NOTE: This blog is transcribed from my trail journal. I took all the photos along the way or had someone else snap them to get me in an occasional picture. If you click on any picture you can view it full frame. Just click the back arrow to get back to the blog.
If you haven't yet read the blog of my first AT hike this summer, you might want to click on the link titled, "June" on the right side of this page and read that before reading about this second epic journey.....
Day 0- 7/3/08
Chris and I did day hikes in the Asheville, NC area for a few days. Chris very much enjoys day-hiking, but not back-packing nor sleeping in the woods without benefit of shower or toilet. 
These day hikes also gave Doc more opportunity to get used to his new doggie backpack. I had special ordered the pack and it initially came in the wrong size. They shipped us another one but it had to be delivered to our hotel in Asheville. I was keeping my fingers crossed that it would be the right size this time and that Doc would take to it okay. Luckily the size(Medium) was perfect and it didn’t bother Doc a bit to carry it, even with a week’s worth of dog food, his bed (a plastic sheet) and his 
food/water bowl.
On one of our hikes our other Flatcoat, Jazz, got to meet his first horse up close and personal.
Chris drove me up to Hot Springs, NC (about 45 minutes northwest of Asheville) on Fri 7/3 to begin my hike. 
I had made reservations at the Mountain Magnolia Inn, a gourmet bed & breakfast. Our room was in the Cliffs annex as they don’t allow dogs in the main beautifully restored Victorian B & B. We had a very nice 2 bedroom suite in the annex, which is an old brick building hanging over the river rapids. It had a nice terrace and a full kitchen as well. The suite was plenty large enough for 2 couples , luckily they only charged us for one of the bedrooms.
We had a fantastic dinner up at the big house. I’m a firm believer in eating well before starting on “trail food.” Chris had an excellent seared sea bass and I had a roast Cuban duck served with pigeon peas, rice and plantains. For dessert, we shared a spicy chocolate soufflé – yum!
Day 1 – 7/4/08…. 8.5 miles
Chris needed to get an early start for her 8 hour trip home so we were packed and out of our room by 0730.
We drove down the hill to the big house for breakfast. Another great meal – homemade granola, a green chili/egg casserole, bacon, potatoes, fruit, muffins and homemade croissants. Chris had a quick meal and got on the road.
As the trail was only ¼ mile from the Inn, I binged for 2ds and 3rds. By 0900, I had force-fed myself, finished the paper and loaded a ziplock bag with a large blueberry muffin for my lunch. After several guests and the innkeeper had time to play with Doc (who had been tied to the Inn’s sign in the front yard while I ate), I could find no other excuses for delay, so I donned my pack and we headed out for the next phase of our adventure.
A couple of things, in addition to Doc, have changed since my first AT hike. In an attempt to both lighten my load and sleep better; I have switched from a tent to a hammock. The hammock, made by Hennessy in Canada, has netting and a rain fly, but weighs less than 2 lbs. This eliminated several lbs. from my pack.
I
’m also carrying several days less food than I started with last time, so I’ve got a starting pack weight, including food and water, in the mid-40’s rather than the 52 lbs. I started with last time. I’m also about 5 lbs. lighter than when I began my last hike. Hopefully 12 lbs. less will make climbing those mountains a little easier….
Since the trail runs right through the town of
Hot Springs, I stopped at Bluff Mountain Outfitters to weigh in and to pick up some light weight waterproof bags for my phone, camera, and wallet. I had been using the snack size ziplocks, but they weren’t holding up well.
I also met 2 young hikers, Andy and Coleman, who were going to be heading north on the trail tomorrow.After leaving the outfitters, 
Doc and I crossed the highway bridge over the French Broad River, then jumped the guard rail to take us around and under the bridge. I let Doc swim briefly in the river to cool him off and then we headed uphill following the ubiquitous white blazes.
Doc and I crossed the highway bridge over the French Broad River, then jumped the guard rail to take us around and under the bridge. I let Doc swim briefly in the river to cool him off and then we headed uphill following the ubiquitous white blazes. 
We had an initial very steep climb of an hour or so up to Lover’s Leap overlooking the river,and then a lesser climb up to Mill Ridge. 
Believe it or not, we found an old mill pond and dam up almost at the top of the ridge. I later learned that it had been built in the 1850’s. You don’t normally expect to find a pond that high up a mountain. There I met a woman hiker from Knoxville, TN with her dog and we both swam our animals in the pond. The water looked rather nasty to me but Doc enjoyed it.
I wanted to spend some more time in the area looking for the ruins of the mill itself, but grey clouds and the sound of distant thunder got us moving. Doc and I had just made it to the top of Mill Ridge when all H*** broke loose with the weather, and we got caught in a major thunderstorm. Initially it was only driving rain and we took shelter under two towering oak trees on the ridge, but then the lightning started striking all around us. It was like being in a soggy earthquake as the ground literally shook under us. I was very uncomfortable being under the highest trees in the area, so Doc and I moved out into the field and knelt down, leaving the pack and hiking poles under the trees. I know they say this is what you should do in such a storm, but let me tell you, it wasn’t much fun actually being there for a few minutes. Doc, who has no problem with fireworks or gunfire, was trying to hide under my feet, and I would have like to have found a spot to hide as well. After about 15 VERY long minutes the storm cell moved on. Even though I had managed to get on my rain jacket I was soaked, but luckily the sun came out and we started to steam clean. Doc and I had had our 4th of July fireworks a little early this year!
We then started up Rich Mountain. It wasn’t too bad a climb. We started the day at about 1200 feet and ended up at 3600. There is an abandoned fire tower on top of Rich Mountain, and my initial thought was to rig my hammock on top of the tower’s observation platform. This would have given me a view of the fireworks in 2 states. Unfortunately I was not the only one with that idea. By the time I got there, a group of weekend hikers had already pitched 3 tents on top of the platform and there was no room for my hammock. I chatted with them briefly, and then moved on. I didn’t want to push it too far on my first day.
I found a good campsite about ½ a mile further on and Doc and I set up a solo camp. I pitched my hammock, went to the spring to fill up on water and then fixed dinner for Doc and myself. He had kibble stew and I had freeze-dried jerk chicken and rice – I think his was better. I then rigged my food bags on a bear line up a tree several hundred yards from my campsite, and was in my hammock by 8:30PM.
Rain held off until after I was in the hammock and then it rained intermittently all night. 
The hammock stayed nice and dry. Doc slept on a small plastic sheet that I placed underneath the hammock. This served double duty as a dry spot to place my feet as I got in and out of the hammock.
The hammock stayed nice and dry. Doc slept on a small plastic sheet that I placed underneath the hammock. This served double duty as a dry spot to place my feet as I got in and out of the hammock. The Hennessey hammock is different from a traditional hammock in that you enter and exit it through a slit in the bottom of the hammock. When you lie down in the hammock the slit closes and is held by Velcro. This eliminates the possibility of falling out of the hammock. For those who might be interested, here is a link to Hennessy’s web site. They have some good videos on use of their hammocks. http://hennessyhammock.com/
I neglected to mention earlier that I also left my sleeping bag at home this trip as it had been much too warm last hike. Instead I brought an old lightweight quilted poncho liner and a silk travel-sheet. Tonight this was initially comfortable, but my back got cold with the loss of heat through the thin fabric of the hammock. I fixed this by adding a couple of layers of clothes during the night. I always switch out of my wet day clothes when I set up camp. These get rinsed out if water is readily available and at a minimum, hung up to dry under my rain fly above the hammock. I’ve found that switching from t-shirt and shorts into light-weight long pants and a long sleeved shirt keeps the bugs at bay and keeps me more comfortable as the evening gets progressively cooler. I ended up sleeping in long pants, socks, shirt and light-weight fleece jacket.
I neglected to mention earlier that I also left my sleeping bag at home this trip as it had been much too warm last hike. Instead I brought an old lightweight quilted poncho liner and a silk travel-sheet. Tonight this was initially comfortable, but my back got cold with the loss of heat through the thin fabric of the hammock. I fixed this by adding a couple of layers of clothes during the night. I always switch out of my wet day clothes when I set up camp. These get rinsed out if water is readily available and at a minimum, hung up to dry under my rain fly above the hammock. I’ve found that switching from t-shirt and shorts into light-weight long pants and a long sleeved shirt keeps the bugs at bay and keeps me more comfortable as the evening gets progressively cooler. I ended up sleeping in long pants, socks, shirt and light-weight fleece jacket.
Day 2 – 7/5/08….8.4 miles
I woke up about 0600 much more refreshed than after sleeping on a pad in my tent, so I gave at least an initial vote of approval to my hammock. It’s a beautiful morning and the only sounds are the birds in the trees and the rustle of the wind through the leaves.
I woke up about 0600 much more refreshed than after sleeping on a pad in my tent, so I gave at least an initial vote of approval to my hammock. It’s a beautiful morning and the only sounds are the birds in the trees and the rustle of the wind through the leaves.
The site I’m in is densely forested as is most of the trail thus far. I try to follow the trail philosophy of “leave no trace,” so I only camp in sites where I won’t disturb the vegetation or wildlife.
I also carry out all my trash. There may be several days before you will find a bear-proof trash container, usually at road-side parks or at a hostel. Doc insures that the trash is clean of all food scraps.
Breakfast this morning consisted of a freeze-dried western omelet and coffee. I was on the trail by 0900. I had an initial 2+ mile ascent of Spring Mountain and then several smaller ascents over the course of the day.
Breakfast this morning consisted of a freeze-dried western omelet and coffee. I was on the trail by 0900. I had an initial 2+ mile ascent of Spring Mountain and then several smaller ascents over the course of the day.
I had noticed in my trail guide that there was a small hostel named Hemlock Hollow several miles past Allen Gap, so I decided to make that my destination for the day. I tried calling them to see if I could reserve a cabin, but couldn’t get through on my cell phone. Just as with yesterday, there were intermittent showers in the afternoon but no major storms.
About 3 PM I got to what I thought was the dirt road that would lead to Hemlock Hollow. I took a left as indicated in the directions and headed downhill. It ended at the road specified in the directions, but it was one dirt road too soon so I ended up walking a good ways. I stopped to ask directions from a local resident and was given a ride the last ½ mile or so. I would have continued to walk, but was cautioned about a mean pit bull dog that was running loose. I didn’t want to take a chance with Doc so we both accepted the ride.
When I arrived at Hemlock Hollow I was lucky enough to get their last cabin. It was only about 10 x 10 but it was immaculate and had a comfortable double bed. It cost $17.00. Bath-house was up the hill.
The absolute best thing about Hemlock Hollow was that the proprietor made me a hand-dipped chocolate malted milk shake. It was heavenly. My dinner consisted of the shake and 2 micro-waved chicken sandwiches from the hostel’s freezer. They tasted a bit better when liberally doused in hot BBQ sauce. After dinner I showered and washed my clothes. Even though I’d only been on the trail 2 days it was nice to be able to wash the sweat and dirt out of the clothes I’d worn thus far. I made sure that I got the anti-microbial coatings to minimize odor on my hiking t-shirts, but didn't think about the shorts. They stand up by themselves by evenings...
While my clothes were washing, I sat and read on the porch of my cabin. I was surprised to see Andy and Coleman, the young guys I’d met in Hot Springs yesterday, come strolling up the road. They’d done a long 16+ mile day all the way from Hot Springs. Unfortunately, the bunkhouse and cabins were all rented, but they were able to set up their tent under a pole barn, and at least take advantage of hot showers.
Day 3 - 7/6/08….10.1 miles
After a good night’s sleep, I meandered down to the hostel office at 0700 to take advantage of the free coffee. While there I also ate a couple of sausage & egg biscuits from their freezer and settled my tab. At 0830 I was given a ride back to the trail head and headed north. The day’s hike wasn’t too bad. I had an initial ascent of about 2000 vertical feet over 3 miles and then the rest of the day was relatively level until I got to Big Firescald Knob.
There I had the option of 2 trails: one was labeled “inclement weather” and the other, “exposed ridgeline.” Since the weather wasn’t inclement at the moment I took the ridgeline option. 
This was truly an exposed ridgeline. After a broken rock climb, Doc and I were on a knife-edge ridge on which the trail was often a rock ledge less than 6 “ wide. I wasn’t worried for myself but I was very nervous about Doc’s ability to traverse some of the worst 
spots. 
There were also a couple of areas with 6 -10 foot vertical drops or climbs where I had to help him but he managed quite well.
After a good night’s sleep, I meandered down to the hostel office at 0700 to take advantage of the free coffee. While there I also ate a couple of sausage & egg biscuits from their freezer and settled my tab. At 0830 I was given a ride back to the trail head and headed north. The day’s hike wasn’t too bad. I had an initial ascent of about 2000 vertical feet over 3 miles and then the rest of the day was relatively level until I got to Big Firescald Knob.
There I had the option of 2 trails: one was labeled “inclement weather” and the other, “exposed ridgeline.” Since the weather wasn’t inclement at the moment I took the ridgeline option. 
This was truly an exposed ridgeline. After a broken rock climb, Doc and I were on a knife-edge ridge on which the trail was often a rock ledge less than 6 “ wide. I wasn’t worried for myself but I was very nervous about Doc’s ability to traverse some of the worst 
spots. 
There were also a couple of areas with 6 -10 foot vertical drops or climbs where I had to help him but he managed quite well.I could see a storm front rapidly approaching while we were on the ridge so I got off it as quickly as possible as I didn’t want to get caught in an exposed area again if at all possible. That section of the trail was only about a mile but took over an hour to traverse.
I had been warned that the spring at Jerry’s Cabin shelter, my destination for the evening, was dry, so I tanked up with 3+ liters of water at a small seep/spring a couple of miles before the shelter.
I arrived at Jerry's Cabin about 4:30PM and set up my hammock in the woods about 100 yards from the shelter. It was good that I had tanked up earlier as the nearby spring only had about a quart of water. I cleared out the leaves and left it for someone with more need than me.
I had been warned that the spring at Jerry’s Cabin shelter, my destination for the evening, was dry, so I tanked up with 3+ liters of water at a small seep/spring a couple of miles before the shelter.
I arrived at Jerry's Cabin about 4:30PM and set up my hammock in the woods about 100 yards from the shelter. It was good that I had tanked up earlier as the nearby spring only had about a quart of water. I cleared out the leaves and left it for someone with more need than me. About an hour later, Andy and Coleman joined me. They set up camp in the shelter. We had some nice conversation. The 2 of them had met at a summer camp in Hendersonville, NC where they’d spent many summers, and they had planned their AT hike as an adventure before heading off to college. Andy is from Vero Beach, FL and Coleman from Spartanburg, SC.
They brought a Frisbee, and we had a good game of catch before fixing dinner. I had freeze-dried beef stroganoff, which wasn’t bad, and they had instant mashed potatoes with about ½ a large stick of pepperoni chopped into it. Luckily for Doc, they overestimated what they could eat, and he happily cleaned their dishes for them.
About dark, I left them to meander back to my hammock. This evening, we were at about 4200 feet, so it was cooler than my previous nights. I put progressively more clothes on as the evening progressed, but slept fitfully as the thin bottom of the hammock seemed to leach the heat from my back. I definitely made a mistake in not bringing my sleeping bag. 
When I awoke and looked out of the hammock I was initially startled by this image of my hat and sun glasses..... At first I thought it was a politician, but then realized "it was just an empty hat...."
Day 4 – 7/7/08….15.2 miles
I was up, ate and packed before Andy and Coleman woke up. I envy them their ability to sleep late. We had agreed the night before that we would try to rendezvous that afternoon at a camp site called Big Flat. After a short climb of a mile or so, I had a 9 mile level to down-hill stretch….lovely.
I was up, ate and packed before Andy and Coleman woke up. I envy them their ability to sleep late. We had agreed the night before that we would try to rendezvous that afternoon at a camp site called Big Flat. After a short climb of a mile or so, I had a 9 mile level to down-hill stretch….lovely.
Of course, after that I had a 3+ mile climb up over Sugarloaf Gap and Lick Rock …great names!
In the early afternoon, I broke out of the wooded trail onto a small manicured stretch of lawn in the middle of the woods. There were 3 gravesites on the lawn. 
I later learned that these were 2 local brothers who had chosen to fight for the Union side during the War of Northern Aggression. Both of them and their young lookout were ambushed and killed by Confederate soldiers while they were sneaking home to visit their families during the war. The descendents still keep their graves in immaculate shape over 150 years later.
I later learned that these were 2 local brothers who had chosen to fight for the Union side during the War of Northern Aggression. Both of them and their young lookout were ambushed and killed by Confederate soldiers while they were sneaking home to visit their families during the war. The descendents still keep their graves in immaculate shape over 150 years later.I got to the proposed campsite, Big Flat, at around 3 PM, but there was no water, so I chose to keep moving to the next spring on the map which was about 3 miles further on at the Hogback Ridge Shelter. I got there about 5 PM just as two southbound young women hikers were arriving. About an hour later, Coleman and Andy also showed up and were quite excited about sharing camp with the young women. Luckily there was plenty of water in the spring, even though it was a .25 mile walk to get to it from the shelter. The younger crew pitched their camp in the shelter and I rigged my hammock about 50 yards away.
Doc and I both have sore feet tonight. I gave him a dose of medicam (doggie aspirin) and I took some "vitamin I" (hikers' name for ibuprofin).
Doc and I both have sore feet tonight. I gave him a dose of medicam (doggie aspirin) and I took some "vitamin I" (hikers' name for ibuprofin).
Unfortunately, Andy had thrown his knee out during the day’s hike and it was bothering him quite a bit. I loaned him the knee brace from my first aid kit, and suggested that he might want to consider getting off it for a couple of days if it wasn’t better by morning.
In an effort to keep my back warmer in the hammock I tried something new this evening: I rigged an emergency mylar space blanket like a diaper underneath the hammock in the thought that the blanket would trap body heat and keep me warmer. It initially worked but the mylar was too fragile. The blanket ripped in half when I sat in the hammock, I tried tying it up but the solution was temporary at best. It did keep my back warmer where it was in close proximity to the bottom of the hammock.
Day 5 – 7/8/08….10 miles
After a fitful night with a few showers, I got up late at about 0730. The others were also up and we shared a picnic table as we all prepared our breakfasts. Andy’s knee was still bothering him and I recommended that he call the nearest hostel and get them to pick him up at the closest road which was about 2 miles from the shelter. I gave him the number for Uncle Johnny’s Nolichucky Hostel in Erwin, TN and he was able to arrange a pickup. I offered to let Coleman travel with me for a couple of days but he chose to stay with his friend. I also spent some time this morning, working on some nasty blisters of one of the women hikers. After all this I got a late start with my own hike and I was the last to leave the shelter at close to 11 AM.
Andy and Coleman were to be picked up at Sam’s Gap where the trail crosses Interstate 26. They had been picked up by the time I got there. There were trash cans at the crossing so Doc and I rid ourselves of our trash.
After a fitful night with a few showers, I got up late at about 0730. The others were also up and we shared a picnic table as we all prepared our breakfasts. Andy’s knee was still bothering him and I recommended that he call the nearest hostel and get them to pick him up at the closest road which was about 2 miles from the shelter. I gave him the number for Uncle Johnny’s Nolichucky Hostel in Erwin, TN and he was able to arrange a pickup. I offered to let Coleman travel with me for a couple of days but he chose to stay with his friend. I also spent some time this morning, working on some nasty blisters of one of the women hikers. After all this I got a late start with my own hike and I was the last to leave the shelter at close to 11 AM.
Andy and Coleman were to be picked up at Sam’s Gap where the trail crosses Interstate 26. They had been picked up by the time I got there. There were trash cans at the crossing so Doc and I rid ourselves of our trash.
Soon after the crossing we came to a barbed wire fence with a short ladder. You encounter these types of ladders crossing fences relatively often on some sections of the trail. Doc and I went up and over and headed across the pasture on the other side. Part way up, Doc chose to roll in an extremely ripe cow patty – yuk!
He and his pack were both extremely pungent, and I had no water source to wash him. After it dried in a couple of hours I was able to brush his coat out with a small dog brush that I had packed, just in case. In the mean time, I had to caution several hikers that we passed that they might not want to pet Doc this afternoon and explained why.
He and his pack were both extremely pungent, and I had no water source to wash him. After it dried in a couple of hours I was able to brush his coat out with a small dog brush that I had packed, just in case. In the mean time, I had to caution several hikers that we passed that they might not want to pet Doc this afternoon and explained why. After Sam’s Gap we basically climbed all day for over 9 miles. In the late afternoon it poured for about an hour as I was crossing Big Bald, but luckily it was just rain and not a thunderstorm. It actually felt good as I was very hot and sweaty. I came up over this bald in the pouring rain 
and it reminded me of the scene in Sound of Music where Julie Andrews and the kids are cavorting on the mountaintop. Some people might have found it extremely odd that here I was in the pouring rain on the mountaintop singing, “ the hills are alive with the sound of music…” at the top of my lungs. Even Doc gave me a look as if to say, “enough already…I’m hungry, wet and tired.” I still enjoyed the moment.
and it reminded me of the scene in Sound of Music where Julie Andrews and the kids are cavorting on the mountaintop. Some people might have found it extremely odd that here I was in the pouring rain on the mountaintop singing, “ the hills are alive with the sound of music…” at the top of my lungs. Even Doc gave me a look as if to say, “enough already…I’m hungry, wet and tired.” I still enjoyed the moment.I eventually got to the Bald Mountain Shelter at about 6:3
0PM. I had actually been hoping for some solitude, but there were 4 hikers already at the shelter. One was a father-son pair of long distance hikers, and the other was 2 brothers hiking for a few days. One of the brothers, Henry Beckum, was wearing a hat with an Army Ranger tab. I told him I had also earned the tab, and we started talking. It ended up that we shared more than the tab: we also both went to North Georgia College, a small military college in Dahlonega, GA.
0PM. I had actually been hoping for some solitude, but there were 4 hikers already at the shelter. One was a father-son pair of long distance hikers, and the other was 2 brothers hiking for a few days. One of the brothers, Henry Beckum, was wearing a hat with an Army Ranger tab. I told him I had also earned the tab, and we started talking. It ended up that we shared more than the tab: we also both went to North Georgia College, a small military college in Dahlonega, GA.The father-son pair, Steamboat and Mojo were their trail names, had an interesting hobby on the trail. They each carried 2 mousetraps, and they had a contest going to see how many mice they could catch at the shelters. They caught 3 that night at Big Bald, making their total to date 36 mice. They baited the traps with ½ an M&M candy.
That night I used my trusty duct tape to repair my space blanket and rigged it differently so that it would not be subjected to as much stress. It worked much better. Even though it rained all night I was relatively comfortable, although I wore several layers.
That night I used my trusty duct tape to repair my space blanket and rigged it differently so that it would not be subjected to as much stress. It worked much better. Even though it rained all night I was relatively comfortable, although I wore several layers.
Day 6….7/9/08….22+ miles
Once again, it ra
ined most of the night but had stopped by morning. I was up and fixing breakfast by 0600 in a misty dawn. I chatted briefly with the southbound hikers, shot a few pictures and was hiking by 0730. I got an early start as I was going to try to push all the way into Erwin, TN to Uncle Johnnie’s Nolichucky Hostel. I thought this barely possible since, even though I had 5 minor ascents to deal with over the course of the day, I would be primarily going downhill.
Once again, it ra
ined most of the night but had stopped by morning. I was up and fixing breakfast by 0600 in a misty dawn. I chatted briefly with the southbound hikers, shot a few pictures and was hiking by 0730. I got an early start as I was going to try to push all the way into Erwin, TN to Uncle Johnnie’s Nolichucky Hostel. I thought this barely possible since, even though I had 5 minor ascents to deal with over the course of the day, I would be primarily going downhill.
My morning was uneventful, crossing a nice bald as I headed toward Spivey Gap. After crossing Highway 19W at Spivey Gap, it started raining steadily. As the trail was getting somewhat treacherous in the rain, I looked at my map to see if I had any alternatives. I saw a logging road that appeared to somewhat parallel the trail at a lower altitude and would also end up in Erwin. I decided to take it. I left the trail at what I thought was Devil’s Creek Gap and started following this dirt road downhill in the pouring rain. I followed the road for the next 3 hours. Eventually, it merged with another dirt road and then turned to pavement. The rain finally stopped about the time I hit the pavement. I kept heading downhill toward my destination. This was true Appalachia, with a pickup, old cars, ATV, rebel flag, and loose chickens in almost every yard. Eventually, I could see a road sign in the distance and figured I was coming into Erwin. This was a good thing since my feet really hurt and the pack was getting very heavy after my longest day yet. I could taste the pizza and beer already. There was only one problem. When I got close enough to read the sign, it said Sioux, not Erwin. I wasn’t sure if Sioux was a suburb of Erwin or what so I pulled out my map. It was then that I discovered that I’d made a BIG mistake. I wasn’t quite to Devil’s Creek when I turned onto the logging road and I actually turned on to the wrong road. This road led me in the absolute opposite direction to that I wanted and I actually ended up in NC rather than in TN and about 35 road miles from Erwin. I was walking with my head down in the pouring rain for several hours and didn’t pay close enough attention to my map and compass.I knew I was in big trouble when I called Uncle Johnny’s to try and arrange for a shuttle to pick me up. (Otherwise I had at least another long day’s walking to get to Erwin, TN.) Johnny told me that he’d lived in the area for 15 years and had never heard of Sioux. He didn’t realize I had ended up in NC rather than TN. He asked me what highway I was walking down, but since there were only signs indicating the side streets, I couldn’t tell him. I kept walking and eventually got to a country Baptist Church where they were having evening bible school. I got directions from them and called Johnny back. He agreed to send someone for me. (Thank goodness for my cell phone!) I sat on a bench in front of the church for the next 1.5 hours chatting with the parishioners and waiting on my ride, but eventually it got there.
The driver was nice enough to stop at a combination convenience store and fast food spot on our way to town. I picked up a six pack of Sam Adams, 3 chili dogs, a cheeseburger, fries and cole slaw. Boy did that food hit the spot. It was a great snack!
By 9 PM, I was ensconced into another very small cabin at Uncle Johnnie’s and joined the other guests and staff at the common table for dinner and beer. I was glad to see Andy and Coleman had made it there safely and to hear that Andy’s knee was feeling better. Given the state of my feet and my wet gear, I decided that tomorrow would be a rest day (referred to by hikers as a zero day), especially since it was forecast to pour again. After consuming several beers and helping them eat their KFC chicken, I crashed.Day 7&8 - 7/10-11/08….0 miles
Doc and I slept in until 0700, and then meandered around to the front of the hostel in a desperate search for coffee. At least I was desperate – Doc only wanted his kibble! Luckily someone had started a pot so I got my coffee fix.
This is a picture of me with Uncle Johnny.
I then fed and walked Doc along the Nolichucky River while waiting for most of the other guests to emerge from their cocoons. About 0900, Johnnie drove us down to another combination convenience store and coffee shop where I polished off a large biscuit, gravy and a couple of eggs.
The day was grey and gloomy with on and off rain. I washed my clothes and also unpacked the supply box which I’d sent myself care of Uncle Johnny’s. The box had food, fuel, and toiletries which I wasn’t sure I’d be able to buy locally. Many long distance hikers either mail themselves or have someone mail them, periodic boxes of supplies. I then repacked the box with several items which I’d found I wasn’t using so that it could be mailed home. I spent several rainy hours napping in the afternoon and also caught up on my email using the hostel’s computer.
Given that the forecast was for rain again the next day, I decided to extend my stay for another day. That evening, several of us went out to dinner at a barbeque restaurant, where a combination of horrible service and very mediocre food frustrated everyone.
As it was sunny after breakfast, I hung most of my gear on a clothesline and spread the rest around my room. I then got Johnnie to give me a ride downtown to a shoe repair store where I got the owner to stitch down the iron-on Velcro that I had used to make a light weight sleeping bag out of my poncho liner – the iron-on adhesive wasn’t holding worth a darn. On the way back, I got dropped off at a local pizza place for lunch, where I made a sizable dent in their pizza buffet.
As it was sunny after breakfast, I hung most of my gear on a clothesline and spread the rest around my room. I then got Johnnie to give me a ride downtown to a shoe repair store where I got the owner to stitch down the iron-on Velcro that I had used to make a light weight sleeping bag out of my poncho liner – the iron-on adhesive wasn’t holding worth a darn. On the way back, I got dropped off at a local pizza place for lunch, where I made a sizable dent in their pizza buffet.
It poured most of the afternoon. During the afternoon, Johnnie was short a driver for a shuttle run so I drove a client’s pickup from their put-in point on the Nolichucky River, to where they would be leaving the river after a whitewater kayak trip. The truck had a Roger Miller CD in its player and I ended up having his “King of the Road” song running through my head for the rest of my hike. That evening I solo’d at a mediocre Mexican restaurant and repacked my pack so that I’d be ready for a departure first thing in the AM. I then had a beer with all the gang and retired for the evening.
I was first awakened about 1:30 AM to the sounds of a bit of drunken boisterousness coming from the communal table out front. It seemed that everyone there was having a lot of fun and a long night. I was awakened again about 3:30 AM after my young friend, Coleman, apparently got sick in his bunk and threw up all over everything. He then made it to the bathhouse and was sick again. Those trying to help him had had a bit too much as well so nothing was being done quietly. Apparently one of the river raft guides had given Coleman a bottle of moonshine and he’d consumed part of that that with several other types of alcohol over the course of the evening. The coming of age combination proved too much for him. Having been there once upon a time myself, I got up to see if I could help, but everything was as under control as possible. That was the end of my rest for the night and I read until daybreak.
Day 9 – 7/12/08….11 miles
Daybreak comes a little later in Western Tennessee so it was about 0630 when I went out front to see if there was any badly needed coffee. Unfortunately, it appeared that none of last night’s players were early risers, so I brewed a pot myself.
When Johnnie got in around 0730 I bought a cinnamon roll and juice for my breakfast. He then helped me figure out how to back-wash my MSR water filter, something I hadn’t been able to accomplish beforehand, even after reading the so-called directions several times. After a few tries we figured it out together so I was able to thoroughly back-wash the filter and get it ready for the trail.
About 0830, as I was getting ready to depart, Coleman and Andy stuck their heads out to say that they’d see me later at Beauty Spot, the place I intended to camp for the evening. They looked a lot worse for wear. I didn’t envy them their hangovers, which were quite evident.
By 0900, Doc and I had donned our packs, which were now significantly heavier as we had restocked with food for the next week or so. We crossed the Nolichucky River Bridge, then I let him swim for a few minutes to cool him off before we started climbing for the day. The day was warm but not oppressive.
Today I’d be climbing all day, starting at about 1,800 feet and climbing to about 4,500 feet. Although we climbed steadily the climbing was not bad. There were switchbacks and the footing was good. 
I did climb through a burned out area for a couple of hours. The smell of burned wood was very strong. The burn had taken apparently taken place several months before and new growth was already starting to appear. The worst thing was the lack of shade in this area. Doc and I have gotten very used to walking in “the green tunnel.”
I got to Beauty Spot Bald about 4 PM.
The view was great and there were a couple of guys already setting their tents up on the bald to enjoy the view for the evening. As there were no trees on the bald I had to move below the crest into the woods to find a place to hang my hammock. I moved on about a ¼ mile until I found a good campsite where I proceeded to set up my hammock. I had bought a heavier grade space blanket at Uncle Johnnie’s so I rigged that as a diaper under the hammock to keep my back warm. 
By 0900, Doc and I had donned our packs, which were now significantly heavier as we had restocked with food for the next week or so. We crossed the Nolichucky River Bridge, then I let him swim for a few minutes to cool him off before we started climbing for the day. The day was warm but not oppressive.
Today I’d be climbing all day, starting at about 1,800 feet and climbing to about 4,500 feet. Although we climbed steadily the climbing was not bad. There were switchbacks and the footing was good. 
I did climb through a burned out area for a couple of hours. The smell of burned wood was very strong. The burn had taken apparently taken place several months before and new growth was already starting to appear. The worst thing was the lack of shade in this area. Doc and I have gotten very used to walking in “the green tunnel.”I got to Beauty Spot Bald about 4 PM.
The view was great and there were a couple of guys already setting their tents up on the bald to enjoy the view for the evening. As there were no trees on the bald I had to move below the crest into the woods to find a place to hang my hammock. I moved on about a ¼ mile until I found a good campsite where I proceeded to set up my hammock. I had bought a heavier grade space blanket at Uncle Johnnie’s so I rigged that as a diaper under the hammock to keep my back warm. 
A little while later a couple who I had met earlier joined me at the campsite and Andy and Coleman finally crawled in about 6 PM. After everyone set up their tents, they started a campfire and we gathered around it to chat and fix our dinners.
As Doc can be a bit of a pain, begging from everyone (especially since he has “hiker hunger”), I tied him to a nearby stump to keep him out of the way until everyone was finished with dinner. After a few minutes, all of a sudden he started going crazy: barking, moaning and jumping around. I ran over to see what the problem was, and I could see that somehow he’d disturbed a nest of hornets which were literally boiling out of the ground next to him. I tried to get his leash off the stump but he was jumping around too much and I was getting stung multiple times. Luckily Coleman had his knife handy and he cut Doc’s leash loose from the stump so that Doc could get away. This was no fun at all. Andy then used our hiking poles to fence off the area and we stayed well away for the rest of the evening. After the hornets calmed down I was able to retrieve the rest of Doc’s leash which I tied back together for the rest of the trip.
We all went up to the top of the bald to watch the sunset and then we all crashed. No one had gotten much sleep the night before. I discovered a small problem when I tried to get into my poncho liner bag that I'd just had resewn in Erwin. The guy put the velcro in wrong so that hooks faced hooks and loops faced loops, It wouldn't close at all so I had to resort to closing it with 6 large safety pins....You do what you've got to do.
Day 10 – 7/13/08….18 miles
The new space blanket “diaper” for my hammock seemed to work as I had a good night’s sleep. No rain overnight. I got up around 0630, fixed coffee and had some granola. By 0800 I was on the trail. I was 2nd out of the campsite. The couple left a bit ahead of me and Andy and Coleman were still in their tent when I left.
The new space blanket “diaper” for my hammock seemed to work as I had a good night’s sleep. No rain overnight. I got up around 0630, fixed coffee and had some granola. By 0800 I was on the trail. I was 2nd out of the campsite. The couple left a bit ahead of me and Andy and Coleman were still in their tent when I left.
My initial climb was about 2 miles and a thousand vertical feet up to the top of Unaka Mountain. This was a challenging climb with a lot of exposed tree roots. These can be very slippery when damp. The top of Unaka was very interesting. It was a hemlock forest with absolutely no undergrowth. I guess the thick needles acted as a mulch to block growth. There were very low clouds and tendrils of fog winding around the trees. It was absolutely quiet and very eerie, like something out of the enchanted forest in the Harry Potter movies. I almost expected to see a unicorn step from behind a tree. This mountaintop was totally unlike any other I’ve encountered thus far on the AT.
A
fter about 5 miles I arrived at the Cherry Gap Shelter and decided to stop for lunch. I took a small package of tuna, then added small tubes of mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce and relish (garnered from fast-food establishments) for a quick tuna salad. I had this on a couple of flour tortillas. The tortillas are a common bread source on the AT as they are easily available, travel well and don’t crumble or dry out like regular bread. Coleman and Andy arrived as I was eating. As I was getting ready to leave the shelter, it started pouring. As I had no deadlines to make I simply stretched out in the shelter and took a nap for the next 1.5 hours until it stopped.
A
fter about 5 miles I arrived at the Cherry Gap Shelter and decided to stop for lunch. I took a small package of tuna, then added small tubes of mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce and relish (garnered from fast-food establishments) for a quick tuna salad. I had this on a couple of flour tortillas. The tortillas are a common bread source on the AT as they are easily available, travel well and don’t crumble or dry out like regular bread. Coleman and Andy arrived as I was eating. As I was getting ready to leave the shelter, it started pouring. As I had no deadlines to make I simply stretched out in the shelter and took a nap for the next 1.5 hours until it stopped.Before I headed out from the shelter, I called the hostel at Greasy Creek Gap and arranged for a room for the evening. I walked for the better part of an hour before encountering another hiker. We both stopped to chat, and in the course of our conversation, he told me he was northbound. I told him he was heading south, but it turned out it was me who was heading south. I had turned the wrong way coming out of the shelter. This move cost me as it would now be close to dark before I could get to the hostel at Greasy Creek. I wanted to call to let them know I’d be late, and in the course of looking for their number I discovered that I had also lost my trail guide. I keep a single current page of the guide in a small ziplock in my shorts pocket so I can easily refer to it. Also if lost, I only lose a day or so’s worth of directions. Luckily I still had a topo map, but I no longer had the detailed instructions for getting to the hostel. I figured I could still call them as I had their number in memory on my phone, but decided to wait to do so until I was closer.
There was on and off rain all afternoon, and it was after 7 PM when I finally arrived at Greasy Creek Gap. I thought that I remembered the directions to the hostel were to walk left and downhill down an old logging road to the hostel. I found the road, turned left and walked for ½ an hour downhill until I came to another intersecting road…but no hostel. I tried calling, but had no cell service - I should have called at the top of the hill before descending. If that wasn’t bad enough it started pouring, and it was getting dark. I was getting very cold and I decided that the only smart thing to do at this point was to find a place to quickly pitch camp so that I could get into some warm dry clothes and have something to eat. Luckily I found a good campsite within a few minutes and pitched my hammock, trying to keep it as dry as possible in the pouring rain. I managed to do so just as it was getting fully dark. I changed into dry clothes under the tarp of my hammock and fed Doc. I was just too tired to eat much or to mess with the stove in the rain, so I ate a Snickers bar and went to bed. The dampness put a chill on everything. I even left Doc to guard my food bags rather than trying to find a suitable tree to hang them. I figured any self-respecting bears would be trying to find a dry den.
Day 11 – 7/14/08…10 miles
It poured most of the night. Doc must have heard something at one time as he gave off one of the most ferocious growls I’ve ever heard him utter. It must of worked….I managed to sleep until 0500, but was wide awake by then. The rain had slacked off and I fixed my last night’s planned dinner, freeze-dried beef stroganoff once again, for my breakfast. As you have to let it set and rehydrate for a few minutes after you add the boiling water, I simply got back in my hammock and used the package like a hot water bottle to keep me nice and warm while I dozed and waited.
The rain had one benefit for me: before I went to bed, I positioned my water bottle to catch runoff from my tarp. By morning, it was full and saved me a trip to pump and filter water. As my hammock was soaked, I simply strapped it underneath my pack when I broke camp. I then had to head back up the logging road I had descended the night before. I never did find the Greasy Creek Hostel. By the way, the name Greasy Creek came from the olden days when they butchered bears next to the creek and rinsed the hides in the stream. The bear fat made the stream water greasy - hence the name.
Today was most notable for the climbing. I had 2 significant ascents to make. The first was Little Rock knob; a climb of about 2 miles and a thousand feet. It wasn’t bad. The second climb, Roan Mountain, was a different story: it was 4 miles and 2,500 vertical feet and it was all steep and rocky. Not fun at all. I renamed it “Groan” Mountain. I finished the final ascent to the top of Roan by about 4 PM. There is also a road to the top and there were a lot of tourists wandering about so I kept going another ½ mile to the shelter.
It poured most of the night. Doc must have heard something at one time as he gave off one of the most ferocious growls I’ve ever heard him utter. It must of worked….I managed to sleep until 0500, but was wide awake by then. The rain had slacked off and I fixed my last night’s planned dinner, freeze-dried beef stroganoff once again, for my breakfast. As you have to let it set and rehydrate for a few minutes after you add the boiling water, I simply got back in my hammock and used the package like a hot water bottle to keep me nice and warm while I dozed and waited.
The rain had one benefit for me: before I went to bed, I positioned my water bottle to catch runoff from my tarp. By morning, it was full and saved me a trip to pump and filter water. As my hammock was soaked, I simply strapped it underneath my pack when I broke camp. I then had to head back up the logging road I had descended the night before. I never did find the Greasy Creek Hostel. By the way, the name Greasy Creek came from the olden days when they butchered bears next to the creek and rinsed the hides in the stream. The bear fat made the stream water greasy - hence the name.
Today was most notable for the climbing. I had 2 significant ascents to make. The first was Little Rock knob; a climb of about 2 miles and a thousand feet. It wasn’t bad. The second climb, Roan Mountain, was a different story: it was 4 miles and 2,500 vertical feet and it was all steep and rocky. Not fun at all. I renamed it “Groan” Mountain. I finished the final ascent to the top of Roan by about 4 PM. There is also a road to the top and there were a lot of tourists wandering about so I kept going another ½ mile to the shelter.
The shelter is an old log cabin that used to be the fire warden’s house when there was a fire tower on the mountain. The shelter has a first floor plus a loft and actually has a front door that shuts and latches. Given that thunderstorms were forecast, I rigged my hammock in the loft of the shelter.
After setting up my hammock, I explored the area to find the local water source. It ended up being a good flowing spring about 300 yards from the shelter. I filled up my 96 oz collapsible water container using my filter and then lugged it back to the shelter. I then set up camp using the table attached to the front of the shelter.
After setting up my hammock, I explored the area to find the local water source. It ended up being a good flowing spring about 300 yards from the shelter. I filled up my 96 oz collapsible water container using my filter and then lugged it back to the shelter. I then set up camp using the table attached to the front of the shelter.
As I was doing this another hiker I’d met previously, with the trail name, “Manimal,” from Johnson City, TN arrived. He set up his tent nearby and we chatted and relaxed for a while. 
We were then joined by several young kids who were taking a several day hike as part of a summer camp program. They were camped nearby and they all wanted to play with Doc. Naturally, being a Flatcoat, he loved the attention.
I then whipped up some freeze-dried potatoes and smoked salmon. By the way, I normally eat a 2 person serving. I find the single serve containers are just not enough when you’re burning 4-5,000 calories or so on a daily basis.
After the sun went down, it started to get cold quite rapidly on the top of the mountain. I hadn’t really considered the temperature impact of an elevation at 6,280 feet. I switched to my long pants and shirt plus a fleece jacket. By 9 PM I was ready to crawl into my hammock. I climbed up the ladder and through a trapdoor to the loft while leaving Doc to take care of things on the first floor. With a front door that latched, I felt comfortable suspending my food from the first floor rafters rather than a nearby tree. The suspension from the rafters was to protect against mice.
After the sun went down, it started to get cold quite rapidly on the top of the mountain. I hadn’t really considered the temperature impact of an elevation at 6,280 feet. I switched to my long pants and shirt plus a fleece jacket. By 9 PM I was ready to crawl into my hammock. I climbed up the ladder and through a trapdoor to the loft while leaving Doc to take care of things on the first floor. With a front door that latched, I felt comfortable suspending my food from the first floor rafters rather than a nearby tree. The suspension from the rafters was to protect against mice.
Day 12 – 7/15/08….17+ miles
It continued to get colder throughout the night. Before morning, I was once again in all the layers of clothes I could put on, even with the heavier space blanket. I obviously had to find another solution to the cold sleeping issue. I got up about 0530 and started coffee and a small campfire. The temp was in the low 40’s. By 0630, a couple of the teenage girl campers were back at my fire. By 0730, I had eaten my granola, drunk my coffee and had broken camp.
I looked at my map to plan the day’s hike before heading out. Although there were some small climbs, the trend of the day would be down so I felt that I could do a few more miles than had been my norm, especially as at about mile 17 would be Mountain Harbour Hostel off Highway 19E. I decided that would be my goal, but I’d hold off until around noon to see how far I’d managed to hike and how I felt before calling for a reservation.
The day was beautiful and I’d been told to expect some magnificent scenery as I would be traversing several balds over the course of the day. After leaving the shelter, the AT for our initial decent of a couple of miles was in a gravel stream bed. I appreciated the dryness for once. We then hit Carver’s Gap. At the highway there was a parking lot for day-hikers and one of those rarities on the AT: a sit-down toilet. Since I have always been one to seize the moment, I stopped for a few minutes....
Doc and I crossed Highway 143/261 and headed up Round Bald.
The views were indeed fantastic and the hiking was the easiest on the trail thus far. After Round Bald, we traversed Jane Bald, where we encountered a herd of goats grazing on the Bald. 
This was part of a grant experiment to eliminate the wild blackberry bushes that are taking over the Bald. The goats like the bushes better than the grass. We also met the goat-herder, who is a biologist using the goats as a summer research project. Further along, they are also using African longhorn cattle which graze on undergrowth as well. We didn’t see the actual cattle but saw a lot of their droppings. Luckily they were too desiccated for Doc to want to roll in.
Late morning, I got to the Stan Murray Shelter and stopped for a snack. As I was doing well with my hiking, I also took the opportunity to call the Mountain Harbour Hostel and make a reservation.
A couple of hours later I reached what is purported to be one of the best shelters on the entire AT. It is an old red barn called Overmountain Shelter.
It continued to get colder throughout the night. Before morning, I was once again in all the layers of clothes I could put on, even with the heavier space blanket. I obviously had to find another solution to the cold sleeping issue. I got up about 0530 and started coffee and a small campfire. The temp was in the low 40’s. By 0630, a couple of the teenage girl campers were back at my fire. By 0730, I had eaten my granola, drunk my coffee and had broken camp.
I looked at my map to plan the day’s hike before heading out. Although there were some small climbs, the trend of the day would be down so I felt that I could do a few more miles than had been my norm, especially as at about mile 17 would be Mountain Harbour Hostel off Highway 19E. I decided that would be my goal, but I’d hold off until around noon to see how far I’d managed to hike and how I felt before calling for a reservation.
The day was beautiful and I’d been told to expect some magnificent scenery as I would be traversing several balds over the course of the day. After leaving the shelter, the AT for our initial decent of a couple of miles was in a gravel stream bed. I appreciated the dryness for once. We then hit Carver’s Gap. At the highway there was a parking lot for day-hikers and one of those rarities on the AT: a sit-down toilet. Since I have always been one to seize the moment, I stopped for a few minutes....
Doc and I crossed Highway 143/261 and headed up Round Bald.
The views were indeed fantastic and the hiking was the easiest on the trail thus far. After Round Bald, we traversed Jane Bald, where we encountered a herd of goats grazing on the Bald. 
This was part of a grant experiment to eliminate the wild blackberry bushes that are taking over the Bald. The goats like the bushes better than the grass. We also met the goat-herder, who is a biologist using the goats as a summer research project. Further along, they are also using African longhorn cattle which graze on undergrowth as well. We didn’t see the actual cattle but saw a lot of their droppings. Luckily they were too desiccated for Doc to want to roll in.
Late morning, I got to the Stan Murray Shelter and stopped for a snack. As I was doing well with my hiking, I also took the opportunity to call the Mountain Harbour Hostel and make a reservation.
A couple of hours later I reached what is purported to be one of the best shelters on the entire AT. It is an old red barn called Overmountain Shelter.The accommodations are nothing to write home about, 
but the view is drop dead gorgeous. It looks straight up Yellow Mountain Gap. If I had not already made reservations at the hostel, I would most likely have stopped here for the evening. As it was we simply stopped for a short break and kept going so that we could make the hostel before dark.
After Overmountain Shelter, we climbed up the gap, then we climbed over Little Hump and Hump Mountains, two more in the day’s series of beautiful balds. From there it was a relatively steep 6 mile descent to Highway 19E. I made it to the highway by 6 PM, turned left and walked the ½ mile or so to the Mountain Harbour Hostel.
but the view is drop dead gorgeous. It looks straight up Yellow Mountain Gap. If I had not already made reservations at the hostel, I would most likely have stopped here for the evening. As it was we simply stopped for a short break and kept going so that we could make the hostel before dark.After Overmountain Shelter, we climbed up the gap, then we climbed over Little Hump and Hump Mountains, two more in the day’s series of beautiful balds. From there it was a relatively steep 6 mile descent to Highway 19E. I made it to the highway by 6 PM, turned left and walked the ½ mile or so to the Mountain Harbour Hostel.
The hostel is in an old 1906 barn where they’ve converted the loft to a hostel. The horses and goats still share the first floor. 
I was lucky enough to get the “big bed” in the hostel. I also linked up with my friends Coleman and Andy again. They were at dinner when I arrived. As the owner, Terry Hill, didn’t particularly want to make 2 more runs into town, I got him to pick me up a pizza when he picked up the others from their dinner. Somehow, I managed to consume a large deluxe pizza and a salad – yum. 
I was lucky enough to get the “big bed” in the hostel. I also linked up with my friends Coleman and Andy again. They were at dinner when I arrived. As the owner, Terry Hill, didn’t particularly want to make 2 more runs into town, I got him to pick me up a pizza when he picked up the others from their dinner. Somehow, I managed to consume a large deluxe pizza and a salad – yum. 
Doc got a bowl full of dog biscuits fed to him by Tyler, grandson of Mary and Terry. After dinner we managed to watch about ½ of the movie,City Slickers, and then crashed.
Day 13 – 7/16/08….0 miles
I had heard about Mary Hill’s fantastic breakfasts and the rumors were quite accurate. We went up to the main house and shared a great breakfast with the B&B guests.
After stuffing ourselves, I rode down to the Dollar General Store as Andy and Coleman needed to re-supply. I had more than enough food to get me to Damascus. The Dollar stores are one of the more popular venues for resupply on the AT. They purchased some ramen, potatoes, rice packages and jerky and then we headed back to the hostel. I spent the day relaxing, catching up on my journal and doing some maintenance on equipment. Later I got a ride to a local greasy spoon where I dined on the spaghetti special. On the way back I picked up a 6 pack of Sam Adams. When I got back to the hostel, we were joined by another couple who I’d met on the trail a coupe of days before. We all sat around, chatted and drank beer for a couple of hours and then packed up to be able to hit the trail in the morning.
I had heard about Mary Hill’s fantastic breakfasts and the rumors were quite accurate. We went up to the main house and shared a great breakfast with the B&B guests.
After stuffing ourselves, I rode down to the Dollar General Store as Andy and Coleman needed to re-supply. I had more than enough food to get me to Damascus. The Dollar stores are one of the more popular venues for resupply on the AT. They purchased some ramen, potatoes, rice packages and jerky and then we headed back to the hostel. I spent the day relaxing, catching up on my journal and doing some maintenance on equipment. Later I got a ride to a local greasy spoon where I dined on the spaghetti special. On the way back I picked up a 6 pack of Sam Adams. When I got back to the hostel, we were joined by another couple who I’d met on the trail a coupe of days before. We all sat around, chatted and drank beer for a couple of hours and then packed up to be able to hit the trail in the morning.Day 14 – 7/17/08….13 miles
Thursday morning dawned bright and sunny. I got up with the sun about 0630. Unfortunately, breakfast was not being served at the B&B this morning, so I fixed coffee and ate some granola. Andy and Coleman headed out early as they were pushing to do 25 miles or so today. I finished packing and was ready to go by 0830. I tucked my leftover beers in the hiker box for someone else to enjoy and went up to settle my bill. Terry offered to give me a ride up the hill to the trail, and I accepted gratefully. Doc hopped in the truck and off we went. By 0900 we were heading uphill again. Although we needed to climb up from the highway, the day’s terrain was relatively gentle. That, combined with 2 nights of good rest and a lot of food, gave me the energy to make some decent mileage. By mid-afternoon I was at the new Mountaineer Shelter. This multi-level shelter was designed and built by Bob Peebles, a well-known figure on the AT. I briefly considered staying there for the evening, but it was only about 2 PM so I decided to keep moving.
Thursday morning dawned bright and sunny. I got up with the sun about 0630. Unfortunately, breakfast was not being served at the B&B this morning, so I fixed coffee and ate some granola. Andy and Coleman headed out early as they were pushing to do 25 miles or so today. I finished packing and was ready to go by 0830. I tucked my leftover beers in the hiker box for someone else to enjoy and went up to settle my bill. Terry offered to give me a ride up the hill to the trail, and I accepted gratefully. Doc hopped in the truck and off we went. By 0900 we were heading uphill again. Although we needed to climb up from the highway, the day’s terrain was relatively gentle. That, combined with 2 nights of good rest and a lot of food, gave me the energy to make some decent mileage. By mid-afternoon I was at the new Mountaineer Shelter. This multi-level shelter was designed and built by Bob Peebles, a well-known figure on the AT. I briefly considered staying there for the evening, but it was only about 2 PM so I decided to keep moving.
By late afternoon I made it to a beautiful campsite by a stream at Laurel Fork. I rigged my hammock, fixed dinner for Doc and myself, rigged my bear bags, and crashed by 9 PM. Unfortunately, my solar charger did not get enough of a charge to recharge my Kindle so I had no reading material. The lower altitude (3290) made it quite a bit warmer, so I was comfortable in the hammock with my space blanket diaper.
Day 15 – 7/18/08…. 13 miles
I was up by dawn, sipping coffee and enjoying a small camp fire while listening to the gurgling stream. I wasn’t particularly hungry so I ate a Cliff bar, packed up and hopped back on the trail by 0800. Although today would have a bit more climbing than yesterday as I had to ascend White Rocks Mountain, it was still an easy day. My goal for the day was Kincora Hostel on Highway 50 at Dennis Cove, TN, operated by Bob Peebles, who I referred to yesterday. I called mid-morning to confirm that they had space. Over the course of the day’s hike, I encountered quite a few patches of blueberries which were just starting to ripen. I helped myself, making sure to tap my hiking sticks together on arrival to let any grazing bears know I was there. I also noticed that wherever there were blueberries, there were also blackberries. I briefly wondered why until I saw bear scat loaded with berries of all types.
I was up by dawn, sipping coffee and enjoying a small camp fire while listening to the gurgling stream. I wasn’t particularly hungry so I ate a Cliff bar, packed up and hopped back on the trail by 0800. Although today would have a bit more climbing than yesterday as I had to ascend White Rocks Mountain, it was still an easy day. My goal for the day was Kincora Hostel on Highway 50 at Dennis Cove, TN, operated by Bob Peebles, who I referred to yesterday. I called mid-morning to confirm that they had space. Over the course of the day’s hike, I encountered quite a few patches of blueberries which were just starting to ripen. I helped myself, making sure to tap my hiking sticks together on arrival to let any grazing bears know I was there. I also noticed that wherever there were blueberries, there were also blackberries. I briefly wondered why until I saw bear scat loaded with berries of all types.
I made the hostel by mid-afternoon. Kinkora is run differently than any other hostel I encountered on the trail. Bob runs it as a hobby. He really enjoys the AT and hikers. He is well known for his volunteer work on the trail. He has a donation box rather than charging a fixed rate. The hostel is very rustic, but comfortable. It will hold close to 20 hikers, but I was the only one there for the evening.
Bob gave me a ride into town to pick up a pizza for dinner. I also picked up groceries to cook breakfast the next day for a change. During our ride into town, I discussed the problems I’d been having with a cold back in my hammock. Shortly after we returned, Bob brought me a fleece sleeping bag to use for the rest of my trip. He told me to just drop it off with Mt Rogers Outfitters in Damascus, VA. This was just one more example of how folks help you out on the AT.
After dinner I washed my clothes and the sleeping bag in the hostel’s washer and dryer, relaxed for a while, then crashed. I had the “Executive Suite,” basically the only double bed in the hostel. This was to be my last night in a bed for this hike.
Day 16 – 7/19/08….12 miles
As I said previously, I decided to cook “real food” for this morning’s breakfast. I cooked up a can of corned beef hash until it was crisp, shired 6 eggs into it, warmed up a can of baked beans, toasted a couple of English muffins, made a pot of coffee and opened a carton of orange juice. It tasted really, really good, even if clean-up was a bit of a pain. I definitely wouldn’t need much lunch today! It was about 0930 before I started back up the highway toward the trail.
As I said previously, I decided to cook “real food” for this morning’s breakfast. I cooked up a can of corned beef hash until it was crisp, shired 6 eggs into it, warmed up a can of baked beans, toasted a couple of English muffins, made a pot of coffee and opened a carton of orange juice. It tasted really, really good, even if clean-up was a bit of a pain. I definitely wouldn’t need much lunch today! It was about 0930 before I started back up the highway toward the trail.
After regaining the AT at Dennis Cove,
I hiked up through the beautiful Laurel Fork Gorge and saw the Laurel Fork Falls. There were quite a few day-hikers and campers in the area as there is a parking area and campsites near the base of the falls.
I hiked up through the beautiful Laurel Fork Gorge and saw the Laurel Fork Falls. There were quite a few day-hikers and campers in the area as there is a parking area and campsites near the base of the falls.I then had a very steep 2000 vertical foot climb up and over Pond Flats before descending to Watauga Lake. 
This large manmade lake is quite popular with boaters, especially on a summer weekend like today. I got to the lake by mid-afternoon and there were skiers, PWCs and pontoon boats everywhere. Although there were camp sites near where the AT initially intersects the trail, I decided to keep moving in hopes of finding a place that was a bit quieter and less frenetic. I kept hiking for several miles around the lake and finally found a great spot just a mile or so short of the dam.
This large manmade lake is quite popular with boaters, especially on a summer weekend like today. I got to the lake by mid-afternoon and there were skiers, PWCs and pontoon boats everywhere. Although there were camp sites near where the AT initially intersects the trail, I decided to keep moving in hopes of finding a place that was a bit quieter and less frenetic. I kept hiking for several miles around the lake and finally found a great spot just a mile or so short of the dam.
The campsite overlooked the water, and Doc wasted no time in getting wet. I joined him after setting up camp. This was the first time since Erwin, TN that I had encountered a large enough body of water to submerge myself. It felt really good! Later, I was even able to find an old camp chair that had been abandoned after the canvas tore. I fixed it with some string and was able to relax in comfort with a view. I ate more of the Mountain House beef stroganoff for dinner. It sure tasted better the first couple of times I ate it….It’s amazing how you tire of things on the trail. Initially I burned out on trail mix and peanut butter, now it’s stroganoff. I took advantage of my new sleeping bag when I rigged my sleeping arrangements. I folded the poncho liner in half and pinned it to the bottom of the fleece sleeping bag with the large safety pins from my gear bag. It looked promising, even though it’s much bulkier than I would have preferred. That’ll teach me not to leave my own sleeping bag at home again!Day 17 – 7/20/08….14 miles
What a difference the new sleeping arrangements made. I was very comfortable without wearing multiple layers of clothing! Even with the sounds of late night partiers wafting over the lake, I slept quite well for the most part.
What a difference the new sleeping arrangements made. I was very comfortable without wearing multiple layers of clothing! Even with the sounds of late night partiers wafting over the lake, I slept quite well for the most part.
After coffee and granola, I hit the trail and was soon passing over the scenic Watauga Lake Dam. The dam only allows hikers – no vehicles. After the dam I started climbing out of the valley 
and was soon looking down on the lake from about 1,500 feet higher on the Iron Mountain Ridge. After the initial climb I stayed up on the ridgeline all day. Even though there were minor ups and downs, it was great to stay on one ridge as compared to what I’d been doing: going up and over, down and back up again multiple times every day. I did not encounter a single hiker all day, although I did need to stop early on and put out a campfire that some inconsiderate hikers had left burning when they broke camp. That really irritated me because I had to use my drinking water to put out the fire. I then had to go quite a bit off trail to find a spring to replace what I’d used.
I passed the Vandeventer Shelter about mid-day and made it to my destination, the Iron Mountain Shelter, by late afternoon. Rain was threatening so I tried something different with my hammock.
I was able to rig it from the rafters supporting the overhang at the front of the shelter. This gave me additional overhead protection plus the ability to easily access the shelter for cooking and other activities in the event of inclement weather.
I was able to rig it from the rafters supporting the overhang at the front of the shelter. This gave me additional overhead protection plus the ability to easily access the shelter for cooking and other activities in the event of inclement weather.Unfortunately, I was not able to use the closest spring to draw water as an ATV rider (who I guess was irritated that hikers rarely wear NASCAR attire) had defecated in the spring a few days before.
Day 18 – 7/21/08….16 miles
After another good night’s sleep I once again arose with the dawn, ate some tortillas, jerky and coffee, broke camp and hit the trail. There were a few showers overnight but things weren’t too wet. It was nice to have a bit lighter pack as my rations were consumed. As Doc’s pack weight went down I loaded him with my carry-out trash, primarily food packaging, which I had him lick out then placed in a zip-lock bag, then into his pack.
Day 18 – 7/21/08….16 miles
After another good night’s sleep I once again arose with the dawn, ate some tortillas, jerky and coffee, broke camp and hit the trail. There were a few showers overnight but things weren’t too wet. It was nice to have a bit lighter pack as my rations were consumed. As Doc’s pack weight went down I loaded him with my carry-out trash, primarily food packaging, which I had him lick out then placed in a zip-lock bag, then into his pack.
Looking at my map to plan the day’s hike I saw that this would be my flattest day yet as we would once again stay primarily on a single ridge line. 
Mid-morning, I came upon the monument to Uncle Nick Grindstaff. On a trip west in 1876, he was beaten and robbed of everything he owned. He retreated to Iron Mountain, built himself a small cabin, and lived a hermit's life there until 1923. He is buried next to the fireplace of his cabin which has been made into this memorial.
When I checked my trail guide I saw that I’d be crossing a couple of roads over the course of the day and that I would only be a few miles from a combination restaurant and general store in Shady Valley, TN. For some reason, I was really craving non-trail food, so I decided that I would go off trail and try the restaurant for lunch.
I made it to Highway 91 a little before noon. I decided that I would cut the corner off trail and try to get a ride the 8 miles or so to the restaurant. Doc and I headed down the highway. Unfortunately we did not get a ride so we had to walk the entire way. Luckily it was mostly downhill.
The day was warm, but not oppressively so, and the pastoral scenery was beautiful. I could only imagine the comments these cows were making about the dog leading the man on a leash….When we finally got to the combination store and restaurant, I tied Doc to a bench outside and headed for the food. I ordered a large salad, bacon-cheeseburger, fries, onion rings and iced tea. It was heavenly. After lunch I stopped by the ice-cream freezer in the store, and got Doc a small container of vanilla and me a Snickers ice cream bar.
After consuming these comestibles, we headed up Highway 421 toward Low Gap and the trail. This time we were lucky enough to get a ride immediately from a local gentleman. He and his wife had both through-walked the trail in 1988. He did so with an artificial hip and she had never camped out before beginning their trek....
By 2:30 PM I was back on the trail and by 5 PM I made it to the Abington Gap Shelter. I was going to try for a couple more miles but the sky got really dark and it started thundering so I decided to stop at the shelter and rig my hammock on the overhang rafters again. I was soon joined by a south-bound hiker trail-named “Blazing Sole,” a name he got after having his boots just a bit too close to a campfire…. He was a nice guy in his mid-20’s. He offered to share his macaroni, cheese and tuna with me and I accepted. We had a good meal and I enjoyed the conversation. I returned his favor by giving him some of the food that I had not used since tomorrow would be the last day of this section hike. I climbed up the mountain to where I could reach Chris on my cell to coordinate a pick-up in Damascus tomorrow. My cell batteries were almost depleted and I hoped to have enough power to complete the hike. I linked with her and she graciously agreed to the 7+ hour drive to pick us up tomorrow afternoon in Damascus. I crashed by 9:30 PM.
Day 19 – 7/22/08….11 miles
I awoke to a beautiful day. I was torn between looking forward to seeing my wife, Chris, sleeping in my own bed, sipping good bourbon, and the wonders of the AT that I’d been so enjoying over the last 3 weeks. By 0800 I had bade farewell to my new friend, Blazing Sole, and was heading downhill toward Damascus, VA. I realized later that I somehow left Doc’s folding bowl at the campsite. I hope it gets used by another good hiking dog….
I awoke to a beautiful day. I was torn between looking forward to seeing my wife, Chris, sleeping in my own bed, sipping good bourbon, and the wonders of the AT that I’d been so enjoying over the last 3 weeks. By 0800 I had bade farewell to my new friend, Blazing Sole, and was heading downhill toward Damascus, VA. I realized later that I somehow left Doc’s folding bowl at the campsite. I hope it gets used by another good hiking dog….
By late morning; I hit the TN/VA border, which is only marked by the state initials carved into another signpost. We had now officially hit 3 states on this section hike.
Around noon, we broke out of the woods and into the outskirts of Damascus, VA. 
This town totally embraces the AT and is the host location for AT Trail Days each spring. When I got into town I immediately went into Mt Rogers Outfitters and dropped off the fleece sleeping bag that Bob Peebles had so graciously loaned me. I then called Chris to coordinate a pick-up location, and arranged to take a shower at the hostel run by the outfitters. For $2.00 I got a towel and access to the showers. Ah yes - the simple pleasures of warm running water and shampoo….After getting cleaned up, I went to the local Dairy Bar for lunch and then re-encountered Andy, Coleman and Manimal at the local coffee shop/ice cream store. They had gotten in the night before. It was good to catch up and say farewell.
This town totally embraces the AT and is the host location for AT Trail Days each spring. When I got into town I immediately went into Mt Rogers Outfitters and dropped off the fleece sleeping bag that Bob Peebles had so graciously loaned me. I then called Chris to coordinate a pick-up location, and arranged to take a shower at the hostel run by the outfitters. For $2.00 I got a towel and access to the showers. Ah yes - the simple pleasures of warm running water and shampoo….After getting cleaned up, I went to the local Dairy Bar for lunch and then re-encountered Andy, Coleman and Manimal at the local coffee shop/ice cream store. They had gotten in the night before. It was good to catch up and say farewell. I then headed for the local library where I could access the internet and start to catch up on my email.
Interestingly enough, I was asked by the librarian if I could come back later and get photographed for a magazine article. They wanted a hiker who was also a library user. Chris arrived about 5:30 PM, met my new friends and picked us up. I bid adieu to Damascus until next year when I hope to keep heading north.
Hike Summary….210 + miles
Wow, what a trip it’s been! The hike has exceeded my wildest expectations. The combination of magnificent scenery, physical challenge, and true contemplative time has been wonderful. I can’t wait to go again. If Chris didn’t need me at home for hurricane season, I’d probably be back on the trail by now. It is addictive….
From reading other hikers’ blogs and books, I know there are as many opinions as there are hikers (probably more depending upon when you ask them!) but let me share what worked for me and what I’ll do differently next time.
What worked:
· Hiking with my dog. Doc added a new dimension to my hike. He added a bit of security and a lot of companionship. He was someone I could talk to without a lot of back talk, except when he was hungry. Although hiking with him took a bit more planning and preparation, it was well worth it and he handled the rough spots on the trail at least as well, and in some instances, better, than me.
· Doing my homework. I’m very glad that I did a lot of reading and planning before I started my hikes. This made me safer and much more comfortable than I might have been otherwise
· Sleeping in a hammock rather than a tent. The Hennessy hammock proved to be much more comfortable than the tent as a sleeping platform once I worked out the cold back issues.
· Staying at Hostels. I had never stayed at a hostel prior to this summer, but I will do it again. Balancing camping with an inexpensive, but real, bed works for me.
· Hiking alone. Hiking by myself did not prove to be a problem. Although I would also enjoy hiking with one or more companions, the solitude during the hiking day was also enjoyable and I was able to meet some very interesting people at the shelters, campsites and hostels.
· Combining Section Hikes with Home Time. Although some would say that I never really got in shape for the trail during my section hikes this summer, I found that it worked for me. I made a conscious decision to cut my first hike short after a week due to the extended 90+ temperature on the trail and I cut the 2nd one off after 19 days simply because Damascus was a logical place to stop. The time in between did not seem to significantly impact my trail performance. I ended up losing 5 lbs my first hike and an additional 8 lbs on the second for a total of 13 lbs, plus 3 “ off my waist line. This wasn’t bad considering I ate just about everything I could catch.
· Gear that worked.
*Gregory Baltoro pack – great hip belt and good outside pockets
*Hennessey hammock
*REI Quarterdome ll tent – even though I didn’t sleep well in the tent on my first hike, it wasn’t the tent’s fault. The tent is roomy, easy to put up and break down, and quite waterproof.
*MSR water filter. The new MSR is easy to use and has a pre-filter that traps a lot of the sediment before it can get to your primary filter. It takes a bit to figure out how to backwash it but once you’ve got that mastered you should have no problems
*Jet Boil Stove. Boiled a quart of water in less than 5 minutes. I used the small cartridges. One lasted almost 2 weeks even though I heated water twice a day.
*Cell phone with US Cellular service. The phone helped me to stay in touch with home and to communicate with hostels/hotels as needed. It was also there in case of an emergency. US Cellular seemed to provide better service than the other carriers along the sections of the trail I hiked this summer.
*Kindle E-book. I’m an avid reader and the Kindle enabled me to carry many books in a physical package less than the weight of most paperbacks. Chris was nice enough to get me the Kindle for my birthday. In addition to novels for evening enjoyment, I also downloaded books on first aid, survival and an AT guidebook. In areas near towns, the Kindle could also access the internet. This feature would be more useful further north in the sections of the AT that run closer to metro areas. The Kindle is also an MP3 music player, but I hadn’t mastered downloading the music in time for this year’s hike.
*Dog pack by Ruff Gear. This pack easily carried a week’s worth of food for Doc (21 cups of puppy chow – I used my coffee cup to dole it out)), his folding bowl, a small dog brush and a sheet of plastic for his bed. I split the food into 2 portions, labeled one morning, and double zip-locked each portion. Even though Doc is close to 70 lb, the medium sized pack was plenty big enough
*Pack cover. Given that you never know when or how long you will be trudging in the rain, a pack cover is an important piece of equipment. Spring for a real cover rather than using a garbage bag. Do use a garbage bag, however, to store your pack and boots overnight in your campsite, especially if you are using a hammock or tent that doesn’t have room for you to bring your pack in with you.
*Wool socks and liners. I used a combination of a light weight Smart wool hiking sock plus a lightweight synthetic sock liner both hikes and never got a blister. Given some of the damaged feet I saw on the trail, I had a lot to be thankful for. The liners and socks rub against each other rather than on your feet and minimize friction blisters.
· Gear I’ll Change for My Next Hike
* Solio Solar Charger. I had planned to use the Solio to recharge all my electronics (phone, camera, e-book, I-Pod). The combination of a shady trail and a slow recharge rate meant that that it did not work nearly as well as planned. Next trip I will bring a single small 110 volt charger such as one by I-GO with multiple tips for the various electronics. Given that I’m at a hostel or a town every few days there should be sufficient opportunity to use the charger to recharge my gadgets. The weight of this charger should be less than the Solio.
* Poncho Liner. The poncho liner didn’t keep me warm enough, so I’ll go back to a down sleeping bag for the next hike. If I go at the same time of year, I’ll probably go with a 35° bag rather than the 20° bag I have now. The 20° bag would work well if I hike in chillier weather
* Sleeping Pad. I did my first hike with a long heavy duty sleeping pad. The next trip I did with no pad at all. Next year, I’ll probably bring a lighter weight pad that I can use to pad my back in the hammock and also to give me the option to sleep on the shelter platforms if needed.
* Camp Chair. On my initial hike I carried a contraption that turned into a camp chair when you combined it with your sleeping pad. It was comfortable but not really needed, especially since you can also use the hammock as a chair.
* Pack Towel. I’ll leave this at home next time and just use my bandanna
* Plastic Trowel. My boot or a stick does just as good a job for digging a hole and burying your waste. I’ll use the trowel for gardening
* Leatherman Multi-tool. I found that I didn’t need the weight of the large multi-function tool, nor would I bring a large sheath knife. A small sharp knife and scissors are all I really needed.
· Work in Progress
*Food. I subsisted this summer primarily on freeze-dried entrees plus tortillas, jerky and packages of tuna, chicken and salmon. Next time I will rely less on the expensive freeze-dried food and try to go with more locally available foods, even if it means more time and fuel for cooking.
* Boots and Inner-Soles. I used Asolo boots and Super-Feet inner soles this summer. Although I got no blisters, my feet burned and ached most days, especially after 5-10 miles of hiking. It didn’t seem as though I had enough cushioning, so I’m going to initially try a different inner sole next hike.
Wow, what a trip it’s been! The hike has exceeded my wildest expectations. The combination of magnificent scenery, physical challenge, and true contemplative time has been wonderful. I can’t wait to go again. If Chris didn’t need me at home for hurricane season, I’d probably be back on the trail by now. It is addictive….
From reading other hikers’ blogs and books, I know there are as many opinions as there are hikers (probably more depending upon when you ask them!) but let me share what worked for me and what I’ll do differently next time.
What worked:
· Hiking with my dog. Doc added a new dimension to my hike. He added a bit of security and a lot of companionship. He was someone I could talk to without a lot of back talk, except when he was hungry. Although hiking with him took a bit more planning and preparation, it was well worth it and he handled the rough spots on the trail at least as well, and in some instances, better, than me.
· Doing my homework. I’m very glad that I did a lot of reading and planning before I started my hikes. This made me safer and much more comfortable than I might have been otherwise
· Sleeping in a hammock rather than a tent. The Hennessy hammock proved to be much more comfortable than the tent as a sleeping platform once I worked out the cold back issues.
· Staying at Hostels. I had never stayed at a hostel prior to this summer, but I will do it again. Balancing camping with an inexpensive, but real, bed works for me.
· Hiking alone. Hiking by myself did not prove to be a problem. Although I would also enjoy hiking with one or more companions, the solitude during the hiking day was also enjoyable and I was able to meet some very interesting people at the shelters, campsites and hostels.
· Combining Section Hikes with Home Time. Although some would say that I never really got in shape for the trail during my section hikes this summer, I found that it worked for me. I made a conscious decision to cut my first hike short after a week due to the extended 90+ temperature on the trail and I cut the 2nd one off after 19 days simply because Damascus was a logical place to stop. The time in between did not seem to significantly impact my trail performance. I ended up losing 5 lbs my first hike and an additional 8 lbs on the second for a total of 13 lbs, plus 3 “ off my waist line. This wasn’t bad considering I ate just about everything I could catch.
· Gear that worked.
*Gregory Baltoro pack – great hip belt and good outside pockets
*Hennessey hammock
*REI Quarterdome ll tent – even though I didn’t sleep well in the tent on my first hike, it wasn’t the tent’s fault. The tent is roomy, easy to put up and break down, and quite waterproof.
*MSR water filter. The new MSR is easy to use and has a pre-filter that traps a lot of the sediment before it can get to your primary filter. It takes a bit to figure out how to backwash it but once you’ve got that mastered you should have no problems
*Jet Boil Stove. Boiled a quart of water in less than 5 minutes. I used the small cartridges. One lasted almost 2 weeks even though I heated water twice a day.
*Cell phone with US Cellular service. The phone helped me to stay in touch with home and to communicate with hostels/hotels as needed. It was also there in case of an emergency. US Cellular seemed to provide better service than the other carriers along the sections of the trail I hiked this summer.
*Kindle E-book. I’m an avid reader and the Kindle enabled me to carry many books in a physical package less than the weight of most paperbacks. Chris was nice enough to get me the Kindle for my birthday. In addition to novels for evening enjoyment, I also downloaded books on first aid, survival and an AT guidebook. In areas near towns, the Kindle could also access the internet. This feature would be more useful further north in the sections of the AT that run closer to metro areas. The Kindle is also an MP3 music player, but I hadn’t mastered downloading the music in time for this year’s hike.
*Dog pack by Ruff Gear. This pack easily carried a week’s worth of food for Doc (21 cups of puppy chow – I used my coffee cup to dole it out)), his folding bowl, a small dog brush and a sheet of plastic for his bed. I split the food into 2 portions, labeled one morning, and double zip-locked each portion. Even though Doc is close to 70 lb, the medium sized pack was plenty big enough
*Pack cover. Given that you never know when or how long you will be trudging in the rain, a pack cover is an important piece of equipment. Spring for a real cover rather than using a garbage bag. Do use a garbage bag, however, to store your pack and boots overnight in your campsite, especially if you are using a hammock or tent that doesn’t have room for you to bring your pack in with you.
*Wool socks and liners. I used a combination of a light weight Smart wool hiking sock plus a lightweight synthetic sock liner both hikes and never got a blister. Given some of the damaged feet I saw on the trail, I had a lot to be thankful for. The liners and socks rub against each other rather than on your feet and minimize friction blisters.
· Gear I’ll Change for My Next Hike
* Solio Solar Charger. I had planned to use the Solio to recharge all my electronics (phone, camera, e-book, I-Pod). The combination of a shady trail and a slow recharge rate meant that that it did not work nearly as well as planned. Next trip I will bring a single small 110 volt charger such as one by I-GO with multiple tips for the various electronics. Given that I’m at a hostel or a town every few days there should be sufficient opportunity to use the charger to recharge my gadgets. The weight of this charger should be less than the Solio.
* Poncho Liner. The poncho liner didn’t keep me warm enough, so I’ll go back to a down sleeping bag for the next hike. If I go at the same time of year, I’ll probably go with a 35° bag rather than the 20° bag I have now. The 20° bag would work well if I hike in chillier weather
* Sleeping Pad. I did my first hike with a long heavy duty sleeping pad. The next trip I did with no pad at all. Next year, I’ll probably bring a lighter weight pad that I can use to pad my back in the hammock and also to give me the option to sleep on the shelter platforms if needed.
* Camp Chair. On my initial hike I carried a contraption that turned into a camp chair when you combined it with your sleeping pad. It was comfortable but not really needed, especially since you can also use the hammock as a chair.
* Pack Towel. I’ll leave this at home next time and just use my bandanna
* Plastic Trowel. My boot or a stick does just as good a job for digging a hole and burying your waste. I’ll use the trowel for gardening
* Leatherman Multi-tool. I found that I didn’t need the weight of the large multi-function tool, nor would I bring a large sheath knife. A small sharp knife and scissors are all I really needed.
· Work in Progress
*Food. I subsisted this summer primarily on freeze-dried entrees plus tortillas, jerky and packages of tuna, chicken and salmon. Next time I will rely less on the expensive freeze-dried food and try to go with more locally available foods, even if it means more time and fuel for cooking.
* Boots and Inner-Soles. I used Asolo boots and Super-Feet inner soles this summer. Although I got no blisters, my feet burned and ached most days, especially after 5-10 miles of hiking. It didn’t seem as though I had enough cushioning, so I’m going to initially try a different inner sole next hike.
Some folks have asked what's next on my adventure list. Well, as of this moment, I'm scheduled to crew on a 42 foot catamaran on the transatlantic ARC sailboat race from the Canary Islands to St Lucia starting 11/23....
I hope you've enjoyed this missive. I certainly enjoyed documenting it.
I'll be looking for fellow hikers next year. Please consider joining me on the trail....
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