Grim Falls and Transport from Turkenna to the City

This morning we woke up and ate the last of our food bag, a couple of protein bars for breakfast. There was not a sandwich or a package of chicken left. It was officially resupply day. Luckily, we had a box waiting for us just 6 miles away at Trent’s Grocery Store. Although they are closed on Sundays, we called the store a couple of days in advance and planned to have them leave the box on the side of the building for us to pick up when we stopped by. What excellent customer service!

Hostal Pies Cansados

Just before you reach the grocery store, there is a small blue blazed trail that leads to a lodge. We knew we didn’t have everything in our box to do a full resupply, so we hoped we could grab snacks and lunch at the lodge. Most lodges offer a small shelf of common foods for hikers. When we arrived at Weary Feet Hostel we were greeted by the owner Purple Haze. She invited us in and offered us much more than we expected! He offered us showers, laundry, a free pancake breakfast and a few hours of rest and good company. Sign me up!!

Purple Haze was a wonderful host and we were so grateful for her hospitality! While we were sitting on her porch chatting, she told us she was the lady we had heard about who had been bitten by a bear in the Smokies. “That was you?!” I exclaimed. We were captivated as she told the story of the day she was bitten by a bear.

Swimming hole at Dismal Falls

Finally we said goodbye and returned to the road. Two miles later, we stopped at another blue blaze trail. This led to Dismall Falls. FarOut indicated that it was a waterfall with a swimming hole. We spent a few hours there. Turkenna had a lot of fun jumping in the water, picking up sticks, and swimming in the freezing water. We saw a snake sunbathing on a log at the water’s edge. To dry off, the three of us lay down on the large rocks above the falls.

However, when it was time to leave, Turkenna didn’t seem eager to walk. We thought maybe she had gotten tired from all the swimming, or maybe she drank a lot of water while looking for sticks and maybe she was bloated. Or maybe worse. Could she be hurt? She didn’t show any pain and with a little persuasion (and Dad carrying her backpack), she made the 6 mile hike to the Wapiti Shelter. She seemed unusually tired that night, but I knew something was wrong when she hesitated to jump into the shelter. That night I went to bed with Turkenna curled up next to me, a knot in my stomach worried that something wasn’t right.

The next morning

Turkenna usually wakes up with a lot of energy and getting ready to get back on the trail. This morning he got up slowly, ate and lay down on the floor. «She’s hurting,» I told Cody. «Something is wrong.» The nearest road junction was 7 miles ahead of us. We asked Turk if he wanted to walk, but he lay down on the path looking for support. It didn’t have 7 miles on it.

Take Turk to the city

What do we do when our almost 60 pound dog is injured and can’t go outside? We take it of course. It took some trial and error to figure out the best way to charge it. But we finally emptied most of Cody’s backpack and put it all in mine. Then we sat her on her backpack with her legs and tail tucked under her. She seemed very happy as soon as we got her comfortable and knew we would take her out. We arrived at Sugar Run Road and waited for the people from Angel’s Rest Hiker Haven to pick us up. While we waited, Turkenna lay down in the shade and rested. Cody and I entertained ourselves by twirling his cane and trying to keep our spirits up.

New kicks and full bellies

When we arrived at the shelter we called to make an appointment with the vet. He rested the rest of the day. While she stayed in our room, we headed into town to have lunch and pick up a package at the post office. They were my new shoes! I was very happy to throw away my first pair that had seen over 600 miles and put on my new shoes. Our lunch at Happy Hog was just what we needed.

Rest and Relaxation

That night we stayed at the lodge, keeping a close eye on Turk. He snuggled up with us on the couch while we watched the Manchester United game. And he made friends with the dog that lives on the property. Curiously, his name is also Turkish. We didn’t know exactly what the next few days would bring, but we knew we needed to give our little girl some rest and take her to a vet to find out what was going on. Anyone can get hurt on the trail, even a puppy. Let’s hope this is not the end of your walk.

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