Damascus!   The promised land.    (note the picture is recent – there was a call out for money because the Place had been falling down, I think people raised something like $40K to fix it up!) Pulled 18 to get here, after waiting out the rain until 9:30am.  Why get wet?   Saw my…

Watauga Lake Shelter Chilly, 40 deg F, clear. Walked all day with Oreo (the dog I rescued/fed/adopted).  Went through Laurel Fork Gorge – very cool w/ a big waterfall.  Dog and I had a bit of a swim.   After some reroute, today ended up at 16.4 miles.  Hiked all day alone, awesome.  There was…

A.M. Well, lame.  The combination of daylight savings time and Sheltowee being an insensitive jerk kept him, Hosehead and Little Engine up and giggling until 10pm or so last night.   At 9:30 I grabbed my stuff and went off behind the shelter & flopped down.  Now the sleeping bag is soaked with dew.  …

Me: 1, Smokies: 0 Made it down to Davenport Gap at a run and pushed onto the tiny 6-house village.  Ate a burger and some ice cream at “Mountain Mama’s Kuntry Kitchen” (sic).  Very odd little backwater place.   I filled up the whole fuel bottle for $1 and got some groceries to get me…

Icewater Spring. Hiked all day in wet socks and boots.   Yuck.   Came up over Clingman’s Dome today – nice.  Also, passed the 200 mile mark, and will break the 10% (216 mile) mark tomorrow. Today was nice, I hiked solo most of the day.   Got to Newfound Gap, where US 441 goes…