Day 13: Feeling a little uncomfortable

Some lodges are a little closer to civilization, which attracts some non-hikers to stay there as well. It’s not necessarily a problem, but tonight it was a little unsettling. But before evening comes morning.

We wake up without a defined plan for the day. If we work hard today, we can get closer to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center). They have a general store, supplier, and restaurant there! Maybe we’ll take some time hanging around there tomorrow. They might even have…dare I say it…a bear can!

We continued walking and had lunch at the top of Rock Bald. In my usual 9 to 5 schedule I don’t get views like this during lunch time, that’s for sure. The only drawback is that it is a bit exposed to the sun. So we won’t stay long.

After our little lunch, we headed down the hill. It’s a long descent. It’s not too hard on your body if you walk well, but I have to admit: it’s killing my spirit a little. These descents can be very repetitive and monotonous. This is when AT sometimes feels like a desk job.

But every time you’ve had a downhill, there’s an uphill. It’s time for the hardest climb of the day: Bald Wesser. And it was… easy? At least compared to our expectations. In our guide the line goes up, but to be honest it was a very nice climb. Nice!

On top of the bald is a watchtower with incredible views! We can even see the Smoky Mountains in the back from here. We also met up with a group of guys, one of them was Jarrod! The boy we met on the first day of the route! He said he was going to do 8 miles a day for two weeks straight, what a big liar!

He apparently got lost a few times and walked further than planned, after which he simply accepted that he could walk longer days. He’s been hiking with America, Tags, and Ferdinand the last few days.

After a nice rest, it’s time for the VERY long descent to the NOC. And this descent not only kills your spirit, but also your knees. The last kilometer I had enough; I turned on my ‘trailrun mode’ and ran towards the shelter.

Strange vibes in the camp

When we arrived at the Rufus Morgan Shelter, we heard some rumors that there were bear cables at this location. Bear cables are metal cables between trees where you can easily hang your food safely, without having to hang your own bear. So I started exploring a little!

That’s when I met two guys at the shelter, with all their stuff spread out. After introducing myself and asking about bear wires, they told me there weren’t any, but offered to hold my food. Okay, but I think I’ll put it up myself.

They started telling me that they were here doing some healing, getting closer to God and that they were spreading the word.

After taking a closer look, I saw that they even had a puppy there! Very cute, but also very small. What is that little creature doing here?! The guys were very friendly, but they gave me a cult atmosphere. Especially when they introduced themselves under the same name.

Well, a fun little encounter. There is nothing to worry about. What worried me a little more was when I returned to the campsite. At first glance I didn’t notice anything strange, but after setting up my tent I was pretty sure that the guy in the tent next door wasn’t really a hiker.

He looked very skinny, drank water straight from the stream, started doing some strange rituals, and when we went to bed, he silently muttered and shouted some things about the end of the world in his tent, along with a few other quirks. I’m pretty sure he’s homeless and struggling quite a bit with his mental health.

I feel sorry for the boy, his life seems hard. At the same time, it also made me a little nervous. He never threatened us or anything, but he seemed a little erratic and unpredictable.

Still, it’s a good reminder that havens within a mile of civilization can attract other companies, too. This time we felt a little uncomfortable, but never really unsafe. Always follow your instinct in these types of situations. And if you don’t feel safe: pack your bags and leave.

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