Well, the first day of spring turned out to be an amazing day! The temp got up around 72 with full sun, blue skies and puffy white clouds and a nice cool breeze. The nice weather made the serious climb today more bearable. First, I left the village, got dropped off at the marina so I could connect my steps where I last stopped on trail, walked the mile or so over to see the famous “Fontana Hilton” named so because of being such an amazing shelter that can sleep 24 people, has a solar charging station, flush toilets and a shower nearby and garbage cans. From there, it’s a road walk over the Fontana Dam, which is the largest dam on the east coast and I think 6th in the world? I continued on a side road that took me into the Smoky Mountain National Park and stopped to drop my thru-hiker permit in the box. That gives me 8 days to get in and out of the park. I only made it to Birch Spring Tentsite. I’m required to stay at the shelters through the park. You cannot tent just anywhere. But this is an official campsite with near cables and 5 tent pads so I stopped here. I didn’t want to do big miles today as it was a constant climb all the way up and I have big miles planned for the rest of the way through the park. If all goes well, I’ll only be in the park for 6 1/2 days. I will need to find a ride into Gatlingburg on Friday. I hear it’s an easy hitch (something I’ve never done) so we’ll see. I have a reservation to stay at a family’s home in Gatlinburg. They have a furnished basement they use to host hikers and it’s all donation based. It has a kitchenette, bathroom, laundry, pool table and a resupply pantry. I just have to get there and they’ll bring me back on trail at 8am the next day. Sounds much better than stinking myself up in the woods for 6 days straight so I’m happy. I just have decent miles to do over what I hear is some tough terrain; 11.7, 12 and 12.2 mile days to get to Newfound Gap. Oh, I forgot to mention I climbed Shuckstack tower. What an INCREDIBLE view from up there! I loved the view of Fontana Dam from that height. Well worth the 0.1 mile walk up to the tower and then the climb. This hike is my full time job now and those views are my paycheck. Gotta enjoy them. Good night all! Of course, it’s supposed to rain tonight and late into tomorrow but, as they say: “no rain, no pain, no Maine.”

Well, the first day of spring turned out to be an amazing day! The temp got up around 72 with full sun, blue skies and puffy white clouds and a nice cool breeze. The nice weather made the serious climb today more bearable. First, I left the village, got dropped off at the marina so I could connect my steps where I last stopped on trail, walked the mile or so over to see the famous “Fontana Hilton” named so because of being such an amazing shelter that can sleep 24 people, has a solar charging station, flush toilets and a shower nearby and garbage cans. From there, it’s a road walk over the Fontana Dam, which is the largest dam on the east coast and I think 6th in the world? I continued on a side road that took me into the Smoky Mountain National Park and stopped to drop my thru-hiker permit in the box. That gives me 8 days to get in and out of the park. I only made it to Birch Spring Tentsite. I’m required to stay at the shelters through the park. You cannot tent just anywhere. But this is an official campsite with near cables and 5 tent pads so I stopped here. I didn’t want to do big miles today as it was a constant climb all the way up and I have big miles planned for the rest of the way through the park. If all goes well, I’ll only be in the park for 6 1/2 days. I will need to find a ride into Gatlingburg on Friday. I hear it’s an easy hitch (something I’ve never done) so we’ll see. I have a reservation to stay at a family’s home in Gatlinburg. They have a furnished basement they use to host hikers and it’s all donation based. It has a kitchenette, bathroom, laundry, pool table and a resupply pantry. I just have to get there and they’ll bring me back on trail at 8am the next day. Sounds much better than stinking myself up in the woods for 6 days straight so I’m happy. I just have decent miles to do over what I hear is some tough terrain; 11.7, 12 and 12.2 mile days to get to Newfound Gap. Oh, I forgot to mention I climbed Shuckstack tower. What an INCREDIBLE view from up there! I loved the view of Fontana Dam from that height. Well worth the 0.1 mile walk up to the tower and then the climb. This hike is my full time job now and those views are my paycheck. Gotta enjoy them. Good night all! Of course, it’s supposed to rain tonight and late into tomorrow but, as they say: “no rain, no pain, no Maine.”