The Great Smoky Mountains Await!

Sitting in a laundromat at Fontana Dam in view of the Smoky Mountains watching Homemade’s and my clothes spin in the machine and thought I should try and get a post up.

Rough week to be honest. Mostly due to homesickness and miserable weather. It has however been a pretty good week despite the miseries that are thrown in free of charge by nature. The important part is that we all continued walking, stayed warm and somewhat dry at night and managed to laugh at the close of the day.

Hiker humor… mostly revolves around cleanliness or lack thereof, privy cleanliness or lack thereof, concoctions of hiker food you have either eaten yourself or watched someone consume. Dirty jokes are common in the outside world, here the jokes are mostly just about actual dirt. It’s gross out here folks!

Another great source of humor is your fellow hikers who tread more closely to the odd. My favorite odd hiker is named Sundial. Sundial literally wanders the trail. He’s hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in the past so we know he has experience. But… well, here is a quick Sundial stories:

Sundial doesn’t filter his water. Like, NEVER filters his water. Sundial came to the AT without a tent. On a rainy day at Neel’s Gap he was offered one, said, “nah, I’m good” and wandered into the mist. He returned a few hours later and when he walked out the woods they asked if he was okay. He said, “yeah, I just walked four miles and changed my mind. I think I’ll take that tent.” There are many more Sundial stories. Those will have to do for now.

It’s morning now, I was interrupted by Ox, Homemade, Lucky, Lynx, Giggles, and Ramen Bomb Tom and got my resupply of food for the Smokies. Weather will be good for a day or so and then we’re going to get soaked in rain. Fingers crossed it stays rain and not snow and ice. But it is what it is. I’ll be back on trail in a couple of hours.

Thanks for reading. Take care, be kind.

Peace. Love. Hiking. – Elfmeister