The Unpolished Princess

Start: Max Patch Road (AT mi 254.7). Stop: Hot Springs, NC (AT mi 274.9). Today’s miles: 20.6 miles. Total AT mileage: 1938.8 miles.

I slept wonderfully at Happy Gnomads, once I put my earplugs in. The mattress is soft and like dipping into a cloud. Getting out of that cloud completely sucked.. I didn’t get up when I was supposed to, causing Lizard and I to be a little late for our scheduled shuttle. Luckily, Jumangi didn’t mind. He drove us to Max Patch Road laughing and talking the whole way. He has such a good natured demeanor, I can’t picture him ever being angry.

We started northbound from the road crossing and had a mile to go before getting to the top of Max Patch, a gorgeous, grassy summit with nothing but 360 views of the mountains surrounding us. On the way up that mile climb, I got service and called mom to tell her happy birthday. I hate not being there on her day, but she didn’t seem to mind and was happy to hear from me.

On that summit with the views all around, one side had clouds covering but the sun was shining through them, the other side was obviously rain.. and it looked to be dumping buckets. Before we even got off the grassy patch, the sprinkles started to pelt us. Both of us quickly dropped our day packs and got out our rain jackets. A few days ago, the weather called for rain today, which was why I asked Lizard if she wanted to slack pack with me.. then it cleared up, saying no rain-clearly, it was raining now. And it was cold!

We trucked downhill into the tree canopy and kept hiking and talking and making the best of it. At some point, I started chatting and turned to realize Lizard wasn’t there when she didn’t respond. I stood a minute, then deciding she probably paused to use the bathroom or something, I kept going. Overall it was mostly downhill, but there were a few climbs thrown in, and when they appeared they were steep.

I ate my lunch on a rock at a campsite half way up one of those climbs, hoping Lizard would catch up to me before I finished. But when she didn’t, I guessed she stopped to eat around the same time I did. Our paces are so similar. I kept my jacket on most of the day, thanks to the random downpours catching me off guard. The rain did make the leaves color seem to shimmer like they were covered in glitter. It’s easy to see the beauty all around in nature, even when that nature is making things difficult.

I got to town around 4:30 and walked right to the brewery we ate at last night. I got a beer and an order of chips with cheese dip plus a burrito the size of my arm. The lady at the counter also offered me 2 beef empanadas, said they were extra and if I denied them they’d get thrown away.. not happening ma’am. I ate those and almost all of the chips and cheese dip before my burrito was even ready. I had downed my beer and was getting my second one when Lizard walked through. She ordered her food and beer, and we caught up on the day while she ate. Today’s climbs were tough for her, too.

We got picked up by Sunshine around 6:30. I quickly showered the second I got inside the house, hoping for better hot water today. Last night a guy that got there before us apparently filled up the big soaking tub in the other bathroom just before I showered, so the water was lukewarm. Today’s shower: scalding hot just like I wanted it to be! I let it heat up every inch of me before getting out.

Lizard and I put our clothes in to wash and then I laid out on my bed to work on this.. and then I got sucked into the comments section on Instagram.. about nursing no less-I was in tears laughing! When I remembered the laundry, I went out to the living area and saw that Lizard had already swapped it over to dry, and she was on the couch. She said one of the other people in the bunk room was coughing a lot so she felt safer sleeping out here.

I wished my bed wasn’t a full size and that I could have offered to let her share mine. Sharing a bed is always uncomfortable for me-like I’m afraid to breathe or move a muscle because I don’t want to disturb the other person.. so I can’t really relax. Hopefully she sleeps better there than she would in the bunk room. I hope I sleep good tonight too. As I’m typing this, my right hip and low back is aching some. Maybe this cloud is a little too soft after all. Oh well. I pray it’s nothing and it goes away by morning. There’s always something aching while hiking the AT apparently.

Sweet dreams, y’all.

Start: Max Patch Road (AT mi 254.7). Stop: Davenport Gap Shelter (AT mi 238). Today’s miles: 16.7 miles. Total AT mileage: 1955.1 miles.

I got out of bed easier this morning compared to yesterday, but I still didn’t want to. I wonder how long this trip would take if I took a zero every morning I didn’t want to wake up.. haha. Yeah right.. I’d never have left my house if that were the case. Lizard and I were packed and ready, breakfast in hand to eat in the car on the way to Max Patch Road, when Sunshine came to get us at 8am.

It was cooler this morning than yesterday, and we ended up in our jackets early on. Lizard led and I followed, we talked for awhile and then just hiked together, both listening to audiobooks. I enjoy that, hiking along together-she slightly ahead of me, but close enough to talk if there’s something to say, but not having to fill a void and force conversion at all. Lizard is both easy to talk to and easy to simply be around, even when talking isn’t required.

During a big climb of the day, close to 4 miles in the making, we stopped to eat lunch near the top. From there it was all downhill for Lizard, who was getting picked up by SoFarSoGood at a road crossing at the bottom of the mountain. She’d be going to visit Hannah for the weekend, and I’d be hiking another 3-4 miles uphill to my first shelter in Smoky Mountain National Park.

The downhill to that road seemed to take forever, and it was chilly out. We made it to the road just after 2pm, took our packs off and plopped down to rest. I stayed and waited with her, knowing that this is probably the last time I’ll see her until she finishes the trail. Her zeros to go home will put her behind me, and I’m not planning on taking any zeros between now and finishing. This made me incredibly sad, because I’ve liked having my friend back, to hike with, to talk to.. going into the Smokies alone feels a little scary, honestly. But I know we’ll both be fine.. it’s not like we haven’t made it this far going through way worse on our own.

SoFarSoGood arrived and we all hugged and said our byes and be safes.. they drove off and I hiked on, jacket off since I knew I’d be climbing. Within a mile I was crossing a bridge and the I40 underpass when a cute black and brown dog started following me. She was sweet, licked my hands as we walked, but made me nervous as hell. She came when I called her, when cars came flying by on the road she was just prancing around on. She seemed happy but skinny, and she had no collar on.

I saw her trot down the road when I turned to go up the trail, but minutes later I felt something wet on my hand and looked down to see her there, hiking along side me. Crap. She stayed right by my side, never stepping ahead. When I climbed rock steps, she patiently waited for me to get up a few before joining me. She crossed creeks with no problem, and I started to worry. I didn’t have any food for her, and I was about to be walking into the Smoky Mountains.

I called mom when I had service. She called the rangers station for me, and called me back to say there was nothing they could do. Frustrated, I called my friend Hayley, the pupper saver guru. She calmed me down just by talking with me. We decided I could feed her some peanut butter, and try to call local animal shelters and see what they could do. Crazily enough, I ended up passing another road crossing! I had a mile to go to get to the shelter, so I wasn’t expecting another road crossing. I called 4 different shelters and rescues, one giving me the none emergency number for the police station. They transferred me to the on call animal control lady.

She was sweet, but not helpful. I told her exactly where I was with the pup-and mentioned that now she was walking with a limp and protecting her right front paw. She said she couldn’t get someone out to us tonight.. I explained that I’m hiking and couldn’t stay here.. while our conversation went on and was going no where, hikers passed me. They all looked at me like I was nuts for not having my dog on a leash. I finally hung up with the woman and tried to talk these hikers into taking her to the shelter. The one seemed apprehensive.. I went into a whole rant about how she’s hurt and sweet and if they don’t she’ll die out here and obviously if I had a car I’d do it myself but clearly I don’t… bla bla

They finally gave in with a “well if she’ll even follow us..” and I silently prayed she would. Several minutes of talking and explaining where to take her, they walked away and the man called to her and she followed-after glancing at me. I nodded to her and said, “go” and off she went. I started up the trail again, looking down every few seconds expecting to see her. I won’t lie, I miss her now as I type this. I pray they got her there safely and didn’t abandon her after I was gone and they reached their car. I don’t have service to call and check in.. I got their number and they have mine-plus I have the number to the on call lady.

Anyway, at 5:15 I got to the shelter-officially in the Smokies now! The shelter has a loft and a fenced gate across the front of it, to protect from bears apparently. It’s a little creepy honestly. My claustrophobia doesn’t like it-and there’s no flat space to tent nearby, so the shelter it is. I picked the bottom right corner to set up. A father and son (10 years old and absolutely adorable) have the top left side. I got water and ate dinner talking with them, and having him tell me all about this first camping trip they’re on. He is loving it!

Not long after I finished eating, 2 younger women showed up. This is their first backpacking trip, and they’re learning the hang of things. Then, 3 guys showed up-they are section hiking too, but it’s not their first rodeo. I listened to everyone chatting away, offering in a giggle every now and then when the boy would say, “daddy, there sure is a lot of people here now.” No kidding, kid-I don’t like all the people either.

They attempted to start a fire for quite awhile-and failed. I got comfortable in my sleeping bag and set to work writing this up instead of offering any assistance. Fires aren’t my thing.. and as cold as it is, I’m warm and cozy in this sleeping bag. It’s almost 7pm and I’m already about to put in my earplugs and call it a night. I’ll be attempting to get up early tomorrow. I have a long day with a full pack and an early setting sun.. I’ll have to get a move on.

Alrighty, I’m off to do just that. Goodnight y’all.

Start: Davenport Gap Shelter (AT mi 238). Stop: Peck’s Corner Shelter (AT mi 218.2). Today’s miles: 19.8 miles. Total AT mileage: 1974.9 miles.

I’m pretty sure I pissed everyone off this morning when I decided to get up. I wasnt the first one awake, as I woke up to hearing several people toss and turn around 6:45. I decided before they all fell back to sleep, I’d get up, use the bathroom, and then take my stuff outside of the shelter to pack.. an attempt to not be “as loud” packing since there’s really no way to avoid it.

When I got out of my sleeping bag, it was cold. And then I couldn’t easily open the fencing gate that locked us in this shelter and kept the bears out.. so, that endeavor was noisier than expected. Whoops. After all my racket, the others that were awake but trying not to be all decided to pee too, 3 men.. ha. Once I handled my business, I took my pack outside by the fire ring, then swiftly rolled my sleeping bag and mattress in my ground tarp and took it all outside to pack it into my pack with a bit more space. I circled back inside and snagged my water, shoes, and trekking pole, and was thankful I didn’t forget anything and didn’t have to use my headlamp but for one quick sweep of the space I was leaving empty.. just to make sure.

I said bye to the man that was outside making his coffee now, the dad to the little boy still sleeping inside.. and then headed up the hill with my red light on. It was only 7:15! I didn’t eat yet, or brush my teeth. I decided that I was too cold and wanted to keep moving for now, but I did pack some snacks in my hip belt. When I made it to the main trail, I switched my headlamp to a brighter light and after about 10-15 minutes of hiking slowly uphill, I grabbed my first snack and went to town eating while I hiked.

I finished everything I had packed, deciding this was better for today than sitting around freezing while eating my oatmeal. Then, to my surprise I was able to snag my tooth brush and toothpaste from the brain of my pack while walking-so I brushed my teeth while hiking and didn’t even have to take my pack off. Nice! I didn’t have service to figure out the temperature, but I was guessing it to be in the 40s. I never warmed up while hiking uphill-don’t get me wrong, I was sweating like I always do, but it was cold enough outside that the sweat immediately made me cold. So, at some point when I realized I wouldn’t be warming up any time soon, I stopped to put on my rain pants and jacket-and to put away the headlamp. The sun was creeping up in the far off distance, unseen and unfelt thanks to the mountains and trees blocking its warmth-but the sky was light enough to see without the headlamp on.

I didn’t pass anyone on trail until sometime after 9am, when I was coming down Mt Cammerer. And once I passed one person, I must have passed 50. There were SO MANY people out day hiking to the fire tower I had graciously walked right on by. It was 0.6 miles down a side trail, and I didn’t want any part of it. Plus, I had my own gorgeous views from a rock jutting out along the side of the mountain, clearing out the tree coverage where it stood. I climbed up and caught some stunning color popping out of the mountainsides around me. It seemed good enough to not hike an extra mile that wouldn’t get me anywhere closer to my destination.

It was smooth sailing down hill, even while avoiding and pausing for all of the people coming the opposite way. Then, I realized I was on what appeared to be ridgeline, still ascending and descending often, but not for nearly as long as I had climbed this morning. The views were just gorgeous. The tops of the climbs would have moss covering the ground, trees, and rocks. As I’d descent, the moss would disappear, only to reappear when I climbed up again.

I ended up stopping to chat with several different hikers that asked about my journey. One man said he had made his attempt this year and didn’t make it, so he was proud of me for sticking to it and getting it done. I’m close to hitting the two thousand mile mark! And when I do, I’ll officially be considered a thru hiker, not just someone attempting a thru hike. Man, it feels so surreal.

I ate my lunch sitting on a log along the side of the trail during one of my many climbs of the day. I was finally warm enough to take off the rain pants, but the jacket stayed on all day, and the gloves came and went many many times. I was hardly sitting for 15 minutes when I finished eating and was too cold to “relax” there anymore. I was actually grateful that I stopped in the middle of a climb so I’d have something to get my blood pumping again right away.

It continued on like this all day, up and down and little clips of mountains upon mountains through the wooded tree line I was walking along. I finally made it to the shelter I was aiming for at 5pm, shockingly earlier than I thought.. which made me really appreciate the fact that I got up and moving this morning when I did. Because of that success, I’ll be attempting the same thing tomorrow, except I’ll definitely be eating my oatmeal in my tent..

The shelter itself smells like charred wood, so I was happy to find a flat spot up the hill away from the shelter to set up my tent. I unpacked and headed back down to the shelter with my food bag, left it there while I went even farther downhill to collect my water to filter. I didn’t want to, but I did end up eating at the shelter, sitting on one of the little wooden benches. That charred wood smell gets to me sometimes, and it was super strong in there, but I didn’t want to eat any closer to my tent and potentially attract animals.

After water was filtered and dinner eaten (a chicken and dumplings mountain house meal), I hung my food bag on the provided bear cables, made a bathroom run, and then came and got in my tent. It’s almost 7:15 now, the sun is mostly gone although it’s not pitch black yet, and I’ve got my sleeping bag open like a quilt and covering me completely, head and all, so my hands can stay warm while I type this up. It’s pretty cold again tonight, which I knew it would be, and I’m thankful for this 2 pound sleeping bag I complain about carrying. Lol

I might try to read a bit before falling asleep, since it’s so early. I’m hoping I pass out quick so that I won’t be so shocked when my watch vibrates in the morning to wake me up. I wonder how this trip would go if I didn’t use an alarm at all.. I’m pretty sure I’d be sleeping until 10 or 11 everyday-and still be back in Virginia. Hahaha.. ok, that’s enough of that-goodnight y’all.