Outside 365 – Ultralight Dirtbagging

Most of the day I hiked with the others. We stopped at the numerous shelters and had a fun day. I ate multiple small meals instead of a large one. I mostly got to know two teenage girls, one named Feisty, the other I dubbed Caustic. We will see if it sticks.

When they quit, I moved on to the next shelter. I passed the AT highpoint, Clingmans Dome. I walked up the aging and out off place circular lookout for what is indeed a pretty good view. The exhibits on top talk mostly of the sad effects air pollution has on the park. There are just a few lingering snow patches around. The registers tell of up to two feet of snow only eleven or twelve days ago.

I’m at the shelter with a few random hikers, one who felt compelled to discuss why thruhiking the AT is not a worthy endeavor. And there is one thruhiker, who could psychotic. He mumbled something about how he controls other’s lives.

The Sunday closure of the post office at fontana clumped a big group of hikers together. There are about twenty of us here at this shelter tonight. I’m the only one camped outside. I can hear some epic snoring even from forty feet away.

They seem like a great group of people. Most have been walking together for the past few weeks. It’s interesting to hit a wave. They seem to know a lot of the people who are up ahead.

So far, Smoky National Park looks exactly like the rest of the trail. Spring is definitely emerging. Grass is poking up, Trilliums are blooming and trees and bushes have their first buds.

I’ve lucked out with the weather. It could be snowing. Instead, I’m sweating. I haven’t gotten wet on the trail since day one.

I’ve also lucked out in other ways. We arrived at a road junction to find an empty box of beer. As we sat there, wishing someone would stop, Freefall declared that the next pickup would give us some beer. Sure enough, it happened. We got five beers and some French chocolate. They also took our garbage off our hands. We’ve been picking up some of the trail side trash. That day we had a broken and abandoned tent. Today, we yanked what looked like a parachute out of a tree. It ended up being an inflatable advertisement from a car dealership sixty miles away. We cut it to pieces and carried it to town.

I’m enjoying breakfast after a damp stealth camp downstream of the famous Natahala Outdoor Center. The trail continues to be enjoyable. I’ve passed a few lookout towers. It helps to get the grand views, or even step out of the mountains to get perspective on where I am. I’ve also been surprised by how much ridge walking there is. And, the trail in spots, truly lives upto it’s reputation for steepness.

Freefall and I are still walking together, and it’s starting to feel like a thruhike. For starters, there aren’t many people around. The popular camps have had about five or six people in them. Today, we walked 24 miles, and saw only a few people on the trail. Freefall also has gear breaking down, a common problem on a long hike. He’s actually on the phone with Montrail about it right now. We talked about the scenery out here, how it’s not the reason we’re hiking. He’d like it to be spring, amd for the leaves to come out. I’m happy to still be able to see through the winter forests.

Tomorrow, we get to a resupply at NOC and are hoping for some live music and food.

I walked nineteen miles today, largely motivated by my ultra hiking friend Greg. He’s out for the weekend to see me on my way, get me started off right with a steak and potato dinner, and to put some miles on his feet before he tries for a very fast through hike of the pct.

Steaks crushed, we’re camping on top of a “mountain” with 300 degree views of the lights below. As correctly called by friends, I am in the role of minor celebrity out here on this tiny stretch of trail due to my previous experience and knowledge. There are so many people out here thirsty for backpacking talk. I was called over to talk one hiker out of quitting in the first thirty miles. I’ve had to repeat four times my comparison of Henry Shires’ Tarptents. I like the socializing, and I can only handle so many hours of great and trail talk a day.

I’m in North Carolina now.

I’ve reached my first town stop of the Appalachian Trail. While it’s a landmark, it’s a little early to be rejoicing. This again, is one long journey.

I’ve only walked 67 miles, not much to already be in town. It’s strange to be an experienced long distance hiker for this AT experience. I pass everyone. I say hello, and goodbye in the same interaction. On the other trails, “goodbye” usually means, “see you later”. On this trail, our paces are so different, that it’s likely that I won’t see these people again. And yet, beyond the odds, I’ve found a partner for the time being. Freefall, and I have a huge amount in common, and have actually met before. We’ve both lived in the same neighborhood in San Francisco,  we’ve both blogged and videoed about our PCT and CDT hikes, we have mutual friends and interests and we’re both getting off the AT in a few weeks to fly to California for the same exact job interview. It’s a small world. For the time being, we’re hiking together. Socializing with the people we pass, tent camping rather than sheltering and doing twenty plus miles a day.

I’m seven miles away from finishing Georgia. It’s not a state that I can say that I’ve “walked across”. It hasn’t been as hard as anticipated. There are indeed some decent climbs, but only two or three were more than a few hundred feet. The past few days have been warm. Sometimes, it was even hot when powering up a hill. Today, it’s rainy. I have no blisters, and no pains. I feel like I’m in thruhiker shape already. For a nature trek, it’s plesant. The AT is very much an eastern forest amble. I’m content that the forest hasn’t yet leafed out. Once it does, I won’t be able to see the countours of the land. Without leaves, there are many more views.

The people are the highlight. A friend from Atlanta, came out over the weekend to hike with me. We ate perfectly fired steaks and potatos, washed down with beer. I’ve also been the recipient of three trail magic events. An apple from a hiker, a feast of burgers, fruit, chips, candy and drinks at a road crossing, and a couple of buckets full of sugary and salty goods at another road. I’ve also had the pleasure of camping with fine folks, both thruhikers and section hikers.

It’s time to head back to the trail and see what it brings. Next stop? NOC. Next “real” stop? Fontana Village, NC.

I don’t think that I’ll spend every night at a shelter but they sure do bring out the laughs.

Tonight, I learned that a fellow hiker is carrying fifteen books! They are mostly on buddhism. Talk about carrying burdens on the path to enlightenment.

Another questioned the lame ratio of “hang out time” to hiking time. “There really isn’t much hang out time.” He’d started his day at noon and walked until three! For reference, I typically walk eleven or more hours a day…

This last guy is carrying four flashlights.

I’ve also met two “vagrants”.

Expectations met.

Well, here I am on the appalachian trail! Dawn, a most excellent individual, picked me up at that airport yesterday and ferried me to a nice lunch and the approach trail. So, with three hours of sleep, I started this long walk through the eastern forests.
In the snow, I set up in a shelter for an early bed time. Today, I breezed past the official beginning and kept making miles. Its cold. Its forest. There are tons of people. It seems like most people are very inexperienced. A few are desperate for ideas and planning on replacing all of their equipment as soon as they can. T
Thirty five people are at this shelter with more comming soon. I wonder how I’ll find a hiking partner. I’m wanting to do 22 miles a day and many are doing ten maximum.