April 6, 2009
This is it! The first day of my final Appalachian Trail journey. If all goes as planned, I will complete the Appalachian Trail eight days from now on April 14. Lynn and I found the spot where I ended last year which was a few miles south of Fontana Dam. I have 155 miles to go. Let's see how many of those miles I can get in today. I was glad I could take a break from carrying and wearing all my winter gear that I've been carrying all winter in the Whites. It was a little chilly, but I started off in shorts anyway.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One of the reasons I chose this time of year was so that I could meet lots of thru hikers who were beginning their journey.
About three miles into my hike, I met the first of them as I went through Cody Gap. I couldn't help but think of Jim and Sue's ultrarunning lab named Cody as I walked through here. I went by a tent and met a thru hiker named Snake Eyes who was still toasty warm in his sleepbag.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Next I met Ninja
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I can't seem to remember this hiker's name.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Allan and Duckman
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Time for a small detour to check out the shelter
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
At Brown Fork Gap Shelter I met Red Elk and Ninja.
"I just met a hiker named Ninja," I said.
"Yes, but he is not a true ninja. He gets up to early. A true ninja must rule the night," he joked.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The weather wasn't the best, so I was surprised to get a nice view as I entered Stecoah Gap
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
There were a couple picnic tables here so I took a break before making the steep climb out of the gap.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I still have along way to go. It's 13.6 miles to Highway 19.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Cool tree!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kim, another thru hiker.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I met two more hikers who had a dog whose face reminded me of my old pal Snoopy.
Here's an old picture of Snoopy so you can see the resemblance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This hiker's trailname was "Two Packs". I definitely couldn't hike carrying the setup he had.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I headed up and over the 5062' summit of Cheoah Bald. The summit is no longer bald like the name implies, but it looked like it would provide a decent view on a nice day. Hey, where did this white stuff come from. I could have stayed back home in Maine if I wanted snow!!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Time for another little detour.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sassafras Gap Shelter
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The shelter was packed. All the thru hikers were getting off the trail early because of the snow and cold. I finally decided that my shorts were not quite appropriate for the current conditions and put on my pants. This late winter weather was just a small taste of what was to come the next day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I still had several miles to go so I had to leave the shelter. I didn't mind. I had a warm motel room waiting for me. I headed up and over the viewless summit of Swim Bald. I went passed a scenic view (on a nice day) named "The Jump-up". Tomorrow I would go passed "The Jump-off". As I made my long descent down to Wesser, I passed a small memorial to a forest ranger.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Down, down, down I went. I could hear the sound of the Nantahala River. I knew I was getting close. then through the trees I could see some rafters making there way down the river. I came out at Nantahala Outdoor Center. I passed some inviting benches, but I didn't stop.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crossing the bridge
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Nantahala River
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
There's a restaurant . . .
. . . an outfitters . . .
. . . and a general store in this beautiful little spot. There is also a hostel here as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lynn had arrived a few minutes before I got there.
We made the long, winding drive back to our motel in Franklin.
Miles to go: 134
| 
