Fontana Dam(n)! (Day 17) – The walk

Today will be our longest hiking day yet, but it should be a relaxed day, mostly downhill to Fontana Dam to resupply. The morning passed quickly, probably because the lure of the city’s food has become so strong. It’s also nice to feel like we have an “easy” day of hiking after struggling so much yesterday.

next to the lake

After about 11 miles of hiking, the AT crossed right next to the Fontana Dam marina. A small group of us went in around 3pm and I bought a sweet tea and some chips. It was a day so warm and sunny you could believe it was the middle of summer. There were boats on the water and I saw a duck swimming and cleaning its feathers. He came over to order food and got upset when I didn’t give him any Fritos.

Time in the city

There is a free shuttle from the marina to Fontana Village, which has restaurants and a store for supplies. I bought all the food I needed for the next three days, which was an interesting process since there were no prices anywhere. Afterwards, a group of us hikers walked to Quill’s Canteen for dinner. They didn’t have many gluten-free options, but I was able to get a fruit smoothie and a house salad with a burger on top.

We spent some time charging our devices before taking the free shuttle back to the marina. From there, we walked the last mile to our campsite for the night. We will be staying at the Fontana Hilton, also known as the Fontana Dam Shelter. They have nicknamed it the Hilton because the shelter is nice, there is a fountain to fill water bottles and a real bathroom (with a shower). I decided to use the shower and the hot water was a welcome luxury. There was also a mysterious towel hanging in the bathroom, and we women were curious to know what kind of person would be brave enough to use it.

Buzz

As I fall asleep, carpenter bees buzz overhead. They are making perfect little holes in the walls of the shelter. It makes me think of my husband, because he is an animal that we both love. I think tomorrow we will wake up to a sunrise over the water – a warm welcome to the Smoky Mountains.

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