Funny Story.

Day 12


hiked today: 21.8
total hiked: 151.1
to katahdin: 2027.2

So we had a long day. We woke up really early in the blistering cold to get an early start to our long day. We ended up hiking 10 hours with only a short half hour break for lunch. We knew it would be hard which is why we woke up early, but there were lots of ups and downs and all arounds. Our feet hurt and we were tired and cold. However, it was nice that we broke our previous record.

Anyway, other than a fairly uneventful long, cold, hard hike, Jim told us he was going to meet us down here with steaks and shrimp and we were going to grill them and have a good dinner. So throughout the whole cold long day, that is what kept us going. Jim and Andy met on his second day. They hiked together for a while and then went their seperate ways. Then a few days ago we both ran into him again. Like I said previously he wanted to meet up with us again and hike some more. He is trying to section hike the AT and really wants to do the whole thing but can't because of his family. Anyway, we thought it was a long drive for him to come meet us for the night and probably hike off into the smokies for the day, but we didn't mind since he seemed like a really nice guy -- and told us he had lots of food!

So we get off the trail -- finally -- and make it to the shelter. The shelter itself is really nice. There are actually running bathrooms and showers there. Its right on the Fontana Dam which is the largest dam on the east coast, so it's a pretty popular spot. Jim said he would meet us on the bridge (which I assumed meant dam) and I told him we would be there around 5. I checked my messages at lunch and he said he was getting ready to go so all was well. Andy and I walk to the Dam (which is about half a mile from the shelter) and there is not a single soul. The visitor center is closed for the season, and no cars in the parking lot. So we waited around for about half hour, and then started walking along the road to the main road. The road crossing the dam ended on the otherside, so we knew he couldn't pass us without seeing us. We get to the main road which is about a mile and a half away from where we were and still no one is there. Its now 6. So we call his friend Ed, because he didn't give his phone number on the voicemail, but no answer. We decide to walk into the village where on the map says there is food. We are STARVING at this point. SO we walk on the main road around bends and curves and uphill for over a mile. Ghost Town. We see no one. There is a national park lodge that said had food so we walked up that way, to find no one. We saw a couple lights on at the top of the hill so we go up in the hopes of food. Finally we get up there and see a car leaving, and the registration for the lodge. We ask if there is ANY food around -- theres not. The guy said the nearest place that has real food is 27 miles away. We hid our packs near the shelter, and forgot our flashlights, so now its dark. We buy all the 1/4lb cookies the guy had at the desk (which ended up being a lb for each of us) and a cheese danish, bagel, soda, and $6 worth of vending machine goodies. We realize we are exhausted and can't walk nearly 2 miles in the pitch black on a main road and decide to shell out the $60 to stay the night. Ironically, the motel we stayed in at Haiwasse was $55 and about 1% as nice as this place. It's really great here. I just wish we had some steaks and shrimps in our bellies and didn't have to walk the extra 4 miles which brings our total milage today up to nearly a marathon!