It poured last night. Wow! Will likely leave around 8a for the Dome. Will be warm again today. I think my neck is sunburned.
Set out at 8a like I hoped. First on the trail but still no bears! Did see a feral chicken and a rabbit, though. Got to the observation deck on Clingman's Dome about 10:20a—fogged in and, despite the presence of a cell tower, can't dial home. Bummer. and no vending machine or trail magic, either. Pushing on to Mt. Collins for a break and Icewater Spring Shelter for the night.
Well, here it is, 1:30pm and I'm at Mt. Collins Shelter, in for the night! What's up with that? Since hitting the highway (the trail parallels it for awhile) I've heard thunder and seen big clouds. Also, of the four hikers I've met, one is behind me and the other three are hitching into Gatlinburg today. So I don't have any pressing need to do another big 16-mile day, especially to get to Icewater Spring Shelter, which was described by one of the local hikers last night as exposed and no place to be in a thunderstorm. So, since my hip feels better today, I'm going to only do half a day and pray that I can entertain myself.
Okay, so I have some time...hey! I hear voices. Some folks're coming. Anyway, Silers Bald Shelter was spiffy! It has built-in dormer windows and lots of headrom in the upper bunk. Plus a nice bench table and bench set-up. Riot—it's Bruno & Lawrence, and they're staying here tonight. They heard there's a big group at the next shelter and I told them what I heard about its exposed placement. And now they're talking religion. I wonder if they know Credo? (Bruno is noting the saint's feat days in his journal!)
Okay, I planned it out and I don't feel so bad. Despite this puny 8-miler, and with only one day over 16 miles I should pull into Erwin on Saturday around 2pm or so! Which'll give me Saturday in Erwin along with breakfast before my 10a or so ride back to Asheville. So it's Peck's Corner Shelter tomorrow. Whee!
Since I am entertaining myself, I figured out that if I do 200 miles of trail each year it'll take me 12 years to finish, though I'll have to do 260 for the last segment on account of Maine's 100-mile wilderness. And Shenandoah is another three years, so Greg's got plenty of time to prepare!
Flora and fauna I've seen so far, in no particular order: bluets; red, yellow, white, wite/red trillium; purple and yellow violets; buckeye; juncos; that rabbit and feral chicken; woodpeckers; whitetail deer; salamander; millipedes; non-Roman snails; a crunchy-looking black and yellow caterpillar-like bug; white, yellow, black and yellow, and blue butterflies; a flower that reminds me of a candystripers uniform.
Oh! Burno & Lawrence were saying that when they were on the Dome it was raining, so looks like I lucked out. Though it's cool now and completely cloudy, the thunder has stopped. I hope it pours again tonight!
Flatfood pulled in around 6pm. I've eaten dinner now, a wonderful repast of noodle-roni parmesan with tuna, sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil, and tea, as good as last night's stovetop stuffing was bad. Been reading the register; funny to see so many examples of weather changing. Entries for the same day can say "sunny," "cold and wet," etc.
It's 6:30p now and it is raining with thunder in the distance. Good crowd tonight, the most I've seen yet this trip. After Flatfoot, the thru-hiking retired couple pulled in, then Digger and his friend shortly thereafter.
Bears seen today: 0.
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