Smokies, Standing Bear and the return of Turkenna

Last sunrise in the Smokies

Waking up early enough to see the sunrise is one of the joys I get on the road that I rarely experience in «normal» life. The sunrise at Cosby Knob Shelter in Great Smokey Mountain National Park was especially beautiful. The colors slowly changed as the sun cascaded over the distant mountains and shone on the carpet of deep green grass just below the shelter. Not a bad way to enjoy a cup of coffee. We are sure to wake up sore, with tense muscles and ankles gnawed by constant pain. But mornings like this make all those physical discomforts dissipate. And what remains is simply the joy of being able to exist in this moment, in this place, with this dawn.

Sailing through the Smokies

The first half of the Smokies was difficult terrain with occasional good views. The second half was much less tiring and the views constantly took our breath away. We stopped very often to take in particularly idyllic views and regularly mentioned to each other: «It’s so beautiful!» This day, our last day in the Smokies, was no exception. Knowing we only had 10 miles to walk before reaching our destination at Standing Bear Hostel, we walked slowly enough to enjoy the views and appreciate the beauty of this exceptional park.

bear cage

We planned to finish the miles by lunchtime, so we decided not to eat at the last shelter in Davenport when we stopped to get water there. The shelter was a bit wild because it is the last shelter left in the park that still has a bear fence. It’s exactly what it seems. The three walls are built like any other shelter, but the open fourth wall has a fence with a gate in the middle. It keeps everyone inside safe from the bears and the bears safe from getting used to humans. We were told that the other bear fences had been removed because people were trying to feed the bears through the fences designed to keep them out. You can fix a lot of things, but you can’t fix stupid things. Anyway, it was cool to see the bear fence.

Turkenna would have loved the Smokies

And so, we end up with Smokey’s. As we approached the road junction just past the park perimeter, we walked through a section that followed a mountain stream. We passed a waterfall cascading down a high rock face. Turkenna would have liked that section, I thought to myself.

I really missed my girl. Luckily, our amazing friends who were watching kept me in the loop and shared photos of her relaxing, getting cuddles, and playing with her 8-month-old puppy. This was our last day without her and she was looking forward to meeting up the next day.

Trail Magic before Standing Bear

There was less than 2 miles left and hunger for lunch was starting to set in. Just as we approached Davenport Gap, the folks at Standing Bear Hostel were setting up a magical little trail! Nothing like a free hot dog and beer to cheer up two hungry hikers! We graciously accept the magic before continuing. The trail crosses under I-40, an interstate we have traveled many times. The juxtaposition between being isolated in nature on a trail that borders just below thousands of cars and people was very present. How great to be on a trail that has so much diversity. I’m excited about all the things we’ll see as we move further north, to states none of us have been to before.

standing bear

We arrived at Standing Bear at a decent time. A welcoming face greeted us and showed us around. «The bathrooms are being renovated, but there’s the portajohn,» he points toward the gravel driveway. «He’s the kitchen. We have pizza you can cook there. You’ll have to do the laundry, but you can use the dryer and borrow clothes.» Our stay there was great! We hung out in our room during the heat of the day. ‘Banjo music,’ as Cody called it, filled the quiet property. A very challenging section and through hikers wandered the grounds and eventually settled around the fire as the sun set. An evening of good conversation, hot pizza and cold beer completed another beautiful day on the road.

Spa Day

The next morning was exciting! We were going to see Turkenna! We contacted the Carolines about their ETA and began preparing for the day. It’s a three-day hike from Standing Bear to Hot Springs, so we completed our resupply. I braided Cody’s hair and we packed our bags.

Lunch with the Carolinas

Just as we finished packing, the Carolines showed up! I don’t know who was more excited, us or Turkenna. Either way, the meeting was filled with joyful cheers and tail wagging. As a thank you for seeing Turkenna, we took you to one of the only cafes in Hartford, Tennessee: The Beantree Cafe. It was delicious! I had this amazing sandwich with bacon, lettuce, fried green tomatoes, and sun-dried tomato aioli. I’m still thinking about that sandwich.

Back on the trail with Turk!

After lunch, we were dropped off at the trailhead just down the road from Standing Bear. We hit the road around 1:00, but still had 10 miles to go that day. We said goodbye and went on an excursion. It was also a climb. It’s starting to feel like every section after a resupply is one big climb. Which means those days are the hardest for me. Cody brings the water and the sleeping system (the tent, the mat, the duvet and the pillows). I carry the tent poles and the bag of food. That just means that the weight of my backpack becomes very heavy during resupply and slowly decreases in weight as we eat each day. The weight of Cody’s backpack fluctuates as we refill it with water. It’s a system that works for us.

Warming up

The day was not only hard for miles, but it was also quite hot. Starting at 1:00, we had no choice but to walk during the heat of the day. We make sure Turk gets plenty of rest on hot days. Cody even brings her backpack on days when we think she just needs a little rest or looks tired. It was her first day back on the trail, so he carried her backpack that day just to get her back into the swing of things. He’s a good dog dad!

Camping Gap Brown

We arrived at Brown Gap that night. There are some campsites there just off the gravel road and a small stream running through them. We split our nightly chores. At this point we don’t have to communicate much about who does what. We just get to work. Set up the tent, inflate the sleeping pad, hang wet clothes and get dry, collect water and filter it, prepare dinner, etc. There is something strangely therapeutic about the routine of arriving at camp and doing the same tasks every day.

Belly pains on the road

Unfortunately, before I went to bed, my stomach started to feel pretty bad. I took some pesto pills from our medicine cabinet but it got worse. Finally I got sick. I DO NOT HAVE NOROVIRUS. My stomach just gets upset when I eat things I don’t normally eat. And my diet has changed a lot along the way. The next morning he was hungry.

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