Saturday, March 26, 2011

Smoky Mountains Here We Come!

Spending the night here at Brown Fork Gap Shelter, mile 151.2.  This shelter has a tin roof and the rain is really loud falling on it.  It's coming down harder now than it was during the day today.  I can see some lightning off in a distance and it's getting foggy.

The shelter sleeps 6, but there are only 4 of us here so we can spread out a little. With me are Currahee, Jerry G. and Nor'easter. My pants got wet from the rain today, but my shoes stayed pretty dry thanks to my gaiters. Now I'm in my sleeping bag with one of those hand warmers on my stomach trying to keep warm.  Pretty soon I will turn off my headlamp and turn on my Ipod and fall asleep  in my sleeping bag listening to some tunes.

We spent a night this past week at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). There is a hostel there and  you can go whitewater rafting and tubing on the Nantahala River.  Had a barbecue chicken sandwich and a cold beer! MMM! We also met a group of high-schoolers day hiking near there who were from Dublin, Ohio.

Hoping to make it to Fontana Dam Shelter tomorrow, but if it's raining all day we probably won't.  The shelter is nicknamed the "Fontana Hilton" because it sleeps 24 and has a restroom with showers.  Fontana Dam is the highest dam in the eastern United States at 480 feet. The visitors center is the beginning of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This area has the most rainfall and snowfall on the AT in the south...so wish us luck!

"You need special shoes for hiking...and a bit of a special soul as well."
Terry Guillemets

4 comments:

  1. I bet you'll see some beautiful sights in the Great Smoky Mountains. Enjoy the scenery and stay dry!

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  2. Well, Dad, I checked out the weather and it looks like that area is living up to it's reputation. Stay dry!

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  3. I'm so sorry I didn't realize you were leaving from Amicolola Falls otherwise we would have come up to see you since it's only 30minutes from us! It sounds like you are having an amazing trip and hope you stay dry with this crazy spring rainy season we have! xoxo Renee

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  4. Hey Dave, good thing you practiced "the turtle" years ago. Stay in your shell and you will be dry. Warm thoughts are sent your way. B&B

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