I am sitting on the side of the trail on a rock, looking up plants in an identification guide and munching on a Luna bar when Kodiak rolls in hot up the trail.  She excitedly tells me she just looked at the weather map on her phone and there is a wall of red and yellow on the radar coming right at us.  I jump up and stuff my food bag and sit pad into my pack and take off after her.  

I certainly don't mind hiking in the rain, but it would be a shame to get drenched when we are so close to the shelter. For the next mile we are short of all out running down the trail, which is thankfully relatively level to downhill the entire way to the shelter.  After a mile, I turn my phone off airplane mode and see the rain is almost upon us, but the heavier rain is holding off. I slow down a little and arrive at the shelter to see Kodiak and GG spreading out their gear.  

I spend the next hour filtering water and eating dinner, then set up my sleeping area in the shelter.  I thought I was done with sleeping in shelters once we left the Smokies, but if there is plenty of room, I am amenable, especially if the weather turns bad, which it certainly will do at any moment.  

We look over the map and see the next big road is Sam's Gap, only 13 miles away.  We sent resupply boxes to ourselves care of Nature's Inn, a popular hostel only a couple miles from the gap.  Kodiak needs to go south to North Asheville to do a grocery resupply and plans on spending the night there.  We call Steve and arrange a pick up from the gap tomorrow afternoon.  

Some more hikers start coming into the shelter area to hunker down for the night.  One hiker, then two, then three more.  They are all section hiking together and meeting some more friends at the shelter tonight.  While they are not all sleeping in the shelter, there isn't any dispersed camping sites, so soon the area immediately surrounding the shelter fills with several tents.  It's only 5 pm and I can see the shelter is going to fill up tonight, so I make a decision to abandon my spot in the sardine can and set up my tarp and hammock beside the shelter.  I think I will sleep better.

The view from under my tarp, in my hammock

The rain starts coming down in buckets right after I get set up, and I say good night early and tuck in to my hammock so I can read.  I go to bed to the pitter-pat of raindrops on my tarp.

Todays Miles: A whopping 6.8!  only 1100' Ascent

Trip Stats: 34 miles, 8800' elevation gain

Trail Stats: 309 miles, 75k (yes, seventy-five THOUSAND feet) of climb!

Appalachian Trail Day 28 - Allen Gap to Jerry's Cabin Shelter - Bear Hang gone wrong (Mile 290 - 302)

We are up at daybreak, packing quickly and sitting outside eating our breakfast when Kodiak joins us.  She has received a text from our shuttle driver that they won't be able to shuttle the three of us together, so she will have to pay full fare with another driver.  I'm not going to name names, but this is the same shuttle driver who originally agreed to pick us up in Damascus on Sunday but ghosted me up until he texted me to say he couldn't do it.  I was in a panic last week and scrambling to find us another ride to Hot Springs.  Thank goodness Steve was available.  I tell Kodiak this story and we all decide that after today we are done with this particular shuttle service.  Steve was going to be our go to shuttle if we need anyone for the next hundred or so miles.