Smokies, part 2

We interrupt this blog with an important announcement:

(Magnetic sign From SIL Janet!)

Now last half of the Smokies…..

Most hikers stop at Newfound gap and hitch-hike into Gatlinburg for food, bath and rest. But we had packed enough food for 11-12 days, so we walked on after answering many questions by curious youngsters. And drinking the soda we bummed, of course. LOL

Back tracking a little, before you get to Clingmans dome, you must climb Rocky Top. The name made famous by John Denver. Now I only knew one line of the song, but I sang it three times, on three different peaks.  When we reached Rocky Top we were in the clouds, so there was no way to see what is the haunt of all hikers, A FALSE PEAK. You know you are at the top, but a few minutes later you start up again and your heart drops, you know you were on a false peak. so we hit two false peaks before I stood on THE Rocky top and sang to the top of my voice, “GOOD OLD ROCKY TOP, ROCKY TOP TENNESSEE!”

We met a lot of folks on The Trail, more in the Smokies than anywhere. Very popular for hikers. We met four doctors who were trying to set a record from Newfound and Fontana Dam. They were hiking day and night, no packs.

Back to Newfound.  As we left the Gap, I realized the trail was the exact one I had walked up in 1947-1948 as a kid.  Sherry was hoping the Bear was not making a comeback too.

Sometimes she was above me.

Views you can only get by walking a few miles.

These were day hikers in the distance.

We met some hikers who were home schooling the kids and using the time to learn the flora of the Smokies. Interesting folk. At one shelter I was cooking supper (Ramein noodles) and a mouse fell just inches from where the pot was. Came close to having meat with the noodles. (Sherry did not appreciate the joke).

When you pass hikers going the opposite direction the main question asked is: Where is the next water source? VERY IMPORTANT. We only camped on top of a mt. once, then we realized there is normally no water on top. The next Question asked is, ‘how far to the next road?’

Going North as we were, everyone said “it is Cove Road and you have to go down to Mountain Mama’s and eat one of her famous Cheese burgers, the best in the world.” And they were (at the time). Mt. mama’s is closed now, the hikers will miss that.  It took us 10 or 11 days to hike the 70 miles.

Thanks for coming this way,

Nite Shipslog

PS:

According to what I just read:

The percentage of
Africa that is wilderness: 28%
(now get this...)

The percentage of
North America that is wilderness: 38%

(do we really need to preserve any more land for the government?)

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Honest, I like this 1931 Chevy

BUT since 1953 this has been the dream car for me. The 1953 MG Hill climber!