4/22 Mile 197.2

Had some pounding rain over night, but luckily it only started once I was in my tent for the night and ended in the morning. The day initially seemed like it was going to be cold and damp, but lightened up and got pleasant within a couple hours. I decided to make it a shorter one. I’d been pushing hard the previous few days, and got to Double Spring Gap which turned out to be a lovely little shelter and campground. The Smokies have changed entirely yet again! Everything is gorgeous, Christmas-tree-scented balsam forest now. Some friends I encountered at Double Spring and I concocted a plan for the next day. More on that next.

First, a little side note on that book I showed a picture of in the last post: I was reading that before bed, and tonight I just happened to read the section about the author’s hike through the Smokies and up Clingman’s Dome in particular.

4/23 Mile 207.7

As planned the night before, Jessie, Rambo, Jules, Chilidog, and myself got up at 5:30ish in order to leave by 6:30. This meant we got to do a lovely sunrise hike to Clingman’s Dome. It was gorgeous, and so incredibly peaceful. I left just before the rest of the group, so I did it solo. Climbing Clingman’s as the sun rose through that spruce forest is one of the most awesome (in the original sense of the word) things I’ve ever done. At each break in the trees, you could see clouds pooled in the valleys below. Pictures do not do the experience justice at all, but here are a few anyway.

The next part of our plan was to reach Newfound Gap by 12:30, because a free shuttle operated by some friendly folks would take us into Gatlinburg (we even got some trail magic before getting on the shuttle). That way, we still got over 10 miles for the day, but also got to have pretty much a full town day. The plan worked beautifully. I’d never been to Gatlinburg, and it was a lot of fun. We accomplished the normal “town chores” quickly (shower, laundry, resupply) and then had the rest of the day to just hang out. The amount I ate is truly astounding. First we walked the length of the strip just to check out our options, then grabbed a pitcher at a rooftop bar. We went to Smoky Mountain Brewery to eat and I had a 14oz ribeye with a Caesar salad, baked Mac and cheese, and broccoli with beer cheese, which was incredible. Back at our hotel, because we all needed a break after that meal, we noticed Moneyball was on, so I got to see that finally (for the first time, great movie). Then, incredibly, we were hungry again. So we walked over to Cici’s, which has an all you can eat pizza and pasta buffet, and closed it down. Lovely town day, and we did it all while also ending the day 10 miles further down the trail than we started! The free shuttle will take us back to Newfound Gap in the morning!

Another side note: ran into Gwen, the French friend I mentioned a while ago, at Newfound! Was great to see him, it’s been forever (it feels like). He had been to Gatlinburg the day before and was getting back on trail when we saw him, and described Gatlinburg as “like Disney without Mickey Mouse” and I think that’s pretty accurate.