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!