How to create memories
I stand by what I said in my last post: sometimes it can be difficult to find a rhythm when it comes to walking with new friends. But I also knew that if I complained, the problem would go away. Instantly, my experience on the trail went from «I’d like to make memories now, please» to «I’m making memories now, thank you very much!»
I’m so glad I decided to take an extra day to make my hiking plan (and more importantly, zero days) line up with a group of amazing women I met! Together we were able to conquer not only the first half of the Smokies, but also Dollywood.
The Smokies: Fears
The Smokies have a special feel. They are very intimidating and you never know what experience you will get there before you go. I told a friend from home that I was nervous about the Smokies and he said, «Why? Are they haunted or something?» And while it’s not as scary, you could face extreme weather conditions like snow and ice and/or encounters with more aggressive bears because the bears are more trained to feed and less deterred by humans thanks to the thoughtlessness of several national park visitors. I didn’t want to do this alone!
But instead of crossing Fontana Dam and ascending into the sinister Smokies alone, I was able to do it with 5 incredible women! Originally we all thought we would be alone in the Smokies since we were all hiking alone and everyone was on the trail, but we were all delighted (and relieved) to lean on each other, encourage each other, and provide the most fun Smokies experience we could have had. Except for one very rough day (screw Derrick and his stupid knob), I think we came out of the Smokies as stronger hikers and certainly closer friends.
The Smokies: Milestones!
The Smokies aren’t all intimidation. It is also a place of milestones! We hiked 200 miles on a trail that is also at the highest point on the AT, Kuwohi. And to make this moment even sweeter, our group got up early to hike to the top at sunrise to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of our group members! We walked with headlights in the dark as we talked. Even though Kuwohi Tower was completely shrouded in cloud and there were no views to speak of, we were very happy to be together at this moment. Not to mention, because we walked early, we basically had the tower, which is usually flooded with tourists, basically to ourselves. I had packed little chocolate donuts and we surprised Singe with them and sang HBD at the top.
We then hiked 7 more miles through the prettiest trail in the rainforest and down to the magical surprise trail, all before noon. In Gatlinburg we ate restaurant food and ice cream and met up with a friend of mine who generously took us to our hotel to shower and order Thai food for dinner. This day was such a highlight that I will remember it forever. 
Burning blue at Dollywood
The next day, after sleeping in real beds, we went to Dollywood to buy roller coasters and cinnamon bread. But before that, my friend and I took everyone out to Waffle House for breakfast so everyone would have their first WaHo experience. From Waffle House to Dollywood to Food City to resupply, the day was perfect from start to finish. And the end of the day was its own kind of magic sitting around a gas fire pit that we didn’t have to build or tend to, eating leftover cinnamon bread from the park and making face masks. These are the memories I wanted! 
I’m not sure what the rest of the road holds. We may not always have the same hiking plan and we may not always be together. But what I learned is this: always take the side quest (to Dollywood, the .4 fire tower off the trail, Waffle House, etc.) and the experience will always be about the people around you. And if you have the option, always form a girl gang and take charge of the shelters. 
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