Friday, May 22 8:33 pm 22.7 trail miles 23.7 total miles
AT 195.5 Siler’s Bald Shelter → AT 218.2 Peck’s Corner Shelter
Weather: Wet to REALLY WET to clear at shelter
Trail Conditions: Mud that almost sucked the shoe right off my foot a couple times, standing water lots of the day, overall pretty smooth surface though for a big mile day
My Condition: “I’m cold and wet – this sucks” to “this’ll pass, this isn’t so bad” to “I’m a mile crushing machine! I can’t be stopped!” to “I don’t know if I can go another 20 steps – I’m sore and tired and hungry.” Rollercoaster of a day. Feet have blisters in arch area from wet tape rubbing.
Hikers met: Vulture
If yesterday was the day of animal sightings, today was the day of majestic views. Early start – on trail by 6:40 am today. Didn’t notice a Siler Bald near the shelter. Nothing but fog at Clingman’s Dome. But from there you descend into the rainforest of the Smokies – the lungs of the USA. It was foggy and dark, yet so green. I couldn’t believe how many downed trees there were, yet the trees are so thickly populated. I’ve never seen anything like it! The rain started in earnest just as I was exiting the thick jungle. The rain grew harder. And harder. A downright deluge. Dried out a bit in the bathroom at Newfound Gap and found out (of course) I was summoned for jury duty. Tried calling to defer but there’s no voicemail set up. I still have some time – just want to sort it out ASAP. I kind of felt like a superhero at Newfound Gap – the weekend crowds are out in force and in 15 minutes I probably saw more people than I have in total since getting back on the trail. People would ask “Are you going all the way to Maine?” Lots of people in awe of thru hiking, or with their own dreams of some day doing it, or with a family member that’s done it, or that section hikes, or that has read “Wild.” Lots of questions and comments and good lucks as I blew past packless day hikers on the climb up from the gap. The weather cleared up for a knock-your-socks-off view of Charlie’s Bunion (eww). One other thru hiker at the shelter with me tonight, though he’s worried about knee pain. His wife flew in and they just spent a few days in Gatlinburg replacing gear to lighten his load. He is looking for literary inspiration out here – where better?? With the knee issues he’s hoping to make it at least to Harper’s Ferry, but is just taking it day by day. Nice shelter – less exposure to wind and rain. The privy overlooks a mist shrouded valley. One more big day and then I’m out of the Smokies!
Post Trail Analysis
I’m not convinced that it’s ever sunny at Clingman’s Dome – my mom used to take family road trips to the Smokies, and it was never sunny there either. I think I’ve met one person that had a good view from there! The Smokies is indeed classified as a rainforest, and from what I saw on my way through it lives up to the reputation in terms of weather patterns. The forest FEELS different there, and I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods. It didn’t feel old necessarily, just so incredibly dense. There was so much growth – in some places, it felt like every possible foot of real estate was claimed by a tree here, another tree there, a dead tree in the middle, and all kinds of ferns and undergrowth beneath. The air felt fresher. The colors were pretty extraordinary – deep greens, dark browns. This is the third time I’ve been summoned for jury duty...lucky me. It took four days of calling in the rare spots when I’d finally find cell service, but I was finally able to reach them and get it deferred. I explained that I was in the midst of a long planned, 5-6 long thru hike. She asked when I expected to be back, and I gave a date two weeks after the expected closure date for Katahdin, just to give myself enough wiggle room. I was told I’d receive another summons, which I never did. I had a really cool conversation with a couple at Charlie’s Bunion. When I told them I was hiking the Appalachian Trail, their eyes lit up as they recalled learning about that back in school when they were students. I took their picture with a flag they had brought, and they took mine. The privy at Peck’s Corner was definitely one of the top 3 most picturesque places to poop along the trail. All in all, this must've been one of the most picturesque days on the entire trail!
Why'd the turkey cross the trail?
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