Tuesday, May 19, 2020 9:37 pm 16.3 trail miles 19.9 total miles
AT 156.0 Cody Gap → Fontana Village → AT 172.3 Birch Spring
Weather: Very wet morning, dry but overcast afternoon/evening
Trail Conditions: Pounded lots of pavement – lots of road walking with 1.8 miles to the post office in Fontana Village each way, across Fontana Dam, and up to the Smokies trailhead
My Condition: Emotionally bolstered, physically mostly good, but starting to chafe with all the rain and moisture
Hikers Met: The Flying Pig
I’ve been stressing since starting about the Smokies schedule, but a big part of that was getting to and from the post office hoping it was during business hours, hoping it was open at all, and hoping it had been sent to the right place. Fontana is weird in that most people seem to send mail drops to the Fontana Village Resort rather than the post office. At one point Fontana Village and the entire county shut down with COVID closures, a point of stress before getting off trail. The post office was open and I had one of four hiking packages. Apparently he is one of only two people the town still has working, the other being the maintenance guy. He worries that their town won’t rebound from this. It was eerie seeing the whole resort town pretty much abandoned. A handful of folks drove past as I was road walking, and though I hoped for a ride none was offered. I was soaking wet anyways, so it’s probably for the best I didn’t get someone’s car all wet. In all honesty, I’ve never considered picking up a hitchhiker thus far in life. I’ve driven past a few, even in less than ideal weather, and didn’t slow down at all. Especially with so many people afraid this year, I may be on my own as far as rides go. Dried out my wet gear from last night/today at the Fontana Dam marina, and met a thru hiker, the Flying Pig. Don’t know where he managed to get it, but he gave me a cherry coke. He’s only been on trail for a week, so he’s making some incredible time. Sounds like he’s relatively ultralight and also takes full advantage of slack packing services. Crossed Fontana Dam and entered the Smokies today. BEAUTIFUL! I’m so lucky the rain stopped and I was able to take in the full awe inspiring majesty of America’s most visited national park. Until tonight, I had the whole thing to myself. The fire tower had a phenomenal 360 degree view of the mist covered, rugged peaks all the way down to Fontana Lake. Just before, I caught a great view on camera right as I was listening to the audiobook version Return of the Kind, right as Frodo and Sam climbed the final steps to Mount Doom. Apt as I was climbing up to a fire tower that in fact I found quite nervewracking. Looked like 3 or 4 other folks at this same campsite, though we’re all spread out and doing our own thing.
Post Trail Analysis
I’m happy to say my attitude towards hitchhikers has changed somewhat. If I come across someone that is clearly a hiker, in a place where I know a trail to be, I slow down and roll down the window to see if they need a ride. I swung past the AT on some of my trips up north, and although I’ve never had any takers, I always offer. My Smokies experience is MUCH different than the typical AT thru hiker’s experience. I got to the Fontana Hilton, a ritzy shelter before crossing the dam, and found it completely empty, which is never the case. The shelter comes complete with a water spigot and a solar charging station, on top of the spacious shelter and roomy patio with picnic tables. The bathrooms and shower facilities were locked up tight, which was unfortunate because I really needed to go and was counting on it being open. Cathole it is! I ended up feeling pretty good, and it was still early enough, that I went on the national park website and booked an opening at Birch Spring campsite. I figured that I’d be pulling some huge mileage days, so I might as well make it a little easier on myself by chipping away at the mileage while I could. Rather than bear boxes, the Smokies use a pulley and wire system for hanging your food bags, or they don’t have food storage at all and you’re on your own for bear bagging.
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