Day 12-20

Day 12 04-11-14 7-miles

NOC-Sassafrass Gap

Today was an interesting day. As all days seem to be out here. It started out slow. Since we had slept under a roof we weren't to hurried to get up and get moving. We decided since the resupply options were not adequate that we would hitch a ride to a nearby town. We gathered all our stuff and got down to the road by 10:30. Getting a hitch into town was easy. It took all of 3-mins. A guy named Jim picked us up. He turned out to be a minister with a Calvary Chapel Church. That was awesome! We fellowshiped during the ride and then he prayed over us when he dropped us off. We got all our food and ate at the store since they had a deli. The smokeys are coming so we decided that we would buy enough food to make it through the smokeys and mail it to ourselves to be picked up in a couple days. Once again, God was there providing us easy rides. A guy named Gene who worked at the local post office was taking his lunch break. He took us straight to where we needed to go. We mailed our stuff and got back to the road with our thumbs up. Two hitches later, we made it back to the AT. It was our intention to go straight to hiking, but our friends were hanging out by the river. We chatted with them for a while soaking our feet in the cold river. When we finally got back to hiking it was a hard 7 miles. All in all it was a pretty relaxing day. 

Day 13 11-miles 04-12-14

Sassafras Gap-Cody gap

We got some extra awesome trail magic today! I was hungry so we stopped early for lunch and ate. Then a couple miles later, we got to eat again! When I saw the tent and grill set up at the road I went running down the trail singing the hungry hungry hippo song. We both ate to our hearts content. Even better than the food (if there could be such a thing) we met two past through hikers named stride and hopeful. They were both great believers and were hiking for the exact same reasons we are, just to be a light. It was such an encouragement. 

Day 14 11-miles 04-13-14

Cody Gap-The Fontana Hilton

Our observation today is that if a service, like hot showers electricity or a roof, is free then expect to encounter all types of people. The Fontana hilton is known as one of the best shelters for all the above reasons. Thus, making it a very popular destination. Many people would be thru hikers have put their goal on hold because of its amenities. We did however go for a refreshing swim in the lake. All of our group came down and we hung out till the sun went over the ridge. Despite it being crowded and full of the partying demographic of the trail, it's been a great day. 

Day 15 13-miles 04-14-14

Fontana Hilton-Russel Field Shelter

We got a decent start this morning. Leaving camp around 9. My foot had been hurting so we decided to go to what was called an outfitter. It was in fact a general store with a gear corner. None the less I got nothing for my foot. On the positive side it did feel better at the end of today than it did at the end of yesterday. That's an aspect of the hike I haven't put on here yet. There's always something in our body that is sore. If it's not on the left leg it's on the right. These pains and sorenesses come and go. No big deal. It rained basically all day on us. We got to our destination around 4:30 and we've been taking it slow since we got here. In 75 miles we'll be at a trail town and I should be able to pickup some insoles for Dawn and I. It should make a world of difference. As for rite now, I'm warm and toasty in my bag and on my sleeping pad. 

Day 16 15-miles 04-15-14

Russel field shelter-silars bald shelter

Today was one for the record books. It started out in the 30's and raining. It then went to sleet then hail then an all out sleet/snow storm. We walked in gusting winds and driving sleet all day. When we stopped for lunch we encountered a ridge runner named Fletcher who was really enthusiastic about his job. Ridge runners are employed by the appalachian trail conservancy to help keep camp and shelter sites in good order. Because of the fierce conditions we got in the shelter(one we had picked to stop for lunch at) and began digging through our food bags. He began to lecture myself and all the other patrons on the "dear dear price" future campers would pay because we had brought food Into the shelter. He was alluding to other hikers being attacked by bears. Given my options of going outside and freezing while standing still to eat or taking my chances with the bears, of which I haven't seen one, I began to eat. By the time we reached our destination we were both frozen. The time we spent between arriving and getting into our bags was basically just survival mode. All night it gusted freezing winds, but we stayed toasty in our sleeping bags. 

Day 17 15-miles 04-16-14

Silars bald-ice water spring

The weather today was much better. The trail was very icy making for some slow going. The miles felt much longer today than other days. We did climb clingmons dome, the highest on the trail, and pass the 200-mile mark. Both pretty awesome accomplishments. Tomorrow we are planning on our first 20-mile day. Should be a full days hike. 

Day 18 21-miles 04-17-14

Ice water springs-Cosby knob

What a long day. We needed to hike this far to avoid another day in the smokies. At 6:30 we began to pack our stuff and eat breakfast to hit the trail by 8. Today was full of the most breath taking views so far on the trail. It was a mostly flat day as we walked the high ridge line on the eastern side of the smokies. We made it to camp around 5:40. Not a bad days hike. We've officially made it 230 miles. In a couple days (37-miles) we will be taking a double zero day (as in days of rest) in Hot Springs, one of the more famous trail towns. I'm looking forward to a hot shower, wifi, coffee, and some relaxation with my wife. we truly are enjoying our time together. I think we laugh more together now than we ever have. 

Day 19 12-miles 04-18-14

Cosby-Painters Branch

WE ARE DONE WITH THE SMOKIES! It's so great to be out of there. That place had some crazy weather and even crazier rules. Now we can put our tent down any place we like. The hike out wasn't to hard, mostly down hill. Just outside of the park is a place called standing bear hostel. We stopped in there to get some lunch and food so we can make it two more days to hot springs. I also enjoyed a fresh baked pizza and Dawn ate a whole bag of cheese puffs. Our stomachs seem to have no capacity limit these days. From there it was only 2 more miles, but it was all up hill. The massive lunch we had just eaten was sitting heavy in our stomachs. It was a long two miles. 

Day 20 18-miles 04-19-14

Painters branch-Walnut shelter

This morning started off rocky. Dawn and I couldn't seem to communicate well and on top of that it was raining. We finally got moving about 830 and not 2-miles up the trail we ran into a trail angel serving fresh donuts and hot coffee. His name was Apple (yes his mother named him that.) He had attempted the trail a few years back and decided it was to hard and he was to old. Now he enjoys being a trail angel and giving out food to hungry hikers like us. We hiked pretty much all day in anything from cloudy sky's to a civilized drizzle. The shelter we thought about staying at was built in 1938 and it shows. It was also the home to many families of mice. It has quit raining so we setup our wet tent with hopes the rain is done for the day and that it will dry over night. Tomorrow marks an official week since I've showered. I've been using baby wipes every day, but it's just not the same. The hobo life is not for the lite of heart or smell. Tomorrow we have reservations at a hostel for two nights. That means showers for two days, I'll feel almost human again. We'll also get to was our clothes and take a few days rest. We will have hiked 273 miles in 3 weeks. Our average will go up, but that's pretty respectable for the first couple of weeks. 

Stride and Hopeful. Two trail angels the fed us. 

The Smokies from lake Fontana

View from Fontana Dam

Life preserver box on Fontana Dam

I LOVE MY WIFE!

The first day in the Smokies. It was rainy. 

Morning after the snow and ice. 

View from Clingmons Dome

Getting Closer. 

Apple the trail angel. He made is coffee. 

Smokies from the other end

On our way into Hot Springs