Project Eveningland

3/5/2023 Sunday

Finished packing and caught the first shuttle back to the trail at 9AM. It really was a kindness that they don’t have an earlier one. I would have felt pressure to be on it. As it is I slept in until 8:15! Though, I had to get out of bed at 4:30AM to eat because my stomach woke me up.

Then my colon decided it was awake too. I dunno how the body can totally recover from two 14 mile days overnight but mine found a way. It is fucking incredible. We (homo sapiens, including homo homo sapiens) really have long distance foot travel in our DNA. It can be hard to see but the capacity was inside me (probably for a limited time only!). May it last and may we make the best of it in every sense.

I’m writing this at the junction for the blue blazed trail up to Shuckstack fire tower, which I will not be ascending after a miles-long climb, thank you. My ankles are mostly happy but they said no and not to argue. So instead I’m laying on the ground elevating my feet against a massive log, with my back reclined against my bag. We’re dangerously close to a nap-capable break posture here. Napping on trail midday is a power move. I’ve only ever seen CDT hikers doing it on the CT and it looks dope as hell. I resolve to have this experience when the time is right! Just saw a young woman who carried her (massive) pack up to Shuckstack instead of leaving it at the junction. I was kind of hoping someone would join me here for lunch since it’s a popular spot but I’m too late maybe. It’s 1:15. I snacked late so I planned on a later lunch.

The afternoon hours seemed to pass quickly. The climb went on just about all day. I sang and took in the clear blue skies and mottled green and brown of the forest. It is crispy-leaf walking. I’d like to see this area when it’s green. More snacking. It was a dry day because we are ridge walking. There was a weak stream about four miles in, flowing down a narrow crevice. Then pretty much nothing until the spring below the shelter at the end of the day (the shelter is called Mollies Ridge).

Did I mention that we ran into Fresh Ground down at the dam? We did and he gave me three strips of KT Tape (I use it to hold the Pain Device on my ankle at night). He offered pancakes but I was still full from the big breakfast I’d had, culminating in me horfing down a giant chocolate chip muffin from the “grab and go” breakfast at the hotel.

I wondered if Mitch and Will would be able to stop at Mollies Ridge (where we’d all planned to stay) or if they would be lured by the siren call of just three more miles to the next shelter (we are required to stay at shelter areas in the Smokies). When I arrived at the shelter area, after a ten mile climb, they had indeed pressed on. Those sons of bitches! Ah, well, I’m sure I’ll run into ‘em sooner or later. Bill is with me and lots of other nice folks: Wedge, Lost and Found, Snickers, Hide, Marry Poppins, Perp, Mantra and maybe a few others. BTW, one of those names isn’t real. But which one?

I think I saw two bees having sex. I dunked my foot in the only creek we passed (while I was getting water).

We are camping on a big lumpy ridge in the sky with a dramatic view of Townsend—or at least that’s what I was told those city lights were. The moon is near full but there are plenty of stars out too. Tomorrow I will have a second chance to enjoy a hike that I suffered through the first time.