Seeing old friends in odd places
With Cimarron–attempting to be the oldest person to thru-hike the AT.
Wow–just calculated the mileage for this section and it was a lot longer than I thought! As I hiked this yesterday, I thought it was 23 miles and a grueling 23 at that. Good to know that feeling came from some extra miles instead.
But I met all sorts of famous and familiar hikers today–so it was totally worth it!
Which way is the white blaze? Almost an exact replica of the photo I took here in 2008.
Finally figured out how to use the delayed timer on my camera to grab a photo of myself at this boulder with two whites blazes–arrows pointing at the other blaze. I thought it was funny in 2008 and took a photo there–and that photo is the “AT photo” I’m using for the Triple Crown ceremony. I think this one might have even turned out better!
Newfound Gap is the place to yogi if you’re a thru-hiker
Since I heard rain on the shelter and thought today was a short day, I slept in today and didn’t leave until 7. Turned out it was just misty and cold–warranting a coffee break at Icewater Spring Shelter! The climb up Clingman’s Dome wasn’t bad—and I actually got really happy and excited doing it because I could smell the Balsam Fir. It looked and smelled like the AT up in Maine–how amazing the forest ecology of the Smokies that it can have such a diverse distribution of awesome plants!
No view (or bathroom) on Clingman’s Dome. Hard to say which I was more bummed by.
Around Newfound Gap, I ran into two packless people who identified me as a thru-hiker—pretty amazing I thought given the tiny size of my pack. They ended up being AT thru-hikers, too–Wild Child and Dash who I met on the PCT in 2009!! I guess some time on the PCT gives people an eye for tiny-packed, smelly folk like myself. They may have left some trail magic (thanks!!).
Shameless state line photo. Also a replica of a 2008 thru-hike photo, except without Johnny Thunder and the Thundercats
I hung around the Appalachian Trail information board at Newfound Gap that visitors use to learn about the trail, the history of the park, etc. A large group approached me asking; “Are you a thru-hiker?” And we chatted for a while and I even got invited back to their cabin for a night of being warm (it was freezing at Newfound Gap!), dryness, plenty of beer, food, and internet. How it killed me to decline. Another kind family brought me over to their car and gave me Gatorade and cookies–the dad is hiking part of the trail in June and was thoughtful pack snacks in case he ran into thru-hikers during his family vacation!
Met the famous hiker Cimaron, an 88 year old guy setting out to be the oldest thru-hiker. He was super nice and I even got a photo with him–I wish him the best of luck!
Had a snack break with Shutterbug and her awesome friends (sorry I can’t remember you—you had a Jerry Chair, though!). They were hammock gear heads and made me feel pretty pathetic in the knowing-how-to-use-my-gear department. Awesome what I learned and all the cool gadgetry they had!
As the clouds lift, the Smokies are enchanting
Lastly, I met Squatch, the famous thru-hiking documentarian at Tri-Corner Shelter. He remembered me from the PCT Kick Off and seemed quite impressed that I’m 25 and a Triple Crowner. He, a 17 year old thru-hiker (!!!) and I were sitting around the campfire, and they were both pressuring me to go to Trail Days, and I kept saying no, no, I can’t…until I finally just told them that I am going for the unsupported female record (at least what I’ve read the record to be), so I can’t. That finally convinced them that maybe Trail Days wasn’t going to happen, but then Squatch wanted it on film, and it was all dark and smoky and happened so quickly and next thing I knew, I had agreed and there it was. So, the cat is out of the bag. He also mentioned that the girl featured in his first documentary, “Walk,” who wanted to be the youngest Triple Crowner at 20 didn’t end up doing it. He said there’s a good chance I might be the youngest woman Triple Crowner, though I hope that honor goes to Salamander, who is one of the coolest people I know and I kind of hope I end up becoming her when I grow up.
