Jeffrey and JW Across the Smoky Mountains on the Appalachian Trail
We drove a very narrow, crooked road to Fontana Dam. We went to the Visitor’s Center at the dam for information about signing in for the permit to cross the Smokies AT, but the hosts didn’t know where to sign in. After a few phone calls, they directed us to the boat ramp where I last entered the Dam area after leaving the trail. There was a simple form to complete and leave in a secure box. After Jeffrey completed the information, we made our final preparations to begin a journey that we had anticipated for several months.
Most folks have a trail name or someone gives them a name. Willene asked Jeffrey his trail name. "I guess, Hobab’s son", he said. She responded, "since your dad is Hobab, and a web page you can be "dot com (.com). I liked his name even though I didn’t call him by that name any time while we were away. We had a good laugh and will for time to come that his trail name is ".com."
We drove across the Fontana Dam to the trailhead. After our good-bye’s, Willene took our picture as we entered the trail for a long ascent on the beginning of the trail (11:00 A. M.) to an abandoned tower at Shushack. This was one of the defining moments for us when we got to a split in the trail that was not clearly marked. To the right was a white "T" marked on a tree. The other trail to the left looked like the correct one, so we took it. After about a quarter of a mile both of us got concerned that we had taken the wrong trail. We asked ourselves, are we missing the obvious, "T" must mean trail even though we had no reason to think that. So we backtracked to the fork in the trail to take the one marked by the "T". Soon after taking that trail we met some folks coming down who told us that it the views were worth the walk. We asked, "is this the AT?" They said, "no this is the trail to the Tower." It was a learning experience for us to know that the "T" on the trail doesn’t mean trail, but tower. Jeffrey walked up the tower, took a picture, and gave testimony to his old dad that it was a good view. I accepted his word, and will see the picture later.
We established a very aggressive schedule. The first shelter that we wanted to reach was Russell Field Shelter (12.9 miles). When we got to Mollies Ridge Shelter, (10.3 miles) we decided that we would make this shelter our home for the night. The shelter was already full and there were a number of folks with tents around the shelter. We began looking for a place to put up our tents. A young girl with an accent approached me, telling me that they had reserved the area and they were loud, suggesting that we move on to the next shelter. I assured her that this was our home for the night and that we would not bother them. I soon learned that there were groups of Polish college students on the trail. These students were Polish born, living in Chicago. They were brought to the trail so they could be together, speaking their native tongue, experiencing their culture with those of their age. The young girl was right; they were loud, but not offensive. They were kids having a good time. It was not their noise that kept me awake; it was my aching bones.
We met a father back-packing with his son meeting the requirements for a Boy Scout merit badge. This man was not happy with the Polish students because he spent the last night in a shelter with them. They kept him awake the night before, and he anticipated no less tonight. He had a cell phone that didn’t have coverage so Jeffrey let him use his so he could make contact with his wife to pick him up in a couple of days. Jeffrey thought it was the father after the merit badge, not the son.
I was a little concerned that the night before at this shelter there was a herd of wild bore. The ground was rooted where the hogs had been. I had more concern
for the wild bore than the bear. The shelters through the Smokies national park have chain-linked fence across the front to protect hikers from the bear. Those of us sleeping in our tents had no protection from the bears. As we hiked this section the Park Rangers were erecting strong permanent food hangers. They were taking down the chain-link fencing. Feeding the bears is prohibited, but they found that people behind the fencing would feed the bears. As a result of feeding the bears human food they become friendly with humans and become a danger. The worst menaces in the shelters are the mice.
The richest aspect of walking the trail is the people. There are so many interesting and wholesome folks that we met along the way. I’ve mentioned the half-dozen polish students and a father and son making the southbound trip to Fontana Dam for a merit badge requirement. Everyone is helpful, friendly, and non-invasive.
After a restful night, Jeffrey and I were ready for the challenge of our second day on the trail. We were behind in our schedule, but that wasn’t important. We were determined to walk as long as we felt good and there was day light.
August 3, 1999
To get back on schedule, we would have to walk to Silers Bald, mile marker 27.3 The nights are long for me. My bones ache, and it’s very difficult to get a comfortable position to rest. The Scouts father didn’t sleep well because the Polish teenagers kept him awake. He was very disturbed because of the noise last night. He encountered the kids wanting to put food inside the shelter that would attract rats as he was trying to sleep. He insisted that they hang their food, pots and pans on the hangers with their packs to discourage any possibility of mice disturbing their sleep. We listened as we got ready for the continuation of our northbound route. We would not see these folks again, but we had no idea what the next shelter would bring.
We got going before 8:00 this morning, but it would be the last day that we would get away so early, but we knew this would be a long day for us.
Our rest stop was at Derrick Knob shelter. There were a number of hikers settling in for the evening, but we were determined to make it to the next shelter. We were feeling good and there was plenty of day light left. Jeffrey was waiting on me when I arrived at the Derrick Knob shelter, which was the normal routine. There was another group of Polish youth gathering for the evening in this shelter. There was also another father and son team hiking to meet merit badge requirements. In our brief talk with them, it was evident; they too, had been in a shelter with these noisy kids the night before. Jeffrey and I got hydrated with a new supply of water. As we got ready to leave, Jeffrey put on his river hat. The kids were speaking Polish and laughing. Jeffrey asked me, "do you think they are making fun of me?" When I looked at him, I told him, "I’m sure they are."
The mileage markers, and the maps were not the same, so we were not sure how far to the next shelter. Those who had walked it said it was not as far as the markers indicated. After walking for about an hour, I heard someone coming up behind us. It was three of the kids that we saw at the shelter we just left. I soon learned that these kids were staying at the shelter that was our destination. They just came to visit their friends. Groups that travel the AT have to break up into small groups, so these kids were back and forth between the shelters visiting. I thought, only if I had that much energy. The kids that we followed drug dry wood for three miles so they could build a fire.
We arrived after 8:00 P. M. where we found a full shelter with others setting up tents outside. There wasn’t much room, but we found a tent spot on some thick grass. I thought it would be lumpy, but it was the softest place I slept on the trip. Since we were so late, we were hurrying to get our tents setup and supper. About dark as we were getting our meal, I heard a small voice cry out, "we made it, we made it." Walking into camp was a young lad with his father who were delighted to be among people and a campsite. We soon met Jim and James, a delightful father and his son. They were walking side trails that covered about 30 miles. Today they walked 7 miles and forded several streams before arriving at the campsite. Nothing about this trip was more encouraging to me than seeing men, women and children walking the trail together. Jim and James were a joy to both Jeffrey and me as we observed them on a trip that will define their relationship for life.
To the other side of us were two young men from Chicago who were spending their vacation traveling the trail. They were very interested in the Appalachian Trail because they had walked mostly on the side trails rather than the Appalachian. I hope to hear from them as well.
After a meal of Ramen Noodles it was almost dark. There’s nothing left to do but go to bed. You can bet that we were ready for that.
August 4, 1999 We walked from Siler’s Bald to Icewater Spring.
It’s a rather demanding ascent from Siler’s Bald to Clingman’s Dom, but the terrain is unusual and beautiful. There were more grassy Balds here than anywhere I’ve been on the trail. There are some spectacular views in this region.
When Jeffrey and I walked up to the tower at Clingmans Dom, we commented that we felt out of place. We had not been among people for several days, and now there were dozens of folks around. Folks gave us a curious look. I recall as a child that the Goatman created a lot of excitement when he came to town. We felt somewhat like the Goatman. We smelled like we’d been on the trail for three days, disheveled hair, unshaven, and looking homeless. When vacationers saw us, they wanted to know what we were doing. There were various questions, and many encouraging words. It was amazing how quickly the Tower at Clingmans Dome cleared out when we got there. I’m sure everyone wanted us to have a good view since we had made such an effort to get there. We left Clingman’s Dome about 12:30 for New Found Gap, and eventually Icewater Spring Shelter.
It took us four hours to get to Clingmans Dome from Silers Bald. Clingmans Dome is the highest peak on the AT, an elevation of 6,642. Needless to say when we left Clingmans we were descending. We made a stop about mid-day at Mt. Collins shelter for water. The water source was located a half mile off the trail. We left our packs at the intersection on the trail while we made the trek for water. Being hydrated has been a great concern for us this entire trip. We were afraid not to keep a good supply of water.
It was a rather tough walk to New Found Gap. We came out of the woods at a lower parking lot at the Clingmans Dome access road about 4:30 where we took a rest on the grass, 1.7 miles from New Found Gap. People driving by laughed at us or made some kind of noise, but we were undaunted. A very friendly family from Mississippi came by asking questions and discussing the trail with us. The father had a leaf, and some fruit asking us to identify it. I didn’t have a clue at the time, but later realized that it was probably a ‘buckeye.’
I was a little concerned about whether we would get to Icewater Shelter before dark. We made our way to New Found Gap where we arrived about 6:00. At New Found Gap there is a large parking lot with overlooks, and trails, and public facilities. There was a lot of activity there. I was just glad that we didn’t make a descent to this gap which is the normal approach to a gap. We walked uphill, and across the parking lot where there was another ascent. As we walked across the lot, a young man looked strangely at us, and asked the question "are you walking the Appalachian Trail?" I thought about saying: "no, we are shepherds that have lost our sheep, and can’t find them." When we walked across the lot we drew flies and attention. We took off our packs for a rest. I sat down, leaning against my pack. Several people asked questions, and made comments as I rested. A young boy said, "I hope when I get older my daddy will take me on the Appalachian Trail." I told him to mark this day. I suggested later that he ask his dad to take him the trail, as I was taking my son on the trail (referring to Jeffrey).
I was talking with a gentleman from Mexico who asked if most of the trail was like the terrain in the area of New Found Gap. He said, "This area reminds me of areas in Mexico." His wife and teenage son were standing near by as we talked. When he left, the teenager said, "I want to give you this that will help you buy some supplies." I knew that it was a Gospel track. Like so many folks who give out tracks, he gave them to us and walked away. When I realized that it was a track, I called to him telling him that we are Christians. He responded, then you can give them to someone else. I gave him the address of my web site and hope that I will hear from him. Once again there were many folks offering words of encouragement as we made our way up the hill toward Icewater Springs shelter.
It was 6:30 and we had 2.7 miles to walk before reaching our destination. We met a family returning from Charlie’s Bunion. They came by Ice Water Shelter reporting that we could make it to the shelter in 2 hours and 15 minutes. That proved correct. He told us that it is a nice shelter.
We saw a family coming down the trail that we met in the New Found Gap parking lot. They walked up the trail hoping to make a picture of the next shelter. As we approached them Jeffrey asked them if they got their picture. The father said they turned back about five minutes ago. When the mother spoke it was quiet obvious that she had spent some time in "them thar hills." In her mountain accent, she said, "I saw a one on the tree." "That must mean that it’s another mile. Good luck guys if it’s another mile." Jeffrey and I would have been glad if it was only a mile; it was much further to the next shelter. Jeffrey pointed out that it was one of the white trail blazes that she saw. Sure enough, just a short distance ahead we found the white blaze that she thought was a one. Thereafter when we came to a double white blaze that warns of an intersection ahead, we always identified it as an eleven.
When we finally got to Ice Water Springs Shelter, we discovered the nicest shelter we had seen. Recently they built a porch extension with skylights. This extension gives the hikers a place to sit under the shelter as well an additional light that brightens it up. There were only 5 people there, leaving us plenty of room to sleep in a shelter for the first time on this trip. There were no spots around the outside of this shelter suitable for camping if we had wanted to sleep in our tent. There was a family of four in the shelter; a father, mother, and girls, 8 and 10 with the 10-year-old turning 11 on the next day, August 5, 1999. The single man, Bill, along with the family, gladly welcomed us to the shelter. Jeffrey and I were so tired, and it was so late, that we nibbled food that we didn’t have to cook. By the time we visited for a while, got our water, and rested, it was bedtime once again. Bill, our new friend, Jeffrey and I slept on the lower shelf while the family of four slept on top. I was so impressed by the manners and behavior of these folks. Once again, the wholesome folks on the trail enriched me. The girls whispered when they talked as we got ready for bed and during the night. It was the following day, at the next shelter that Bill told us that this was a physician and his family. They were originally from South Africa, but now were living in Michigan, but were considering a move to Arizona.
August 5, 1999 The destination was Tricorner Knob
As we were getting ready for a new day, I heard an early happy birthday for the 11-year-old. Later Bill brought her a candle to blow out. He said, "Every little girl should have candle to blow out on her birthday."
Jeffrey and I took time to eat breakfast that consisted of five packs of oatmeal of various flavors. It was good. The family that we had enjoyed were headed out for New Found Gap, then were spending several days on the coast of South Carolina before going home. Bill left before us. He, too, was headed for Tricorner shelter. Bill planned then to take two days to complete this section of the trail. Bill and his brother walked another section of the Appalachian last week. But Jeffrey and I planned that on Friday we would complete our walk by making a long day of it. It was about 12.3 to Tricorner, then 16 miles or so to complete the trail.
Jeffrey and I decided to take time for lunch and more water. We walked about ½ mile off the trail to the Pecks Corner shelter. This was an interesting stop. When we arrived there were several Smokey Mountain Park workers installing cables for hikers to hang their packs. These were like the hangers that we had used each night thus far on the trail. There was a newspaper reporter interviewing the supervisor about the pack hangers as well as wild life management in the Smokies National Park. It was interesting listening as he described the problems that the wild bore brought to the Park. He said, "The wild bore has very little going for itself." Then he described the various ways that the wild bore contributed to the destruction of the ecological system in the Park. We saw many of the destructive things that he described to the reporter.
After a good lunch, and replenishing our water supply, we made our way back to the trail. It was a difficult climb from the shelter back to the trail. The park worker told us that it was not a difficult to walk to Tricorner. We were on our best schedule for the week. If nothing happened we knew that we would be at Tricorner earlier than any shelter thus far. So we took time to rest more than we had been doing.
Thus far we had not made contact with Willene to confirm that she would pick us up on Friday night at Waterville, Tenn. When we were about two miles from the Tricorner shelter, we found a spot at the top of a mountain where we could rest. We took off our sweaty packs. I looked around; it was beautiful, cool, and ideal for a rest. I said to Jeffrey, this is wonderful. Who could ask for anything more beautiful or fulfilling. Then, Jeffrey made a call to Willene. We got through. Jeffrey let Willene know our plans, and got a commitment from her to pick us up. Then, Willene asked to speak to me at which time she stunned me with the message of the death of a young friend. In a split second of news, we went from an ideal situation to one of great sorrow and grief for our friend and his family. We sat in silence face to face in our grief for a while before we got back on the trail
We met a young man who was traveling southbound who came from Tricorner shelter where we were headed for the night. He had taken a nap there earlier in the afternoon. Bill, who left before us, this morning, had already arrived at the shelter. Bill forewarned this young hiker that Jeffrey was coming. This young man was traveling "ultra-light", that seems to be the popular way of hiking. He told us that his pack weighed only 15 pounds excluding food and water. He slept the night before in his bivy sack in the open. It is against the law to sleep in the Park away from a shelter. He found, however, that the shelters were not full as he was told when he called to make reservations.
When we arrived, about 5:30, Bill was sitting outside the shelter reading a book. There was no one else there and we didn’t expect anyone else. Jeffrey and I had time to rest, doctor our feet, and get things ready for our luscious meal of pasta. We had enough room to spread out without infringing on others. We decided to sleep on the top level and spread our belongings on the bottom level. Since we were rather isolated we were able to sponge bathe. We also had one of the trail luxuries, a privy.
Tonight was a war between "mice and men." I could hear the mice running across the top of the shelter as soon as we settled in for the night. We had our food packed and hung on the proper ropes from the rafters. Hikers claim that strings through a can will prevent the mice from getting to the food, but not so. Bill, who was sleeping at the opposite end of the shelter, was carrying on a battle with the mice eating away at his food. I was awakened several times by his flashlight. I saw the steady stream of pepper spray directed toward the mice. It worked. The problem was solved for him, but it created a problem for me. I heard the little feet as they scurried across the top of the shelter to my side. Soon, I had my flashlight out looking for what was causing the noises I heard. I focused the light on the string holding my food. There he was the pesky little mouse. I took my trekking-pole, knocking the mouse toward Jeffrey. Jeffrey was awake long enough to complain about me knocking the mouse toward him. He was asleep very soon after the incident, but he remembered it the next day. I knocked the mouse as well as my bandana to the ground, but I didn’t hear them anymore during the night. But the next morning there were holes in my bandana as well as my bath towel where the mice gnawed through them.
The battle with the mice was an interesting topic for discussion the next day. Bill decided that he too would try to make it out of the Park in one day. He was ready for a motel rather than another shelter fighting the mice. Jeffrey told him that an "APB" was out on him by the mice. Bill, said, "yes and they don’t know it, but I’m out of pepper spray."
August 6, 1999
When we came into the shelter last night, we saw that we would have a steep climb when we left today. As we left, we missed the trail, but it didn’t take us long to get back on the trail. It was encouraging knowing that we had 16-18 miles with half of the distance downhill. We left before Bill today, but it wasn’t long before he was passing us. He was walking very fast. I was impressed by his speed.
During the day we met a grandfather walking ahead of his three grandsons. He left an hour and half before them. He told us that they would pass him before he got to the shelter where they were spending the night. I told him that one day I hoped to walk the trail with my grandsons. And I do. In about 45 minutes we met the grand-boys that were about to catch their granddad.
Because the day was demanding, we took time for lunch and more water. We stopped at the Cosby Knob shelter. Bill was standing outside eating his lunch. He was complaining about the deer flies that were gnawing away at him. Very soon, we learned what he was talking about. The flies really came out when we began cooking our lunch. We had our last delicious pasta meal. After lunch, we filled out water containers, and got back on the trail. Bill left us there. He said, rather than sleeping at the Davenport shelter, he would be sleeping in a motel room rather than battling the mice. That was the last we saw of Bill who was taking the Chestnut trail that is a side trail before Davenport Gap shelter.
We thought we had it made when we heard the roar of the interstate 40, but not so. The end of the trail was some distance away. Fatigue does strange things to you. Miles before we got there, I thought I could see the cars. I have been reminded several times at the end of the day how fatigue makes you think and do things that a well-rested person wouldn’t think or do.
When we got to highway 32, it took several attempts to find the entrance of the trail on the other side of the road. We couldn’t believe it, but we still had several miles to go. Finally we came out of the woods near I-40, but where do we go from here? I went to the right, and Jeffrey to left before we found the trail markers. We didn’t have much energy left. We were fearful that Willene was waiting in one place while we were waiting in another.
Several months ago friends, Lawrence and Dot Walker came to this location leaving notes to encourage me on the trail. We didn’t find any remnants of the notes, but I knew that had been there. It’s good to have friends who are always an encouragement.
Jeffrey walked across the bridge and under I-40. We decided to go to the ramp of the Interstate where Willene had to exit. When we got to the intersection, I waited there with our packs while Jeffrey went up the hill to see if there was a parking lot where she might be waiting. She wasn’t to be there until 8:30, it was 7:00. He couldn’t find another place where she might be, so we waited at the exit ramp.
We looked like two homeless bums. As people passed, they honked their car horns at us while some just laughed. We stretched out, waiting for our ride back to civilization. Jeffrey got out his air mattress to lay on while waiting for his mother. When Willene drove up at 8:00, she stopped the car about 20 feet from us. Jeffrey had her to drive the car nearer before he would get up. It was a great comfort knowing that someone was coming for us.
Jeffrey and I celebrated the completion of this section with a high-five.
Willene brought us a change of clothes. She found a Rest Stop just a few miles toward Asheville where we were to change clothes. She also brought a cooler with soft drinks that we got into very quickly. Each of us drank three before getting back to Charlotte. As we talked, Willene noticed that she drove past the exit to the Rest Stop. Jeffrey and I both had no problem with our odor until we got to the motel in Charlotte. Jeffrey informed his mother that it was forgivable that she missed the Rest Stop, but that it would not be forgivable if she missed the exit to the Golden Arches. We were famished for some fat and sugar. When we got to McDonalds we went in to wash up. I’m sure as we hobbled in, unshaven, dirty, and with a trail of dogs following us, that the patrons thought perhaps that we were holding Willene hostage. We got super-sized with fat and sugar. It was good.
We took Jeffrey with us to the motel so he could bathe there because he and Kristin had house-guests for the weekend. It was so good to be clean and comfortable once again.
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