Friday, September 13, 2019

2019 App Trail Thru Hike: Week 22: Erwin TN to Hot Springs NC


It's week 22 of my AT Thru Hike. Helen came up to visit me at the Laughing Heart Lodge in Hot Springs NC and I'm getting ready to enter the Smokies. 

Day 154

Time: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 19:22:05 -0400
Location: Flint Mountain Shelter mile -308.5 (Southbound) of the Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at the Bald Mountain Shelter with Detour. I was on the trail about 7:30. I still had some climb to the top of Big Bald.

It was a pretty and breezy morning. On the way to the top of Big Bald there was a sign about a raptor research team doing work in the area. It wasn't long before I came across the team. They had nets setup in the brush and a guy was sitting at a table tagging a bird. Pretty neat.

The arches, or more specifically, the joints above my arch on both feet were really bothering me yesterday. I rubbed them with some heat rub, took Aleve at night and in the morning, and taped my arches with KT tape.

They felt much better today. The top of Big Bald gave great views especially if the clouds filling the valleys below. It was a really nice way to start the day.

I stopped and talked to a couple of ladies. They were interested in my hike. One of the ladies had met her husband on a thru hike. The other lady said she was getting ready to hike The Camino in Spain. She also noticed my sandals and the pronation of my feet. She told me how she was a big believer in yoga therapy and touted a guy in Asheville, Yoga International, I believe. She talked about lifting your arches on both sides of the foot and balancing on the four corners of the foot. She also didn't like me bending my knees backwards and showed me the proper resting position. Nice ladies. I had fun with them.

I tried to lift my arches and walk on the four corners. My feet felt better today. Still beaten down, but better.

The trail was hilly. It wound through mature hardwood forests and rhododendrons. I was glad to be in the trees. It was hot and humid. I stayed soaked in sweat and cooled off a couple times in nice streams.

I hiked 19 miles to the Flint Mountain Shelter. It's in a nice setting among rhododendrons and there's a nice stream nearby.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=36.0349%2C-82.59644

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Day 155

Time: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 19:53:01 -0400
Location: Spring Mountain Shelter mile -285.9 (Southbound) of the Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at the Flint Mountain Shelter. There was a climb up to Big Butt. The top was covered in chest high growth and the trail was overgrown.

There was quite a bit of ridge walking with some nice views. The ridge walk went up and down and in and out of rhodendrons and ferns. It felt like a rainforest. I really liked it.

The terrain was nice and varied today. I went 23 miles to the Spring Mountain Shelter. Water is a little hard to come by but the springs at the shelters are ok.

I was hoping the country store at the road before the shelter was open, but it wasn't. I started up the climb to the shelter and someone had left a couple cans of beer and a can of cider with a "Happy Trails" message made of sticks.

I sat on a log and drank a beer and the cider with a cliff bar. I was a little woozy for half an hour. 

There was a big climb to the shelter. I was surprised there was a big group there. A group of 5 section hikers is going from Hot Springs to Erwin. A couple ladies are from John's Creek and Lawrenceville. They're all nice.

A thru hiker I summited with showed up late. He's coming from Springer and is finishing at McAfee Knob.

Three long hot humid days of hiking have set me up for a short day into Hot Springs tomorrow to meet Helen. So good.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=35.9516%2C-82.78999

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Day 156

On Fri, Sep 6, 2019, 4:49 PM david nixon <david.h.nixon@gmail.com> wrote:
Time: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 16:25:00 -0400

Location: Laughing Heart Lodge Hot Springs NC Mile -274.6 of Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at the Spring Mountain Shelter. There was a group of 5 section hikers headed north to Erwin TN and McAfee, the kid I summited with, who is finishing at McAfee Knob.

I'm pretty beat after all the long humid days but still didn't sleep well. I flip from side to side and end up on my back, but I know I snore in that position so I try to stay awake until I can flip to one side. I woke up about 1:00 sure it was almost morning.

The section hikers were up early and giving us food they didn't want to carry. They asked us a lot of questions. They were fun.

McAfee dumped a bunch of gear when he flipped and his pack only weighs 8 pounds now. Mine weighs 17. I told them I never carry more than a liter of water. 

McAfee has gone 280 miles to my 190 in the same time. He said he did a 35 mile day leaving Georgia. Youth.

I only had 11 miles to Hot Springs. Sometimes short days are mentally tougher because you expect it to be easy and quick, but it's usually not. I've been doing a pretty good job of staying in the moment and just walking and enjoying the trail, but it's a challenge sometimes when I hurt or the footing is bad or I've reached my sweat or face plastering spider web limit.

There was a steep climb initially to get me all sweaty right away. My clothes have so much stank and salt I think they can stand on their own. The cork grips on my poles are coated with salt and slippery.

There's a nice view of Hot Springs and the French Broad River as you descend into town.

I stopped by Bluff Mountain Outfitters and printed out my Backcountry permit for the Smokies.

I ate lunch across the street Spring Creek Tavern. I had a porter beer, blue cheese salad, and a burger with gravy and an egg. A guy came over and introduced himself and wife as thru hikers who recently finished. He invited me to join them. I noticed Flipswitch was there and told him I didn't recognize him all cleaned up. They're from Canton GA and had hiked with Flipswitch and drove up to spend some time with him and cheer him on to finish his flip-flop.

I walked back to the Outfitter and had some coffee and ice cream. Wrongway and Cheerleader stopped to talk. They're staying at Laughing Heart also. I watched all the motorcyclists enjoying the town and the weather.

I walked across town to Laughing Heart Lodge and cleaned a bunch of stuff and myself. I'm relaxing and waiting for Helen to arrive.

I watched some Papa John YouTube videos about the section of trail coming up.

I watched some Radiate Joy and Wrongway YouTube videos.

Helen left home late so I wasn't sure if she would make it for dinner. No cell service in Hot Springs. I walked down to the hostel and the hosts, Tye and Solo, invited me in and gave beer, homemade soup, bread, and rice. Then an Iranian couple from Dallas doing a section hike joined us with some lentils, salmon, and mashed potatoes. We also had fresh tomatoes and butter. I was just hoping for a frozen pizza. What a treat.


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In the morning we had breakfast at the lodge and then walked down to the hostel to see Tye and Solo. Helen had talked to them on the phone when she was making reservations. They're really nice.

We saw Wrongway and Cheerleader and talked with them and then we walked into town. We went in the visitor center and looked at the displays. Wrongway and Cheerleader came in and Cheerleader played some nice music on the piano.

We looked at the knickknacks in the hardware store and sat outside and watched all the motorcyclists coming and going.

We went into Bluff Mountain Outfitters and looked around. I got a thermarest closed cell sleeping pad and a nice big closed cell pillow. Hopefully they'll help me sleep better. I also got more than enough food to get me to Standing Bear Hostel in a couple days.

We walked down to the French Broad River and watched the rafts and kayaks. We got some sandwiches at the Hillbilly Market on the way back to the lodge.

We discussed plans to meet next weekend in Fontana Village, things going on at home, future plans, etc.

We sat on the lodge porch and ate while we talked to Mike, the caretaker, and a local guy. We learned about the history of the area and the lodge.

Mike told us about walking here from Colorado and how he came to be the caretaker this past May.

We relaxed and then sat on the lawn and ate dinner in the evening.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=35.89065%2C-82.83321

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Day 158

Time: Sun, 8 Sep 2019 19:56:10 -0400
Location: Roaring Fork Shelter Mile -257.5 of Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at the Laughing Heart Lodge in Hot Springs NC with Helen. It was a nice cool morning and we walked around the grounds while we drank coffee. We had breakfast and talked with Mike the caretaker.

We got packed up and then walked down to the hostel to say goodbye to Tie and Solo. 

Helen walked some on the trail with me and then we said our goodbyes. It was so nice to see her. I just have to make it 100 miles to Fontana Village to see her again this Friday.

There was a big sweaty climb out of Hot Springs and then up Bluff Mountain. I saw a big scout group coming into Hot Springs and several groups during the day headed towards Hot Springs. Max Patch to Hot Springs seems like a popular hike.

There was some nice graded switchbacks through rhodendrons but there was also a lot of rough trail with overgrowth and soft dirt trail along hillsides that didn't provide very good footing.

The light really felt like Fall. The days are getting shorter. I went 17 miles to the Roaring Fork Shelter. There's no one else here. That leaves me 15 miles to Standing Bear Hostel tomorrow.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=35.80556%2C-82.94984

Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app

Day 159

Time: Mon, 9 Sep 2019 15:31:34 -0400
Location: Standing Bear Farm Hostel  Mile -241.5 of Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at the Roaring Fork Shelter. It was the first night with my new foam pad and pillow. I felt like I slept better but I still woke up 6 or 8 times.

It was a pleasant morning and a nice hike up to Max Patch bald. There were several tents spaces out on the Bald but I was the only person out walking. It's a pretty place and I thought about when Helen, Adam, and I visited in 2017.

It warmed up quite a bit and I had a tough sweaty climb up Snowbird Peak. There was a scary neat FAA radar tower at the top.

I saw my first person of the day and ended up seeing several northbound hikers headed towards Hot Springs.

I met a thru hiker named Dirty Girl, for his pink gaiters, and he gave info about water and shelters in the Smokies. He's from Woodstock GA.

I hiked 16 miles to Standing Bear Farm Hostel. I'm the only one here so far. Creatch, the caretaker, is really nice. I started with a couple Sierra Nevada Pale Ale's, a supreme pizza, and a couple ice cream sandwiches.

I'm going to get cleaned up, rest, resupply, and make a plan for getting through the Smokies to meet Helen in Fontana Village on Friday.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=35.78589%2C-83.10163

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Day 160

Time: Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:26:12 -0400
Location: Peck's Corner Shelter SoBo Mile 1974.0 of Appalachian Trail

I spent last night at Standing Bear Farm Hostel. Wrongway and Cheerleader showed up late. They had spent the night on Max Patch and didn't leave there until noon. They had pizza and beer like I did.

I had some coffee and breakfast and was on the trail about 8. I met a young guy, Kyle, just after crossing under I-40. He's hiking to the other end of the Smokies and back.

I saw Wrongway and Cheerleader at Davenport Gap, just before entering the Smokies. It was hot and the climbing was relentless to over 6200 feet. Like coming out of Erwin, it seemed like I climbed all day.

I had good energy and was motivated to make good miles to set myself up to meet Helen in Fontana Village on Friday.

I stopped for a break at the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter after 18 miles. It started to thunder and rain a little. There was a bunch of young adults working on an ATC trail crew. They had been out about a week and were excited to be finished with their shift in a couple days. They were talking about food and other real world things they were missing.

I hiked another 5 miles to the Peck's Corner Shelter. It was a long 23 mile day and I wasn't happy about the shelter being .4 off the trail. I'm the only one here, except for the mouse I can hear scurrying about.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=35.65111%2C-83.30816

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Posted by David at 9:26 PM
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1 comment:

  1. BuzzOctober 11, 2019 at 7:01 AM

    Davenitup, congrats on your finishing the trail!! We've enjoyed following your journey since we left you at Inn Long Trail. It was great to be a little part of your journey. Best to you and Helen!---Buzz and Topknot

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