Day 9 – April 11, 2022 – 16.4 Miles
Strong day on the trail. This is the most amount of miles done in one day. Camping at Muskrat Creek shelter tonight. Last night there were mice all around my tent and looking for food. It was weird seeing mice crawl up and down my tent. Thankfully nothing got in. The wear today was mid-70s and sunny. Crossed the border into NC today! The climb out of Bly Gap wrecked my legs, but it should be smooth hiking from here on out. I need to learn to pack more food. Ate my lunch at 9AM today because of my hunger.
Day 10 – April 12, 2022 – 16.1 Miles
Last night there was a visitor where we were tenting. It was a big, large, creature walking around in the woods. It was hard to tell what the creature was, but I suspect it was a bear. It walked really heavy. It was hard to tell if the creature was 4 yards away or 40 yards away, but more than one person heard it. Thankfully, there was no contact so crisis averted! Another strong day on the trail. Camping at Betty’s Creek Campsites. Heavy bear activity in the area. The terrain was very flat compared to the previous days. The views were amazing today. There were multiples times today where you would be walking on the side of a cliff and looking across the vally, there would be 4-6 ranges of mountains. I don’t think I could ever get tired of the mountians. Weather today was sunny and mid-70s. At a HUGE dinner because tomorrow is a resupply day. So very thankful to be out here.
Day 11 – April 13, 2022 – 8.6 Miles
Hiked a breezy 8.6 miles to Rock Gap from Betty’s Creek. Crossed the 100 mile mark today at the top of Albert’s Mountain. There was a fire tower up there and the views were incredible! It was also REALLY windy. I climbed to the top of the fire tower and the wind was so intense. I was surprised the fire tower didn’t blow over. Nearby, we met a NPS ranger who was hiking the AT so she could “rehab” her knee after surgery……she hiked 100 miles in 3 days. She was nuts! It feels so satisfying to cross the 100 mile marker. It is a small mile marker, but very important. Caught a shuttle at Rock Gap for a resupply and a zero for bad weather in Franklin, NC. We are staying at the Sapphire Inn tonight. Franklin is a cool little place. There are a lot of hikers at the Sapphire. Blessed to be living.
Day 12 – April 14, 2022 – 0.0 Miles
Took a zero in Fontana. The weather was supposed to be bad, but it ended up being warm and sunny. The weather is funny in the mountains. Don’t like the weather? Wait 15 minutes. Took the time to do laundry, restock, and call family/friends. Also went to outdoor76 for a better water bladder. My gear is pretty dialed in at this point. Found a great stuff sack in the hiker box. Went to Ms. Lois’s for food – that place is so good and affordable. Today is Holy Thursday, but it doesn’t feel like Holy Week. I feel disconnected and I don’t like it. I am currently eating, sleeping, and breathing the AT; all other aspects of my life are slipping.
Day 13 – April 15, 2022 – 19.4 Miles
Big hike day! Went from Rock Gap to Cold Spring shelter. Today is Good Friday and I found a bunch of little silver crosses along the trail – great little reminders. At 3PM, we came to Wayah Bald. The views were so amazing. It was so quiet and peaceful, perfect for a moment of silence to honor Jesus. Tonight I am camped out on top of a ridge and the views are excellent as well. Weather today was sunny, mid-60s. Dinner was pasta with Fritos, trail-mix, and fruit snacks.
Day 14 – April 16, 2022 – 11.5 Miles
Cruised an easy 11.5 miles from Cold Spring shelter to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). Staying at the NOC tonight in a cabin. This is a pretty neat place – lots of things to do. Last nigth we got hit with 1/2 inch of rain. At least it stopped by the time we broke camp. Packing up in the rain sucks. I hate taking down a tent in the rain. Climed through a cloud to get to Wesser Bald. Didn’t see anything due to being in a cloud, but supposedly the views are amazing. Got some AMAZING views on the way down once we descended out of the cloud. It was a very steep downhill, very easy to fall off the mountain. 3Peat hurt his knees and had some trouble walking. Hope he gets better soon. Two weeks on the trail!
Day 15 – April 17, 2022 – 7.1 Miles
Happy Easter! Hiked some tough miles from the NOC to Sassafras Gap shelter. Got a shelter spot! This does not happen very often. First time sleeping in a shelter. There is supposed to be some heavy rain tonight. Went to Bryson City, NC for church today! The church was so cute and the pastor was a cool guy. The NOC had an “All-You-Can-Eat” buffet for $50 a person…..f*ckin jerkoffs. Supposed to be some tough climbs tomorrow, but that’s for tomorrow. Today was partly sunny, mid-60s. Dinner was a chicken Caesar wrap.
Day 16 – April 18, 2022 – 15.4 Miles
Hiked from Sassafras Gap shelter to Cable Gap. Today was my worst day on the trail. My legs felt so tired on the uphill climbs. My Achilles tendons are hurting. It was cold, rainy, windy, and foggy. There was also mud, a lot of it. I am feeling very miserable today and definitely overthinking multiple aspects of my life. Today I learned that many hikers use their pot to boil water and eat their food out of bags. Might have to give it a try. Yummmm plastic flavors! It would make cleanup easier. Ready for sleep tonight so I can have a better day tomorrow.
Day 17 – April 19, 2022 – 5.1 Miles
Hiked 5 miles from Cable Gap shelter to the Fontana Dam Marina for a resupply. The resupply was really good considering it was a marina. They must know hikers. The marina people, however, were huge @$$holes. There was some trail magic at the marina, but they were forced to leave for “stealing business”. Also went to Fontana Resort for laundry and ended up getting a room. Yup, got vortexed. The resort is super cool. Will have to come back for vacation one day. Lots of things nearby. Got my permit for the Smokies!!!!
Day 18 – April 20, 2022 – 16.5 Miles
In the Smokies! Sold 16.5 mile hike today. Went from Fontana Marina to Russell Field Shelter. It feels good to be in GSMNP! The trail was perfectly graded today. The people at GSMNP know how to cut a trail. I went up about 2500 ft in elevation, but barley noticed due to the gentleness of the trail. Saw a deer at 20 feet away, not scared at all. Found out 3Peat is off the trail and not coming back. Massive knee injury. He was apart of the crew; one of us. Going to Maine for him.
Day 19 – April 21, 2022 – 16.4 Miles
Another great day in GSMNP! Went from Russell Field shelter to Double Spring Gap shelter. The weather this morning was chilly, windy and overcast. I thought it was going to rain so I wore all my rain gear. Naturally, it didn’t rain so I just sweated instead. I hate wearing the rain coat; can’t wait for it to warm up. The afternoon was warm and sunny! We celebrated poo-say’s birthday today! Packed out a double chocolate chip muffin as a cake. Stuck a snickers in it as a candle. He loved it! I ate a double dinner tonight. We are resupplying a day early so we ate all our food.
Day 20 – April 22, 2022 – 10.5 Miles
Nice day hiking. Went from Double Spring Gap shelter to Newfound Gap. We climbed up to Clingman’s Dome AND WE GOT A VIEW!!!!! It was amazing! 360 panoramic views. I have been to Clingman’s multiple times, but never got a view before. Clingman’s Dome is the highest point on the A.T., so it’s all down hill from here. Found some trail magic at newfound Gap. Also got a free ride to Gatlinburg. There was a couple standing around and asked if we needed a ride into down. We are planning on staying in Gatlinburg for a couple of days for resupply and to see some friends. Had some pizza/beer but it didn’t sit well with my stomach. It has only been three weeks since starting the trail and my body is no longer used to normal food.
Day 21 – April 23, 2022 – 0.0 Miles
Chill day in Gatlinburg. Went to Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin for breakfast. Resupplied at Walgreens (somehow) and then headed on over to the local Nantahala Outdoor Center. I got a long handled spoon and some stickers. I started the trail with a short plastic spork, but it is hard to reach the bottom of the instant mashed potato’s bag. So I think the spoon will be better. Did laundry with Jake and got food together. Called Mom/Dad since I had phone service. They have a mouse in the house. Ended the day by people watching downtown. They really should have called this place “Gutlinburg” due to all the fat people here. This place reminds me of the boardwalk at the shore. I don’t miss the overstimulation that the world provides. Looking forward to getting back on the trail.
Day 22 – April 24, 2022 – 10.5 Miles
Good day of hiking for getting a late start. Went from Newfound Gap to Peck’s Corner shelter. This morning went to Mass and got breakfast with S.S. who was in the area. Today was one of the prettiest days on the trail. Weather was 70s and sunny with a nice breeze. So many views today. Visited Charlie’s Bunion for the second time. We also passed Ice Water shelter. It was very nostalgic to see the shelter and walk this part of the trail. One year ago, Jake and I took a day hike on this section and talked with thru-hikers at the shelter. Now we are the thru-hikers.
Day 23 – April 25, 2022 – 23.3 Miles
Massive day of hiking. First 20 mile day. Hopefully, first of many. Went from Peck’s Corner shelter to Standing Bear. Only meant to go to Davenport Gap shelter, but it was full by the time we got there. Davenport Gap shelter is the only shelter that is fully enclosed with a chain-link fence as protection from the bears. All of the shelters in the Smokies used to have the bear fence, but it was removed after hikers started to lock themselves in the shelter and feed bears through the fence. Since Davenport Gap shelter was full, we continued to Standing Bear hostel. Highlight was the day was seeing the Mount Camerer fire tower. It was a very secluded spot, but just so beautiful of a sight to see. Officially left GSMNP! I will miss that place. The trail has really mellowed out. Saw a woman, fully naked, and taking a bath in the river next to the trail. After 23 days in the woods, that was a sight for sore eyes. Standing Bear is a cool place. Came too late for dinner so I had some snacks and a beer. Ready to see what else this trail brings.
Day 24 – April 26, 2022 – 15.5 Miles
Hiked from Standing Bear hostel to Roaring Fork shelter. It was a wet, soggy, foggy, and long day of hiking. The terrain was up hill for most of the day. I sweated to death in my raincoat and couldn’t see out of my glasses for most of the day. My legs were so tired today. Passed over Max Patch today. Couldn’t see anything because of the weather, but the views were supposed to be stunning. Will have to come back. Many people were slack packing today. I have mixed feelings about this, but in general, I don’t like the idea of slackpacking. I think it is cheating. The A.T. is hard BECAUSE you have a pack of gear to carry. At the same time, the A.T is not a “Trail of Tribulations”. It doesn’t have to be harder than it already is. Maybe it’s just me. Hike your own hike?
Day 25 – April 27, 2022 – 17.0 Miles
Strong day of hiking. Low on food, we hiked from Roaring Fork shelter to Hot Springs, NC! Hot Springs is one of the major tail towns; the trail goes right through the town. I pitched a tent at Laughing Heart Hostel. There is some great food at the Spring Creek Tavern. Stayed up way too late drinking beer with Skittles, Cody, and Rawhide. What a great group of people. On the trail today, we saw several graves of people dating back to the 1800s. I always forget that the A.T used to primarily run through private lands that were eventually sold to the government. It is a beautiful place to be buried. Today my brother almost had a bathroom accident on the trail; I call it the “shitcident”.
Day 26 – April 28, 2022 – 11.0 Miles
Tough day hiking from Hot Springs to Spring Mountain shelter. The distance wasn’t bad, but packs were heavy and nobody wanted to leave town. I have enough food to last me four days until Erwin. This is one of the longer food carries. Got breakfast (skillet and pancakes) at the Smokey Mountain Diner and resupplied at the Dollar General. Also visited the outfitters and got postcards for folks. Can’t wait to send them out. I saw more graves on the trail today. The weather was warm and sunny. Food was rice and pasta. Happy to be back on the trail. Really looking forward to this stretch.
Day 27 – April 29, 2022 – 22.6 Miles
Another 20 miler day! Went from Spring Mountain shelter to Flint Mountain shelter. Trail Magic found – zucchini bread! Sunny and mid 60s today – great day for hiking. Had some beautiful views from BlackStaff cliffs. We walked along the top of the ridgeline and had 360 panoramic views. Also hiked over Bit Butt mountain. Haha! My legs are so tired at EOD. Left knee is sore and right ankle hurts. Hopefully sleep and some vitamin I (Ibeproferin) can fix it. Met some great new people today. Terribly long down hill and that is what is hurting my legs. Going uphill is hard, but going down hill is what really destroys your legs. Passed the 300 mile mark today….OH YEAH!
Day 28 – April 30, 2022 – 11.2 Miles
Quick 1/2 day hike from Flint Mountain shelter to Sam’s Gap. At Sam’s we got picked up by Jake’s parents and taken to their place in Johnson City. Having a zero day tomorrow to escape bad weather. This gives me time to rest up. Trail Magic arrived while waiting at Sam’s. The trail is becoming less and less crowded. Been like this ever since Hot Springs. I feel settled in and really in a groove on the trail now. Get to make it to church tomorrow. It’s great how the opportunities keep appearing. Things really do work out.
Day 29 – May 1st, 2022 – 0.0 Miles
Took a zero in Johnson City today with Jake’s family. It felt good to have a day off. I ate like a king this day – Project BBQ, big breakfast, pasta dinner, and burgers/dogs. Easily somewhere between 3000-4000 calories, but somehow, I still feel hungry. The hiker hunger is REAL. Also able to make it to church today! The church was ugly, but it was good to see Jesus. I got my resupply for the next few days. Today was one of the first days of noticeable mental health issues. I miss seeing and talking to my friends on a regular basis. When you hike the trail, you obtain connections with new friends, but it can be a really isolated environment. There is no time to be sad; there is over 1800 miles left on the trail. Need to stay focused and just work through it.
Day 30 – May 2, 2022 – 24.5 Miles
Went from San’s Gap to Uncle Johnny’s hostel. Long day of hiking, but the terrain was mostly mild. Found Zac on the side of the trail and he hiked with us today. Went to the top of Big Bald! The 360 view was amazing!! I cannot believe I’ve never heard of this place before – It’s pretty close to Knoxville. Uncle Johnny’s is a super chill spot, I pitched a tent on the lawn. I heard a story about how a guy was hiking with his dog and his dog attacked a bear that was lurking in the underbrush near the trail. That dog could have easily died, people are crazy for letting their dogs roam without a leash. I got pizza and a lot of free beer from Rawhide who was working there. That is so generous. Rawhide is injured so he will be working at Uncle Johnny’s for a few weeks while his foot heals.
Day 31 – May 3, 2022 – 20.6 Miles
Happy 1 Month Anniversary! One month and over 350 miles on the AT. It has been such a great journey so far! Went from Uncle Johnny’s to a campsite just past Iron Mountain Gap road. We had to pull over before reaching our final destination due to the threat of rain. The sky was so dark and little drops were starting to come down. We made camp for the night as fast as we could on an old logging access road near the trail. We wanted to get our tents setup before before the rains came. Climbed Unaka Mountain today. Hell of a climb, but the top was cool. We were in the alpine zone so lots of delicate plants and scrubby pine trees. It was very similar to the are around Clingman’s Dome. I was give a trail name and I have accepted it. I am “Barba Rossa”, Italian for “Red Beard”. It was given to me by a man named Close-Call. I first met him in Hot Springs.
Day 32 – May 4, 2022 – 21.6 Miles
Went from Iron Mountain Gap road to Overmountain shelter! Weather was overcast/rainy in the morning, but turned out amazing in the afternoon. Hiked up Roan mountain today. It was a large amount of elevation, but the trail was well cut with big sweeping switchbacks so it wasn’t too bad. The views from Roan and the following string of balds was so beautiful. The space was so open and the views were 360. A much different experience from the “Green Tunnel” that I was used to. This might be my favorite section of the trail so far. It’s hard to believe there’s so much beauty here and so rarely visited. Trail magic found before the Roan climb. Hot dogs, sodas, and bong rips were all available. I really need to drink more water out here. Really dehydrated today.
Day 33 – May 5, 2022 – 19.7 Miles
So much action today! Went from Overmountain shelter to Walnut Mountain road. Overmountain shelter is on a valley rim. Beautiful views of the valley when I woke up. It was something out of a picture book. I saw the historic Overmountain Men trail. Climbed over more balds today – more fantastic views. Left NC for the last time today. Two states down, 12 to go! Got a sandwich at the Station on 19E (Pub/Grille). Food hit the spot, but they made the afternoon drag. I was hiking SOOOO slowly. Supposed to camp at Mountaineer Falls Shelter, but due to potential of bad weather, ended up night hiking to Walnut Mountain road. There we got picked up by Jake’s parents and whisked away to Johnson City. Found an unopened Twisted Tea beer can in the roots of a tree during the hike and naturally, I chugged it down for the calories. Trail Magic, maybe?
