Standing Bear Farm at Hot Springs, North Carolina

Standing Bear Vortex

We left the Davenport Correctional Pen, i.e. shelter, and arrived at Davenport Gap. It wasn’t necessary, but I put the second half of my permit in the mailbox. Hey, they know I’m not there. It is just a few miles from Standing Bear Farm. The cat «Ricky» accompanied us during most of the blue fire.

This will be our last mail delivery and I probably won’t make any more as I felt like my previous one overdid the amount of food and some went straight into the hikers’ boxes. My replacement trekking pole is in West Tennessee and I have to figure out how to bounce it down the trail.

We ended up splitting a private room by the creek. Our early arrival gives us plenty of time for camp chores. There is a lot of reconstruction and improvement work going on after the 2025 microburst. The new bathhouse will have many amenities. Currently the laundry room only includes a dryer, I ended up using my bear canister as a hand washer.

Standing Bear has received a lot of criticism for being less sophisticated and expired foods. I can say that the 5/$1 chocolate bars are expired and buyer beware, but the ramen and camp food selection was dated. There’s a funky artsy vibe with hand-crafted touches throughout, but things were clean and not sketchy.

The next morning, we were all packed and ready to go, however it looked like my package was going to be delivered that night, Zuko said that was a sign to get a zero. Sweet Tea, Extra, and Flatpick had arrived last night and were looking forward to their company.

We took advantage of a grocery run and prepared meals for lunch and dinner. Salads and tacos seemed to be a consensus. The afternoon consisted of reading the rules of the card game “The Oregon Trail” and we all played two games. Sweet Tea emerged victorious in the second game. I think my cattle died in the first game and I got bitten by a snake in the second game, right before the end.

It was a good day with friends and I commented that it had been a while since I had laughed out loud. Why is that? He seemed focused on the steps in the Smokies. I enjoyed the views, but didn’t talk much. Well my package arrived around 6pm as expected, I hugged the box, fixed the pole and thanked the piblnk pole, it served me well and it could still be on the hikers porch.

Standing Bear to Max Patch Road (12.9 miles)

Along Snowbird Mountain, the view was worth the longest, most consistent incline, my ankles didn’t appreciate it, but my mantra thus far was «be comfortable with the uncomfortable.»

The Groundhog Shelter was good for lunch, but it was too early, so we continued. We found scattered campsites, but ended up on Max Patch Road. Sweet Tea, Extra, and Flatpick were loading the car to go to Trail Days and seemed a little surprised to see us. I’m not the fastest, but I’ll get there.

Max Patch to store site (11.3 miles)

Wow, MaxPatch, just wow. On the photo I sent to my friends, they commented that it looked AI-generated and wasn’t really real.

Well, yes, I had to agree with the sentiment. We kept up a long, steady descent and ended up at a tent site. Much needed rain once we were settled in for about an hour. Tomorrow Hot Springs, and resupply.

Hot springs and a zero

Close to zero towards Hot Springs, where the trail runs through town. I woke up early and was full from the 545am alarm. We started around 7 and I was ready to refill my water. The tent site was dry and I drank about 150 ml in the morning. The first spring, even with rain, was dry, and the next required the placement of a magic leaf. My fear is the lack of water and I get nervous when I get off. The Farout app showed a lot of opportunities, so I felt like I would get it quickly within a few kilometers. Fortunately, there are no real advantages to deal with, since they burn through water faster.

Wind gusts from last night’s storm continued into Hot Springs. We had reservations at Elmer’s Sunnybrook Inn for two nights. Maybe we can get ready for a swim at the hot springs complex, I think my right ankle is pretty upset despite most of the descent today. Deleting it hasn’t worked since Standing Bear.

We spent a productive day, restocking, AND the suppliers had my shoe in the same model and size. My shoes had 100-150 miles on them before the tour and I was hoping to get replacements, my feet felt better with the new ones on.

Zero hot springs

Well, we have an hour in the hot tubs, with the mineral bath, my right tendon? obtained most of the planes. You feel more relaxed. A lunch stop at the taqueria and brewery on the way back. I’m going to mail my shoes home because they have a few miles left in them each day, or so I think. My husband must think I’m a pack rat because I’ve been sending home old shoes, pieces of paracord, and other miscellaneous items.

Ascent to the hot springs

Leaving Hot Springs, it became apparent that my right tendon was not up to bending, carrying a backpack, and about 1.5 miles in, I found a mossy area and simply collapsed to the ground. It was more than just pain, pain, and I knew I wouldn’t make it the second part of the hill, let alone more miles. I let Zuko know that I thought something was really going on and that I didn’t want to appear in a ranger report. So, very slowly, we descended. I texted my cousin Anne, who I had made arrangements to get up with a few days later at Sams Gap. I used his knowledge of geography, since Hot Springs Urgent Care wouldn’t be open until Monday (it was Saturday). Bless you, he said, I’ll come get you and we can go to the urgent care that was open until 7 p.m.

the diagnosis

The doctor examined me and said they would do x-rays to confirm what was happening, but they thought I had acute tendonitis. Which I did, there are two bone spurs in my right heel that irritate the Achilles tendon. So I’m going to my cousin’s house for a few days and we’ll see how I recover and take Zuko to Sams Gap.

Anne’s House for Wayward Hikers

I was ordered to sit on my butt and lift my leg, when her friend came to visit and sat on the couch, she was told to move because that was my «place.» Too bad the cats weren’t on board, because I ended up with them curled up around me. It is no difficulty, I assure you.

I may have gained a pound for every day I was at Anne’s, and it’s time to find Zuko. My recovery will last more than four days. That’s Sam’s Gap. We went to Erwin’s and got supplies for Zuko, and lunch was at McDonalds, since she had been thinking about a mocha shake for a while. As for me, we left Zuko for a zero at the hostel. I return home to do physical exercises and recover. It’s the adults’ decision, but I don’t like it.

adults adults

Well, we’re heading to Asheville to get a one-way rental car and head home. My trail run is on pause, like last year. I’m struggling with the lower miles, I was hoping to make it to Virginia at least before the heat got terrible. I can say that the Mid-Atlantic was a softer start. The Smokies were beautiful and I finished too soon. I have to give myself grace, since I’m almost 40% of the way through, and that’s no small feat.