Day 155, AT Flipflop Thruhike. 15.8 miles
Stecoah Gap/SOBO mile 2047.8 to Fontana Dam (NC)/SOBO mile 2032 (did this section NOBO).
My left HOKA is now a support shoe of sorts. I put the HOKA insole on top of my special cork insole. That plus the two compression stockings on the left foot/leg and some delicate lacing, plus a knee wrap/brace which helps prevent the compression stockings from rolling down while hiking…plus some Tylenol…all that made it possible for me to hike today. Slackpacked this section NOBO since it’s less elevation gain in that direction. I was mostly in the trees. Some snow on the ground here and there, footing not too bad. A few short sections of rocks. Near the end of my hike I saw the famous “Fontana Hilton,” a shelter right by the dam with access to indoor bathrooms. Made it back to the dam in slightly less than my usual pace. Not too much foot pain.
My gum hurts below where my crown broke in July. Also, my head cold is moving to my chest and I am starting to cough up phlegm. My body thinks I am almost done, therefore it can relax and crash. Not yet, body!!! I am paranoid and worry I will stagger up Springer delirious with sepsis from a tooth infection, pneumonia, and a giant painful foot. Or maybe all that will attack me within the next few days before I even get to Georgia. I need to calm down and chill out.
150.7 miles to go, nine more hiking days.
Day 156, 18.6 miles
Skipped ahead on the trail but will fill in that gap tomorrow. Reason for skipping ahead is that I am joining shuttles with various others to keep the costs down.
Today I went NOBO from Wayah Bald/SOBO mile 2079 to Nantahala Outdoor Center/SOBO mile 2061.6
Bookie from Rambling Roots drove up to the parking area for Wayah Bald so a) I could do this section in a mostly downhill fashion and b) someone else could continue their hike south. Still plenty of elevation gain for me overall (close to 4000 feet), but not as much as there would have been had I done this bit SOBO.
Wayah Bald was beautiful and cold in the morning with patches of snow and ice and outstanding views. The rest of the day was mostly in the trees except for some views on Wesser Bald. The descent to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) was a bit rockier and steeper than I expected, but all in all it was fine. Managed to fall and bang my wrist, because, well, you know, I am collecting injuries at this point. The wrist is fine, just a bit bruised, no big deal.
I’m continuing to manage my left foot well enough. Still congested but no worse than yesterday. Hiking in cold air is good for the lungs anyway.
Bookie picked me up from the NOC and will take me back to Stecoah Gap tomorrow. I will then hike from there SOBO to the NOC to fill in my gap.
Day 157, 13.8 miles
Stecoah Gap/SOBO mile 2047.8 to Nantahala Outdoor Center/SOBO mile 2061.6
Filled in the gap today. Bright and sunny warm weather. Lots of elevation gain at first, ascended Cheoah Bald and had great views toward the Smokies. Ended the hiking day with a six mile descent into the NOC.
It’s my last night at Rambling Roots Hostel. I sit here now with a purring cat on my lap and think about my seven remaining hikes. I am able to slackpack all of them except tomorrow and summit day if I want. The next hostel, The Green Dragon, can slack me all the way to Neel’s Gap. Then Above the Clouds Hostel can slack me close to Springer.
I love my tent and I enjoyed camping on the AT, but I don’t mind being inside at night for the rest of this hike. It’s getting quite cold in the evenings, and being able to take a shower and put my left foot up in comfort at the end of each day is helpful. Slackpacking keeps excess weight off that foot, and that too is helpful.
Day 158, 13.6 miles
Wayah Bald/SOBO mile 2079 to Rock Gap/SOBO mile 2092.6
Left Rambling Roots Hostel this morning. Was sad to go. That’s a lovely place, and Bookie the hostess is wonderful.
Bookie drove me back up to Wayah Bald, and I was on trail before 8. Hiked 13.6 mellow miles with less than 2500 feet elevation gain. Mostly tree views today. Had my full pack on and it felt fine. My support shoe-HOKA system continues to work well. Congestion is going away.
Was picked up by Bill from The Green Dragon Hostel. Am staying with him and his wife Donna for the next four nights. Will slackpack the trail from Rock Gap to Neel Gap over the next four days.
I have a private room. The bunkroom is full tonight and tomorrow night, and I know I would not be comfortable in a full bunkroom (I’m an introvert). Nevertheless, I do miss the companionship of other hikers right now. Also, I am starting to wonder if I shouldn’t spend just one more night in my tent. I am already nostalgic for the good evenings under the stars. But then I think about how my left foot now hurts during my hiking days and how much easier I can take care of that foot
in the evening when I am in an actual bed and not confined within my sleeping bag liner.
No more sleeping outside also means no more predawn starts, though. I did enjoy hiking before the sun rose. I will do that again, many times no doubt, but not on the AT.
Six more hiking days to go.
Day 159, 20.7 miles
Did this section NOBO: Deep Gap/SOBO mile 2113.3 to Rock Gap/SOBO mile 2092.6
Donna from The Green Dragon Hostel made me an incredible breakfast-to-go package. Baked eggs/waffle/cheese dish with homemade banana bread. YUM! Bill then drove Fuego, who is also staying here, and me to Deep Gap. Fuego headed south to Dick’s Creek, which is what I will do tomorrow, and I headed north to Rock Gap.
I don’t mind doing some sections the “wrong” way if it makes sense in terms of sharing a shuttle or cutting down a little elevation gain. Sometimes you can make 4500 ft day a 3500 ft day by going in the other direction.
Mostly in the trees except for one great view by Mt. Albert. Met a lovely woman named Dana by the tower at the summit who offered to help get me to Atlanta after I summit Springer.
There was trail magic at Rock Gap! A group of former thruhikers had a grill, pies, donuts, fruit, drinks, etc. I was the only thruhiker they had seen all day. I let them know there are a bunch of us a bit farther south, so they may head toward Neel Gap tomorrow. It was so nice to see them! SOBOs almost never get trail magic.
Returned to my private room and made most of my immediate post-hike arrangements. Just a couple more details to go, and I will figure those out tomorrow.
My ankle and toe hurts, as they always do now, but I can manage.
Only five more hiking days to go!
