http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Tennessee , Cherokee National Forest en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:31:37 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:31:37 UTC 19th August 2007 http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-202513.html Mice running races in the dark someone besides her husband snoring bugs noises and hot flashes all keep CC from sleeping well on the trail. If we tent most of those things are not problems however when we do the shelters all cause her grief Last night was no exception. People started pulling out by 645AM. I was up and working on hot breakfast by then and CC was lsquoas onersquo with he http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-177828.html I shouldn't wait so long to do these journals. Here I sit three days after the fact trying to remember what happened. When we got up CC recommended that we have a cold breakfast of granola bars and wait until we make the next shelter for our oatmeal. This would give me drinking water climbing Little Bald as the morning was warm. The next shelter with water was about 3.5 miles away taking us a http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-174481.html Zero Day Events Good Food and Rest. Got up early and CC stayed in bed to rest. Went out to breakfast with the other hikers and Johnny. He makes three runs a day to town breakfast lunch and supper. He will run you by the post office the store or where ever else you might need to go. Erwin TN is quite spread out and his hostel is on one far end. We stayed at the Waffle House until 9AM when http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-174470.html Zero Day Cleaning up picking up our mail box and eating real food. Will cover more of this later. Need to get to bed like I said before. We had a great day off and are well rested. We stepped on a scale today OD has dropped 48 lbs CC 20 lbs Patrick Deborah Mooney aka OD CC All Who Wander Are Not Lost http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-173569.html Longest Day of the YearFirst Day of Summer Greatest Lunch Spot Yet New Distance Record Uncle Johnny's Hostel. A quiet night in the nylon house. There was one nocturnal visitor that CC heard breaking a twig or two. I don't remember hearing anything but I did smell a visitor I believe was a bear. I have not told CC about what I think as she would not sleep for the next week. Morning brought a http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-173568.html Rain and thunder continued throughout the night into early morning. Fog shrouded the mountain like cloth draped over furniture in an old mansion. Water dripped from the end of the leaves creating small puddles under their branches. Wind swirled mist and the fresh smelling clean air through the open door of the shelter as morning broke and we climbed out of our bags for chow. Earl had slept on t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-173562.html What a day Started out early with overcast skies walking out of Doll Flats at 750AM. We had a 1037' climb right out of camp to top Hump Mtn 5587'. Started out in an old pasture gone fallow no rain last night so our boots stayed dry. The clouds looked threatening but no rain or thunder. Old hardwoods were lining the edge of the field like soldiers on watch tall straight and strong looki http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-173110.html Torrents of rain came down until after midnight. Small streams coursed around the shelter piers water drumming on a metal roof lulled us to sleep. 5AM the thunder clapped directly overhead echoing for what seemed five minutes or more. Rain came down by the inch. Time to roll over pull the sleeping bag close around your neck and go back to sleep. Rain continued until almost 9AM. I got up about http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-171256.html Wet Wet and more Wet. Rained off and on all night. Tent occupants and equipment therein all were dry. A late start to the day trying to keep all the wet stuff away from the dry stuff. Then after getting rolling we needed to stop .3 mile from the shelter for our daily water top off. We had been told the next 13 miles were dry so I ensured we would have no problems today. Only a few NoBos this http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-171254.html First full day in TN. with a 30 chance of rain. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled through most of the night quitting about 3AM. Morning was cool and damp with gray skies. We pulled out of camp about 8AM with an 11 or so mile day planned. We ran into a slew of NoBos all headed for Damascus. They warned of few water sources to the south. We made good time to Double Springs Shelter. Abingdo http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Cherokee-National-Forest/blog-171252.html