Hooking Gatlinburg under torrential rain

This morning I did not move until around 8, since last night I had a night of late age. I packed quite fast and headed for the shelter to prepare breakfast. I chatted with a trip that I did not see last night, which decided to get on the road last month and was already doing days of 20 to 25 miles even though I had no long -distance hiking experience. I think it may have had military history; It’s great to see how different people walk along the path.

I started at 9 in the morning and enjoyed the cloudy fog morning. The path was transformed into a pine forest, which did not remember to have seen along the way before this. The road softened through the pine and forest needles was lush and ethereal. I really enjoyed the change of landscape.

My plan for today was to walk the 10 miles towards the newly discovered gap, go to Gatlinburg to replenish, and then return to the road and end the 3 miles further in the next refuge. However, before that, my first stop was Kuwohi, previously known as Clandmans Dome, which is the highest point in the AT. There was a bit of elevation gain to get there, but nothing crazy.

I was surprised a little that the climb slowed me, even if I stopped several times to admire my eyes and take photos. I was also very hungry when I arrived in Kuwohi at 10:30. I discussed the tower since there was zero visibility, but the ramp looked like an easy walk.

The view from the tower was completely tarnished, but I still think that the pines look beautiful with the cloudy background.

I checked the upper part and then took a tuna package and ate that plain while looking at the food options in Gatlinburg. There were many tourists over the weekend and they asked me to take some photos of families and groups. Hunter, the Marine I met in the shelter last night, appeared after sitting for a while and we talked a little. He goes to Gatlinburg after this and offered jokingly to take a walk if I have trouble getting hooked.

After a longer break than planned, I was moving again. I spent many days hikers and tried to move at a fast pace. There were some difficult sections of descent that slow me a little, but maintained a decent rhythm. In an hour I got hungry again, but all I had was a mostly empty almond bag. My hunger for hike is definitely coming! I finished the almonds quickly and imagined the city’s food while walking.

My energy was definitely behind and I just wanted to get to the gap and reach the city already. It rained slightly and sporadically, enough to remove my rain jacket and then have to put it again. When I approached Indian Gap, I took the rhythm, wanting to reach 2 pm. I made that deadline exactly and then I started a short but slightly steep ascent when it began to rain a little harder.

I quickly went up, since this would be the last elevation gain before the new gap, and I finished the climb with an interesting walk through a fenced section of the path. This was to protect a beech forest from invasive wild boars. The town of Jabalí has ​​been growing in the last 100 years, and they are moving north and expanding their territory, threatening many native species. It is sobering to think about how much this path has changed in the last 100 years due to climate change and invasive species, and how it will continue to change if the preservation and funds of wildlife/forests are not prioritized.

I left the fenced section and kept moving. The rest of the path was downhill and the rain picked up even more. At 2:45 I arrived at Newfound Gap and began a new adventure! I had not organized a transport service and I heard that it was quite easy to get hooked in Gatlinburg, but I had never tried this before. The rain presented an additional complication, since I feel that people who could be willing to take a smelly dry hiker in their car could doubt more on a wet hiker.

I settled near the entrance where a current of the park left the park, and I hoped that I did not have to wait too long before someone stopped. He felt very uncomfortable and most people have just accelerated and avoided visual contact. A couple gave me a compatible look, but managed in their completely complete rear seat.

I managed to get some service and send a text message to Underdog to see if he had already hooked. A minute later, someone was calling my name and waving Underdog simply left the start of the path when I sent him a text message. I was surprised that he had managed to get ahead of him, but he had taken a long break in the last refuge that was also a .5 miles and added some mileage to his day.

We both continued trying to get hooked with not much luck during the next 15 minutes. I looked for transport options, but it was not really practical at this point, since I was 30 minutes by gatlinburg car and it took too long to wait. After other minutes in which I tried not to get stressed, a car with two women rolled through their window for me. I felt very relieved and asked them if they went to Gatlinburg and if they could take us. They accepted and stacked the car feeling extremely relieved.

The women were very friendly and had many questions for us. Both were dentists and fully supported a break from the corporate world. They asked how I felt comfortable hooking and explained how I think you can distinguish a lot from someone’s vibrations, and at the same time take measures to stay safe. We talk about how it is so easy to get caught in the distrust of the American individualist mentality, when most people are actually good people.

They left us right in front of Noc’s advanced position and reviewed it for a second before addressing the Mexican place along the way. I was so hungry and asked for a vegetable taco, fish taco, breakfast burrito and nachos loaded divided with helpless.

So good and fresh!

I received my things and went to the bathroom. The food came very fast and was delicious. I looked for replenishment options: there was a grocery store, but it was not at a short distance. I would really have to hurry if I wanted to be on the way at 6:30. He had arrived at Newcound Gap a little later than he thought and hooked had also added some time.

Underdog suggested to stay the night. The idea was very tempting, but my old tramilia had been here yesterday and said the hotel rooms were very expensive due to the holiday weekend. I decided to verify and see and found a room for $ 100, which was an excellent price! I felt super tired and helpless too. So much to enter and go to the city! I will eventually do it, but it is probably more feasible if you walk a brief amount in the morning and reach the city early.

We headed to the room and enjoyed a shower and also washed the shower clothes. Feeling renewed, we go to the Walgreens down the street to replenish there. Hunter had sent me a text message to hang out and told him to meet us at Walgreens if he was bored. I wasted some time looking for a contact solution while talking to my niece on the phone, then I went to the food hall. They had a small selection but some good backpack foods and it was enough to reach the next replenishment.

Hunter appeared and headed to the general store to see if they had good options. It was mainly a bust, but it was a great store. We returned to the hotel and Hunter invited us to go out with him to this bar later. I felt quite tired and in the mood of a little chill in bed. I ate my remaining burrito when we returned and then began to organize my food. Simultaneously I felt that I had obtained too much and very little.

Underdog went around 9 and enjoyed having the hotel room for me, relaxing on my phone and organizing and packing my things. I also contacted some transport drivers to return tomorrow morning. I was awake much later than I wanted, and just turned off my phone after 11:30.

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