Day 46: Kincora to Watauga Lake Shelter

Cold today - I am wearing pants. But it is really nice to have the sun out!

It was hard to leave Kincora - very comfortable and welcoming place - but we did. There was a really cool bridge over the river - nice start to the day. We dropped down into Laurel falls - an amazing amount of water pours over those falls. Saw lots of dayhikers so it must be Saturday.

Saw the CleverGirl parade slackpacking (CleverGirl, DumpTruck, Apollo, HotDog, Whistle, and one guy I didn't recognize). They are slacking all the way into Damascus, lucky dogs!

They stopped at a small overlook so I did too - CleverGirl said "it's mile 420, on 4/20!". Sure enough there was a rock there denoting the mileage. Pretty neat (even though I don't smoke).

The ups today seemed to last forever! But I kept walking...and eventually I got to Watauga Lake. There were two donkeys in a pasture by the road - they ran up to the fence as soon as they saw me but were VERY disappointed that I didn't have anything for them to eat. (One even bared his teeth at me).

Saw a sign about a trail detour - and another about trail magic - so went to check them out. "Knock on wood" (so named because she was incredibly unlucky....she would say "hey it's awesome that it hasn't rained in a while" and a thunderstorm would start) and some friends were there with sodas, fruit, and coffee singles/candy bits. Stopped to talk with them for a while and then went on to the shelter.

The detour was an official detour (not like the Forest Service detour) due to flooding on the trail. So instead of walking the trail along the lakeshore, we walked on the road for about a quarter of a mile before going into the woods. The walk was really peaceful - I love being around water - and I got to the shelter pretty early.

Shutterbug & OWL had already set up in the shelter, so I set up too. Cooked dinner and was even able to FaceTime with AWE. There was a phone in the shelter (although it was not hooked up to anything) - pretty funny.

Half&Half came in pretty late, and M80/Trooper/Willow came in after that. M80's group did over 24 miles today...crazy!

Day 33: Walnut Mountain Shelter to Hot Springs

approx 14.1 miles (the AT runs through the middle of town...so...)

Woke up early - excited to meet friends and be in town. Had a nice hike in, despite a nasty blister on the 4th toe on my right foot. Feels like the toenail is coming off and there is a blister underneath the toenail, that extends on top of the toe. And of course the bottom of the toe is also blistered. It's a mess.

It was warm out today! I was drinking lots and actually ran out of water. (You know how a few days ago I said the sound of air being let out of the sleeping pad was the saddest sound in the world? The water reservoir gurgling dry is the second saddest).

Pretty sure I saw a bear today. I was hiking a few minutes behind OWL & SilverStreak, and saw/heard something large and dark moving in the rhododendron & brush to my right. I thought it was Streak, taking a break. But then I followed the trail, and Streak's backpack was nowhere to be found. So - no photo or up close & personal meeting - but I'm pretty sure it was a bear.

Saw Clever Girl, DumpTruck, Apollo along with Hot Dog and Whistle. They were slackpacking into Hot Springs - Hot Dog got sick in Walnut Mountain Shelter a few nights ago so they split up her stuff and carried it down to Garentto Gap. So now they are making up the difference. Said we made the right decision to delay entering the Smokies...said it was miserable "but we're alive". Yikes. That's one way to look at it.

Got into town...picked up maildrops...stopped to do laundry...got a shower...and then Joel was here!! So good to see him. Decided to go into Asheville for dinner and beer. We went to Wicked Weed Brewing Company for great beer (delicious IPAs), and dinner fit for a princes. Homemade fries with french onion dip, a pork chop with roasted brussel sprouts and homestyle potatoes, plus bison chili. Yum!

Afterwards Joel got me a room at the hotel he was staying at, and drove me to CVS to get Epsom salts. Friend + Beer + Dinner + Soaking Bath + a bed with a pillow = a very happy zag.

The only downside - I have never felt more like a homeless person in my life when Joel was checking me into his hotel. There I stood, all my possessions in a Sea to Summit eVent bag, standing awkwardly to the side while Joel asks if they have any more rooms available. Pretty funny. :)