Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Day off in Hot Springs
Hello all!
Tara here, in Hot Springs for what is now my FOURTH "zero day" (no hiking) of the trip. A day to do laundry, resupply, and just bum around like the homeless person that I've now become. :)
I successfully made it through the Smokies this week. That was a big milestone for me, because I'd always said if I could make it through the Smokies, I could make it to Katahdin. And here I am! Feeling more and more like a thru-hiker as I go.
When Iron Will, BC and I entered the Smokies it was cold and blustery. There was still visible snow on some of the high, far-off peaks in the distance. How different it was a little over a week later as BC and I walked out of the Park with birds singing, myriad flowers blooming, and clear, sunlit water rushing through the streams. Spring came while we were in the Park... and we readily welcome it!
I found the Smokies to be beautiful, though the trail was rugged and I exacerbated the blisters on my feet while climbing the peaks. They're slowly healing as I learn to take care of my feet (hint: take your socks off at night!). I'd have to say there were three really exceptional moments for me while in the Park. The first happened on my "Worst Day Ever" (due to how bad my feet were feeling) when I climbed (limped?) up to Rocky Top. All the way up I was singing that old song ("Corn don't grow at all on Rocky Top- dirt's too rocky by far./That's why all the folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar.") and don't you know, the dirt IS actually extremely rocky! Ha! BC always walks in front of me as he is a faster hiker and sets the pace, so he reached the summit before I did. At the top he stopped and called down to me "Don't turn around until you reach the top!" The summit was a bald, which means there are no trees- only grass- so I knew it was going to be a great 360 degree view, but I was astounded when I actually got up to the top and turned around to look behind me. Mountains upon mountains as far as I could see. I felt so high! It was worth the limp for the view. The second great moment was the day we hiked up -and then down- Clingman's Dome. That was the first day that we really hiked through pine forest. The smell was incredible! Cinnamon mixed with pine, and a fresh, green smell like celery all rolled into one. The clouds hung on the mountain and veiled the forest around us. It was like walking through a Pacific Northwest rain forest. We'd run out of food nearly half-way up and were starving by the time we reached the 6600+ foot summit. We got a little trail magic, however, in the form of a Dr. Pepper and Mello Yello someone had left on the trail. :) We got no view at the top (the highest point on the AT) but we were happy to be up there just the same. With the help of a handful of granola bars we bought at the summit, we hiked down the mountain and into Newfound Gap, where almost immediately we were offered a ride into Gatlinburg by an extremely friendly family from Indiana. (Thank you guys!!!) The ride in the back of the pickup down into the green valley a great ending to a great day of hiking. Finally I have to mention how much I liked Charlie's Bunion, a rocky outcropping right outside of Newfound Gap. It's a very accessible hike if there is anyone interested in going there- just a few miles from the Gap. I'm scared of heights, but I definitely climbed up onto the Bunion and took in the great view. I'd love to include some photos, but the computer I'm using won't allow it. Perhaps at my next stop.
Stewart has returned to the Trail!!! Coming down Davenport Gap as we were practically running out of the Smokies on a wet, windy and nearly hypothermic day, I saw his car on a forest road and there he was! I knew he was on his way to meet up with me, but it was still a wonderful surprise to see him there- our "savior" from the elements. Now he is following BC and I in his car, walking with us when he can- hanging out and providing support when we most need it. I wish he were able to get back on full-time, but he's still not sure about his knee (it hurt him the other day as he hiked). He is going to wait a little bit before making that decision...
In the meanwhile, BC and I are still hiking together. We did our best mileage ever yesterday at about 3/hr. Granted, most of it was downhill and we were practically running to get into Hot Springs, but still. :)
There have been so many people I've met and become acquaintances and friends with over this entire month (can you believe it's only been a MONTH!?) that I have to mention some of them. Iron Will, who's a day or two behind us, is a pretty frequent companion. There's Earth, who left her PhD studies three-years in to do the Trail. We just met Polo, from Spain, who is skipping from place to place on the Trail as he hikes. There are about 10 Germans I've met so far (maybe more) and it's not uncommon to get to a shelter or town and hear a conversation in German (there was a documentary on the Trail released in Germany last year, that's why it's so popular with them). There's the "Old Hippies" as I call them- a group of 40/50/60 year-olds who look straight out of the 60s. Dirt Nap is hiking barefoot the entire way! You should see his feet... Cimmaron is an 88 year-old thru-hiker I last saw a few weeks ago. He hiked it once when he was 82 I think. The list goes on and on. Wonderful people.
Sadly I have to mention Model T, who passed away a few days ago in a shelter in his sleep. He was 70 years old. Our friends Ben and Eva, and Nate, went to wake him up and found him dead. Tragic, but not a bad way to go if you must.
Stew and BC are rushing me to go to the Outfitters, so I must! It is also Trail Fest today in town so there is a lot outside to see and do. I am thinking of you all, especially when the trail gets hard and a fleeting thought goes through my mind that I CANNOT climb this impossible uphill! I still hate those darn uphills.
Love you, miss you! Pictures coming soon!
Tara here, in Hot Springs for what is now my FOURTH "zero day" (no hiking) of the trip. A day to do laundry, resupply, and just bum around like the homeless person that I've now become. :)
I successfully made it through the Smokies this week. That was a big milestone for me, because I'd always said if I could make it through the Smokies, I could make it to Katahdin. And here I am! Feeling more and more like a thru-hiker as I go.
When Iron Will, BC and I entered the Smokies it was cold and blustery. There was still visible snow on some of the high, far-off peaks in the distance. How different it was a little over a week later as BC and I walked out of the Park with birds singing, myriad flowers blooming, and clear, sunlit water rushing through the streams. Spring came while we were in the Park... and we readily welcome it!
I found the Smokies to be beautiful, though the trail was rugged and I exacerbated the blisters on my feet while climbing the peaks. They're slowly healing as I learn to take care of my feet (hint: take your socks off at night!). I'd have to say there were three really exceptional moments for me while in the Park. The first happened on my "Worst Day Ever" (due to how bad my feet were feeling) when I climbed (limped?) up to Rocky Top. All the way up I was singing that old song ("Corn don't grow at all on Rocky Top- dirt's too rocky by far./That's why all the folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar.") and don't you know, the dirt IS actually extremely rocky! Ha! BC always walks in front of me as he is a faster hiker and sets the pace, so he reached the summit before I did. At the top he stopped and called down to me "Don't turn around until you reach the top!" The summit was a bald, which means there are no trees- only grass- so I knew it was going to be a great 360 degree view, but I was astounded when I actually got up to the top and turned around to look behind me. Mountains upon mountains as far as I could see. I felt so high! It was worth the limp for the view. The second great moment was the day we hiked up -and then down- Clingman's Dome. That was the first day that we really hiked through pine forest. The smell was incredible! Cinnamon mixed with pine, and a fresh, green smell like celery all rolled into one. The clouds hung on the mountain and veiled the forest around us. It was like walking through a Pacific Northwest rain forest. We'd run out of food nearly half-way up and were starving by the time we reached the 6600+ foot summit. We got a little trail magic, however, in the form of a Dr. Pepper and Mello Yello someone had left on the trail. :) We got no view at the top (the highest point on the AT) but we were happy to be up there just the same. With the help of a handful of granola bars we bought at the summit, we hiked down the mountain and into Newfound Gap, where almost immediately we were offered a ride into Gatlinburg by an extremely friendly family from Indiana. (Thank you guys!!!) The ride in the back of the pickup down into the green valley a great ending to a great day of hiking. Finally I have to mention how much I liked Charlie's Bunion, a rocky outcropping right outside of Newfound Gap. It's a very accessible hike if there is anyone interested in going there- just a few miles from the Gap. I'm scared of heights, but I definitely climbed up onto the Bunion and took in the great view. I'd love to include some photos, but the computer I'm using won't allow it. Perhaps at my next stop.
Stewart has returned to the Trail!!! Coming down Davenport Gap as we were practically running out of the Smokies on a wet, windy and nearly hypothermic day, I saw his car on a forest road and there he was! I knew he was on his way to meet up with me, but it was still a wonderful surprise to see him there- our "savior" from the elements. Now he is following BC and I in his car, walking with us when he can- hanging out and providing support when we most need it. I wish he were able to get back on full-time, but he's still not sure about his knee (it hurt him the other day as he hiked). He is going to wait a little bit before making that decision...
In the meanwhile, BC and I are still hiking together. We did our best mileage ever yesterday at about 3/hr. Granted, most of it was downhill and we were practically running to get into Hot Springs, but still. :)
There have been so many people I've met and become acquaintances and friends with over this entire month (can you believe it's only been a MONTH!?) that I have to mention some of them. Iron Will, who's a day or two behind us, is a pretty frequent companion. There's Earth, who left her PhD studies three-years in to do the Trail. We just met Polo, from Spain, who is skipping from place to place on the Trail as he hikes. There are about 10 Germans I've met so far (maybe more) and it's not uncommon to get to a shelter or town and hear a conversation in German (there was a documentary on the Trail released in Germany last year, that's why it's so popular with them). There's the "Old Hippies" as I call them- a group of 40/50/60 year-olds who look straight out of the 60s. Dirt Nap is hiking barefoot the entire way! You should see his feet... Cimmaron is an 88 year-old thru-hiker I last saw a few weeks ago. He hiked it once when he was 82 I think. The list goes on and on. Wonderful people.
Sadly I have to mention Model T, who passed away a few days ago in a shelter in his sleep. He was 70 years old. Our friends Ben and Eva, and Nate, went to wake him up and found him dead. Tragic, but not a bad way to go if you must.
Stew and BC are rushing me to go to the Outfitters, so I must! It is also Trail Fest today in town so there is a lot outside to see and do. I am thinking of you all, especially when the trail gets hard and a fleeting thought goes through my mind that I CANNOT climb this impossible uphill! I still hate those darn uphills.
Love you, miss you! Pictures coming soon!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Stew says: what would have killed me a few weeks ago was awesome today. I drove up to the trail this afternoon and hiked until the sun went down, then turned around and came back. Both knees were fine! I was worried about getting tired since I've been off for a while, but the pack felt good and it was energizing to be passing white blazes again. Went up to clingman's dome and the view was amazing. The whole day has been great actually. Re-geared this morning at a local outfitter, got a new tent, stove, and a few other things. Picked up a guy hitching on my way to the gap. He was a big fan of the magnetic zeros witch was playing on my stereo (thanks Katie!) and we talked about good concerts we'd been to the rest of the way up the mountain. Also heard fr
om my cousin Wes and hope plans work out for us to meet up this weekend. Going to take a nap right now and get up early to head back out. I'm trying not to get my hopes up to much but I feel really good about my knee. Should see Tara sometime tomorrow, excited about that. Hope it isn't raining too hard on us. Storms are starting to move in. Tara says: At cosby knob shelter. beautiful day. cant believe ill be out of the smokies tomorrow. it was great.
The Smokies are beautiful! And I arrived on a gorgeous night. I am at Gatlinburg and Tara is at Peck's corner shelter tonight. It feels strange to be only a few miles from her after being off the trail for several days. But, I look forward to seeing her, if only for a moment, very soon. Tara is a hero to many people who know her, and that includes myself... So I know we all look forward to a new blog from her whenever she gets the chance. As for myself, I'm excited to get some new gear, test it out, and doing a little afternoon hike tomorrow before leaving town. I promise to try and keep everyone updated as much as possible....I can definitely appreciate the value of hearing one's voice after not having so for days. But obviously it is difficult to get signal out here. Love to everyone, keep sending that positive energy. Love you Eugene.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Hello from the doorstep of the Smokies.
I just arrived at Fontana Dam about an hour ago. What a crazy week it's been. But "crazy" in a good way. The terrain has me completely exhausted, but finally feeling like a "real" hiker. I've been taking fewer breaks now, and my pace is definitely quicker. The walk down into NOC and up out of it was INTENSE. I think besides Katahdin, the walk up out of NOC was the largest at-once altitude gain I'll have on the trail, about 3,000 feet. When BC and I got to the top the skies were grey, the wind was blowing (it must have been in the low 30s as far as temp) and there was a layer of ice on the summit trees. But Cheoah bald was gorgeous and I really felt accomplished. Let me just say, however, that I HATE UPHILLS! :)
I've been hiking mostly with our friend BC since Stew has left. We try to meet up with Iron Will at times, but he is maybe a day behind us now AND HE HAS MY CELL PHONE! I know this has caused a little problem with family and I do apologize to you out there (mother, father, grandparents and Stew) who wish to hear from me but cannot. Let me just quell your fears by saying that I'm hiking with a large number of people every day and if need be, I can get a hold of a phone. My thinking is that Iron Will will be here at Fontana tonight and get it to me. If not, I'll leave a message for him to mail it ahead if possible.
The weather has been cold and windy but we are finally starting to see buds on the trees and flowers underfoot. I'm still keeping my eyes out for bears but to no avail! :( I'm sure the Smokies will chock full of them.
My fifteen minutes are almost up but I want to say that I'm having a great time and the hike is intense but all that I've wanted and wished for. I can't wait to hike through the Smoky Mountains this week. I'll probably take a zero day in Hot Springs afterwards, where I hope to blog again and include some pictures.
A special "hello" goes out to Stew, of course, and my girl Cowswarts.
Thinking of you all,
Tara
I've been hiking mostly with our friend BC since Stew has left. We try to meet up with Iron Will at times, but he is maybe a day behind us now AND HE HAS MY CELL PHONE! I know this has caused a little problem with family and I do apologize to you out there (mother, father, grandparents and Stew) who wish to hear from me but cannot. Let me just quell your fears by saying that I'm hiking with a large number of people every day and if need be, I can get a hold of a phone. My thinking is that Iron Will will be here at Fontana tonight and get it to me. If not, I'll leave a message for him to mail it ahead if possible.
The weather has been cold and windy but we are finally starting to see buds on the trees and flowers underfoot. I'm still keeping my eyes out for bears but to no avail! :( I'm sure the Smokies will chock full of them.
My fifteen minutes are almost up but I want to say that I'm having a great time and the hike is intense but all that I've wanted and wished for. I can't wait to hike through the Smoky Mountains this week. I'll probably take a zero day in Hot Springs afterwards, where I hope to blog again and include some pictures.
A special "hello" goes out to Stew, of course, and my girl Cowswarts.
Thinking of you all,
Tara
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Stew says: I have been meaning to write since I got off the trail, but it has been difficult to put my emotions into words. It was extremely difficult to leave the AT after only two weeks. We left Hiawassee with high hopes but it became evident within a couple of hours that my left knee wasn't getting better and it seemed futile to try and continue. We pushed on with plans to make it into Franklin but obviously my morale was low. The coming rain didn't help. After doing three soaking wet miles, and staying in a crowded shelter, my last day on the trail ended up being (in my opinion) our most beautiful day of hiking. With a blanket of clouds surrounding us and some interesting terrain, it felt like we were walking through some exotic rain Forrest. That is until we were greeted by a little dog in the middle of the trail that belonged to a trail angel making pancakes and coffee. From there we got a ride from an interesting local down the mountain and into Franklin. I am extremely grateful to my mother, not only for driving to NC to pick me up, but also for staying a day to allow Tara and I some time before our separation. After a nice day in town, we climbed into the car along with our trail friends BC and Black Beard and headed back up the mountain. There was never any question that if something happened to me, Tara would continue on. But, watching her throw her pack on and take off down the trail, as I walked back to the car, was very very hard for me. I am very proud of Tara as I know many people are, and one of the reasons I love her is because she is strong and independent, and certainly not afraid to do anything on her own. I don't know when she will be able to do a blog entry now that I have the iPhone, but I look forward to hearing from her along with everyone else. Last we talked she was doing well and enjoying herself. For me, it is bittersweet to be here in Ar. It's always nice to see my family, and they have been wonderful, but I can't help but feel like I belong out there. I only got a taste of what the AT is like, but even with an injury, it is an extremely enjoyable experience. The knee has been feeling much much better and I have plans to go test it out on some rough terrain in the local area. I'm very hopeful and look forward to returning to the trail and my partner Eugene.
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