Roan High Knob Shelter to Elk Park, NC AT Crossing (6/26/14; mile 391.8) -- Coming Off the Trail

 Sunrise from Roan Mountain.

 New needles forming on a spruce tree.

 I don't remember the name of this knob, but it had a pretty good view.

 Another view from the knob.  I like the lone tree juxtaposed against the mountainous and cloudy skyline.

 An old barn that was converted into a shelter for hikers.

 Another misty mountain view.

A plaque on the trail.

Yesterday's hike turned out to be a pretty painful hike.  I crossed onto a grassy knob just about the time it decided to start raining.  So, I spent the next 4 hours hiking in the rain.  I got soaked and everything I own got soaked.  It finally stopped raining and my jacket and shorts dried out--mostly (they are quick dry material).  My shoes and socks, on the other hand, well, let's just say I was still squishing in them when Jeff picked me up at the intersection of the AT and US 19.  We got to the camper and I took of my wet shoes, changed into dry clothes and took a very long hot shower.  It was much needed!  After the shower, Jeff cooked cheeseburgers and we had those with beer for dinner. They were so good, too!

By now you've noticed from the title that I'm coming off of the trail.  It was a long thought out decision that I finally made.  I was getting frustrated hiking because I didn't get to see anything.  To make it to Katahdin before the snow, I have to make a certain number of miles each day.  I'm on track with that schedule, but I never got to see anything.  I blew by overviews, Cade's Cove, Clingman's Dome, Blood Mountain, and many other historic sights and beautiful sights that I would like to have seen.  It started making me very frustrated.  Part of why I wanted to go on this trip was to explore and enjoy the nature around me.  Instead, it turned into something like my job in the Navy--get up early, get packed, eat quickly then head out.  There goes Cade's Cove--sorry, can't stop, gotta make the next milestone if I hope to get to Katahdin before the snow.  So, I have changed my mind about the thru hike and have decided that I'm going to section hike, instead.  I will still finish the AT, it will just take me longer to do it.  I anticipate doing a week to 10 days at a time, depending what is going on, and actually taking time to enjoy the things I see instead of passing them by in an all-out effort to make Katahdin before the snow.  It will take me a few years to finish it this way, but at least I'll actually see the trail instead of just blowing by everything and being upset with myself once I'm done.

If this comes as a disappointment to you, I'm sorry.  I want the trail to be something I enjoy and not an extension of work.  It's supposed to be enjoyable, but I turned it into a job.  By deciding to do it this way, I will be able to research each section of the trail, see the history that surrounds it and take the time to enjoy what I see.  I don't think that's too much to ask.  It keeps me from being frustrated with my hike and allows me to do what I set out to do--enjoy the AT.  On June 2, I penned this in my journal:

"Adventure isn't about going out and breaking new records, hiking the 'wild' of the AT in record time or kayaking the largest rapids in all the land. It's about going out and exploring the world and learning something new about it. You can have an adventure in a local park seeing the local flora and fauna, or at an amusement park, or even in your own back yard listening to the birds. The most important part of The Next Great Adventure is to learn something about yourself and grow from that experience. "

I realize now that what I was doing was the complete antithesis of this.  As Shakespeare said in Hamlet, "This above all: to thine own self be true...."

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send them to me.  I'll answer all of them I can.  Also, I will continue to chronicle The Next Great Adventure, whatever it may be at the time, including each of the section hikes I complete.

Cherry Gap Shelter to Roan High Knob Shelter (6/24/14; mile 376.0)

An orange salamander I saw on the trail today.

An interesting set of trees I saw today.

A 'Pooh with a view'! 

A mushroom growing on the side of a tree. The mushroom looks like a clam to me.

A fireplace, I guess from an old house, right on the trail. I'll have to look this one up.

My bear bag hanging for the night.

Today was a mostly unspectacular day. I saw a few things that were beautiful and interesting, but I really didn't have a lot of time to stop and observe or study or enjoy them. I had miles to make today, and more to make tomorrow. Fortunately, tomorrow sees me at the trail intersection that takes you to Elk Park, and Jeff is going to meet me there and I'm taking a zero day with him in his camper--YEAH! I'm definitely looking forward to it!

From the pictures, you can see the things I saw. I didn't add the panorama, so I'll add it here. This was from Little Rock Knob:

Again, there were a few spectacular things, I just didn't get a chance to enjoy them. I hiked 17 miles today and didn't meet a single other hiker until this evening as I was about to reach the summit of Roan Mountain. I met 2 sets of 2 hikers going the direction I had just come from. They were both going to camp for the night.  I pressed on to this shelter and I am, once again, the only person in the shelter. It's never fun to be the only person in a shelter, and it is really making me start to feel lonely--this is my third shelter in a row by myself.

Anyway, I'm going I read for a bit then go to sleep, wanna be up early!

Uncle Johnny's Hostel to Cherry Gap Shelter (6/23/14; mile 359.0)

A creek on the hike today

A panorama from Beauty Spot today.

Another panorama from Beauty Spot.

A tree and a hiker in the distance.

A wildflower ontje trail today.

As has become the norm of late, today's hike was mostly unspectacular. There was a great view from Beauty Spot, which I readily soaked up and took pictures of. But that was about it. When I got to the highest point on my hike today, there was a dense spruce forest there that, for some reason set my nerves on edge and freaked me out a little. I don't know why, either, but it did.

I started my hike today with Hope, Boulder and King Nickie. I was VERY grateful for the company! We carried on conversations and hiked and enjoyed ourselves. I had to split off from them, though, because they weren't hiking as far as I was today. It sucked because I enjoyed their company, but I definitely want to be in Elk Park on the afternoon/evening of 25 June! So, I'm making sure it is going to happen! I have a 17 mile day tomorrow followed by a 15.8 mile hike to the road intersection of the AT and the road to Elk Park! Jeff will be there to meet me and bring food. I am going to zero in the 26th with Jeff and we're just going to relax. I think my legs will greatly appreciate that!

Other than that, not too much to report tonight. Once again I'm in the shelter my myself, however there's a couple up the hill in a tent. If be happier if there were someone else here with me, but what do you do? 

Bald Mountain Shelter to Uncle Johnny's Hostel (6/22/14; mile 341.5)

The mist covering the woods as I hiked this morning. It didn't burn off until well after lunch. 

Rhododendron blooms.

A small waterfall on the trail.

Not exactly for sure what these are, but I thought they were beautiful.

The Nolichicky River seen from above as I descended into Erwin, TN.

Today's unshaven and tired pic...after I had gotten out of the shower.

Today's hike was, again, mostly unspectacular. The best views I had today were the mist as I was hiking in the morning and the view of the Nolichicky River as I descended into Erwin, TN.

I'm staying at Uncle Johnny's hostel tonight, and so far it had been pretty good! I got a cold beverage, got a nice place to sleep, and had great conversations and beer with some guys I met on the trail. It's been pretty spectacular!

To make it even better, I finally got a phone signal and called Hope, and she was still in Erwin! I went to dinner with her and her husband tonight. He came in to hike with her for the next week. I'm going to start my hike with them in the morning, buy I'll probably have to break off because I'm trying to make 17 miles tomorrow.

That about sums it up for now. I'll keep you all posted!

Flint Mt Shelter to Bald Mt Shelter (6/21/14; mile 325.1)

A cascade I saw on the trail today.

It rained for the first few hours I hiked today. This is a picture from the mist that covered everything. The iost didn't clear until after noon.

Wildflowers at Sam's gap. They smelled really good!

More flowers seen along the trail.

Some red berries I saw on the trail today.

Benchmark at the top of Big Bald.

A panorama from Big Bald.

Today's hike was mostly uneventful. I hiked and thought, that was about it. There were a couple of sights that were good, the bald being one of them.  

Today was 'hike naked day'. I didn't really want to participate, but I felt drawn to doing it. I was the only one in the shelter last night, so this morning I threw caution to the wind, out only my pack on and hiked to the firepit and back (about 100ft -- scandalous, I know!). Afterwards, I patted myself on the back for having participated in hike naked day.

I got to the shelter tonight and there were a bunch of kids here from the University of Florida outdoors club. They offered me wine while I was with them, so I took them up in their offer!

Also, today, I passed someone on the trail, Yonder, who thru hiked in 2007. He offered me trail magic: an Haagen Daas almond ice cream bar and a coke. It was AWESOME!! Hopefully I'll get a chance to do the same I the future. If you're reading this, Yonder, thanks for the trail magic, it was very well received and made my day!

Other than that, not too much else going on.

Hemlock Hollow Hostel to Flint Mt Shelter (6/20/14; mile 306.2)

A tree with a view that I liked today.

Part of my hike today looked like something right out of "Little House on the Prairie".

A bunch of fire pink, it seemed to like this portion of the trail.

The shelter I am staying in tonight--Flint Mt Shelter.

Today's hike was mostly unspectacular. I have to assume that I've reached a portion of the trail where most views are rather mundane. Though not all of them. I actually came across two spots today that had good views. One of them was White Cliff and the other was Big Firescald Knob. White Cliff was just a small trail that went to an overlook. It had a pretty awesome view!  I ventured further to Big Firescald Knob and was regaled with an amazing sight! I took a few panoramas there, but they don't seem to have saved. Suffice it to say, it was beautiful.  Big Firescald Knob is essentially a very rocky and exposed ridge line that is about 1.5 miles long. The AT guide says that it is a strenuous climb and notes that there is a trail that skirts around it. If you are not up for a strenuous climb, don't go up the trail, go around. By strenuous I mean very difficult climbs over rocks and even some hand over hand climbing down rocks. If you're up for it, though, you will see an amazing 360 degree view of the mountains that surround the knob.

After those two sights, I was pretty much ready to just make it to the shelter tonight. It was a 16 mile day today and I'm looking at an 18.9 mile day tomorrow. I hope to get up early and get an early start. If it's still a little dark, I will be singing (set to the tune of 'rain rain go away'): "Bear, bear, go away, I don't want to see a bear today." It sounds silly, but bears don't like to be around humans, so the singing helps to frighten them away. I've seen a bear, I don't really care to see another one. Technically, I've seen two bears, but I only saw the rear end of the second one as it ran away. 

Sunday afternoon/evening, I'm looking at driving in Erwin, TN. I plan to stay in a hostel there for the night, then head out the next morning to continue on towards Elk Park! I'm stopping in Erwin hoping to get ice cream or a milk shake. I seem to be craving that right now.  

One last picture before I close this:

It's hard to tell what that is, but if you look closely towards the upper center of the picture, you can see my food bag. There are no bear cars here, so I had to do the old fashioned hang method. It's about 200 feet behind the shelter and probably 20 feet up in the tree. Hopefully it will work! Keep hiking!

Hot Springs, NC to Hemlock Hollow Hostel (6/19/14; mile 290.2)

A shot of the river, by the river.

Thirty minutes later, the river from above.

A flower I saw on the trail today.

More flowers on the trail.

Today's hike, though shorter than yesterday's was a much more difficult hike. There were a LOT of ups on the trail today. My feet are very unhappy with me. It was pretty much a straight climb up for about 5 miles out of Hot Springs. I was pretty tired by the time I got here to the hostel.

Unlike yesterday, there actually were some good sights on the trail today. The one that sealed the deal for me was the promontory overlooking the river (I believe it was the French Broad River, but I'm not sure).  Other than that, the views were pretty mediocre. I wanted to see more, but there just wasn't more to see, other than the same things I've seen. I know that sounds bad, but if you hike the trail, you see the same things over and over and you long to see something spectacular! Though, at this point, those are coming further and further apart. But, I'm outside, I get a lot of thinking done, and I am meeting a lot of interesting people. That is something. Though I think staying in the shelters I meet more interesting people, though the hostels are cheap, give me a chance to get a shower and let me get on wifi since there seems to be a cell service blackhole surrounding the North Carolina/Tennessee border along which the Appalachian Trail runs. And that is quite annoying. I think as I was searching for this hostel, which is well off the beaten path, I let out a few expletives as I was wanting to use a map to find it but no signal, so it was to no avail. I took a leap of faith and walked down the road and happened to stumble onto it. That was good. I'm now drinking a Pepsi and will have ramen later (hasn't had it in a while and it sounded good!). Usually the hostel serves breakfast but the lady told me they took a lightning strike and it wiped out some equipment. The repair man can't get here until Monday, so I'm back to a granola and snickers breakfast (which I will probably augment with a Pepsi or two).

Anyway, not much else to report today. Happy Birthday to me tomorrow! And I'll keep hiking!

Roaring Fork Shelter to Hot Springs, NC (6/18/14; mile 273.9)

A flower I saw on the trail today.

A footbridge over a stream.

A benchmark I saw on the trail today.

Today was mostly an unspectacular day on the trail. I saw a few things and the above pictures show them. I hiked about 18 miles today to make it to Hot Springs, NC. I wanted to make it here for a decent dinner and a beer. They were both very good! After 30+ miles the last two days, they were both welcome.  

I hiked today without too much thought about where I was hiking. I just hiked because I had Hot Springs as my goal. Tomorrow's goal is another hostel about 18 miles down the road, with my current plans being to reach Elk Park, NC the evening of 25 June. Of course, my birthday is in a couple of days and I have no idea how I'm going to celebrate. Fortunately, I'm not really worried about celebrating my birthday so much as I am interested in hiking the trail. The closer I get to Maine, the happier I am--though the more tired I am. It's not a bad thing, it is what it is, and I'm enjoying the people I meet and the time hiking.

I'll cut it short here, get some sleep and hit the trail again tomorrow. 

Keep hiking!