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Day 027
Sunday May 22, 2016 Start Mile 335.9 - No Business Knob Shelter [3171 ft] End Mile 346.4 - Curley Maple Gap Shelter [3063 ft] 10.5 Miles --- Rainy to start the day, but it finally started to clear up. Walked with Grinch to a farm where he had a package to pickup, and then got a ride to the pizza place. On the downside, there was no nearby laundry. On the upside, the all you can eat buffet at the pizza place was very cheap. A bunch of other hikers from the nearby hostel showed up after a bit. Two hours of eating later, Grinch and I went food shopping, and tried drying out a bit while packing the food up. Got a ride back to the trail and started walking. A bit hard walking after all that pizza. Some great people at the shelter, including Don Juan and Snoreasaurus. |
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Day 028
Monday May 23, 2016 Start Mile 346.4 - Curley Maple Gap Shelter [3063 ft] End Mile 368.3 - Clyde Smith Shelter [4496 ft] 21.9 Miles --- I did not sleep well at all last night. Out of it hiking up Unaka Mountain. Grinch caught up in the middle of the day at Cherry Gap Shelter where we talked with Friar Tuck. Felt slower in the afternoon. At the final shelter, talked with Monte Cristo about El Camino de Santiago, which sounds like a fun adventure. |
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Day 029
Tuesday May 24, 2016 Start Mile 368.3 - Clyde Smith Shelter [4496 ft] End Mile 383.9 - Overmountain Shelter [4657 ft] 15.6 Miles --- Another lazy morning - Overmountain Shelter sounds pretty cool and it is not that far away. First lunch at the highest elevation shelter on the trail, Roan High Knob Shelter, which happens to look like a murder cabin. Down some old train tracks and over some balds with nice views before getting into the converted bard that is Overmountain Shelter. Met two hikers and played some bocce ball. We discovered that the abandoned looking tent in the field housed a really sick hiker called Moonshine. Probably giardia or a stomach bug, but could also be norovirus. A couple of trail angels came up to the shelter with some trail magic, and they agreed to drive Moonshine to a hospital to get checked out. Another hiker, Tune Up, and I packed up Moonshine's gear and helped get him down the side trail to their car. On the way I found some sweet pink sunglasses. Went and smothered myself in sanitizer back in the shelter just to be safe. --- [Info from day 38] Apparently Moonshine passed out and was unresponsive after they started driving for a bit. An ambulance was called and the hospital later confirmed norovirus. |
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Day 030
Wednesday May 25, 2016 Start Mile 383.9 - Overmountain Shelter [4657 ft] End Mile 401.9 - Mountaineer Shelter [3173 ft] 18.0 Miles --- Slept surprisingly well in the shelter despite all the people there. Some great views walking over some balds in the morning. Redid my food organization while eating lunch. Some neat waterfalls along a river. At the shelter, there was no good bear bagging trees. Got everything snagged in a tree and ended up breaking part of Grinch's bag getting everything unstuck. And now going to bed at 7. |
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Day 031
Thursday May 26, 2016 Start Mile 401.9 - Mountaineer Shelter [3173 ft] End Mile 420.1 - Laurel Fork Shelter [2162 ft] 18.2 Miles --- Two section hikers got in late last night, and I ended up going out to help them with bear bagging and such. So a bit of a later start this morning, not starting hiking until 6:30. Some nice views in the morning. Lots of people at Laurel Falls. Not the greatest shelter, many hikers just going down to Hampton for the night. Although I have cell service here, so that's a fun change of pace. The forecast is bad weather tomorrow. Grinch is feeling a bit of an injury and is planning on a nero into Hampton or just a short day. I'm changing my planned 22 and 26 mile days into a 30 and 18 miles to get more time once I get to Damascus. That should make tomorrow interesting. |
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Day 032
Friday May 27, 2016 Start Mile 420.1 - Laurel Fork Shelter [2162 ft] End Mile 450.3 - Double Springs Shelter [4073 ft] 30.2 Miles (Seventh Longest Day) --- Today wasn't that bad at all. Hiking by 5:30, over the first mountain by 7:30, to Watauga Dam by 9, 15.8 miles by 11:30, Iron Mountain Spring Shelter (22.4 miles) by 2, and 30.2 miles finished by 5pm. Not a lot of water on the ridge today, so had to take a long break at Iron Mountain to completely refill everything. Ended up going through 6.5L of water. Ended up with a shelter to myself. Some college-aged section hikers tenting nearby. The foretasted storms never appeared, so it was just hot and sunny all day. Town tomorrow! |
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Day 033
Saturday May 28, 2016 Start Mile 450.3 - Double Springs Shelter [4073 ft] End Mile 468.5 - Damascus [1911 ft] 18.2 Miles 5th Laundry 8th Shower --- Up early. Saw a bear and a snake on the way into town - a relatively nice downhill most of the way. Got into the Woodchuck Hostel just before noon. Puppy Mill, Luna, and the rest of the Shady Creepers taking a zero here today. Shower and laundry. Into town to pick up my Dirty Girl Gaiters, lunch at Bobo's, and grabbed some snacks at the Dollar General. Spent the rest of the afternoon watching YouTube videos. Around 7, Grinch rolled in after a 32 mile day of unhappiness. Big communal dinner and then sleep. |
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Day 034
Sunday May 29, 2016 Start Mile 468.5 - Damascus [1911 ft] End Mile 468.5 - Damascus [1911 ft] 0.0 Miles (Third Zero Day) --- After a big delicious breakfast, the Shady Creepers all headed out. Picked up some highlighters at the Dollar General, because I like organized markings in my guide book. Got the velcro attached to my shoes for the gaiters, and hit up Food City for a resupply with Grinch. Grabbed some Mexican for lunch and ran into Raiden on the way over. Then wandering to the other side of town in the rain. A video call back home and went 1 of 4 in games of cornhole with Woodchuck. Great times. |
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Day 035
Monday May 30, 2016 Start Mile 468.5 - Damascus [1911 ft] End Mile 484.8 - Lost Mountain Shelter [3381 ft] 16.3 Miles 9th Shower --- Another great breakfast and then slowly packing up. Two more losses against Woodchuck. Grinch is staying in town for an additional healing zero day. Grabbed Subway for lunch and packed out a sandwich. Raiden, Deadweight, and Deets all at the shelter tonight. |
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Day 036
Tuesday May 31, 2016 Start Mile 484.8 - Lost Mountain Shelter [3381 ft] End Mile 502.3 - Wise Shelter [4409 ft] 17.5 Miles --- Felt a bit slow going in the morning. The Grayson Highlands is known for wild ponies, I ran into some before getting to the park - blocking the trail and chewing on some guys hat. I asserted my way through them, taking pictures, while one followed me in an attempt to taste the straps of my pack. Made a quick side trip up to Mt Rogers and then had lunch with some ponies at a shelter. Some great views in the Highlands, but storm clouds moved in and it was soon a downpour. Stopped in the next shelter to dry off and spent some time watching bunnies. Eventually the rain started again, and soon the shelter had Butterfly, Rick & James, Keg Leg, and Raiden. Apparently Grinch was at the last shelter. Made plans with Raiden for catching the bus into Marion. |
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Day 037
Wednesday June 1, 2016 Start Mile 502.3 - Wise Shelter [4409 ft] End Mile 522.4 - Trimpi Shelter [2985 ft] 20.1 Miles --- A later start into the dreary morning. Ran into many people headed to the Partnership Shelter for pizza tonight and the bus from there into Marion. Stopping at the Trimpi Shelter and will hike the 9.8 miles to Partnership in the morning because the first bus isn't until 9am. Crazy times in the shelter with Grinch, Raiden, Bowfire, Wrong Way, Dusty Rhodes, and some section hikers that calmed down a bit when Keg Leg got it. |
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Day 038
Thursday June 2, 2016 Start Mile 522.4 - Trimpi Shelter [2985 ft] End Mile 539.2 - Chatfield Shelter [3173 ft] 16.8 Miles 6th Laundry --- Hiking by 5:20 to catch the 9am bus. Made it to Partnership Shelter by 8:20 and then into Marion to the laundromat. Grinch finally decides to take a zero in town tomorrow and let his ankle heal. Resupplied and found an all-you-can-eat Pizza Hut. After two hours of eating, parted ways with Grinch and grabbed a shake and some more food at Arby's on the way out of town. Back on the trail by 2:30 and to the next shelter before the rain hits. The forecast is rain for the next four days. Bowfire, Keg Leg, Slug, Spiderman, and Gem at the shelter tonight and planning on hitting the Barn for breakfast tomorrow morning. |
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Day 039
Friday June 3, 2016 Start Mile 539.2 - Chatfield Shelter [3173 ft] End Mile 558.5 - Knot Maul Branch Shelter [2757 ft] 19.3 Miles --- Some sliding through some mud on the way to the Barn for breakfast. Gem, Hatchet, Monkey Legs, and Flow-Mo eventually rolled in for food as well. A local hiker paid for my breakfast. Felt like slow going all day. A whole bunch of people at the shelter tonight. Most of them do not seem that interesting. |
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