Day 26: It's What the Circumstances Dictate

Starting Point: Double Spring Gap Shelter (197.5)

Ending Point: Mount Collins Shelter (203.1)

Total miles: 5.9 trail miles, 1.4 bonus, .6 double-bonus!

Steps: 22,505

Injury: Chaffing

Achievements: *** Clingmans Dome, the Highest Point on the Trail ***, *** 200 Miles ***, Climb a Mountain at Night

What a weird day!  As I wrote about yesterday, there were many questions that needed to be answered today.  I need to resupply in Gatlinburg, but Dunkeroo has enough food to complete the Smokies.  We have some bad weather coming in.

Regardless, we staged ourselves for seeing the sunrise on Clingmans Dome.  I was up at 4:30 a.m. and was ready by 4:45.  We left moments later.  I was able to keep up with the faster hikers.  There was something about not being able to see more than three feet in front of you.

Bottom line, my struggles to climb are completely in my head.

We reached Clingmans Dome in good order, but the clouds came in and we couldn't see anything.  The good news is as that is the highest point, everything is downhill from there.

The Backstop Boys walked down together.  We have some decisions to make.  Here is the weather situation.

The weather sucks starting Tuesday.  We are five miles from Newfound Gap and town.  So, what do we do.

The intelligent thing is to zero until things pass.  We assembled the council, and we agreed to do that.  However, we have some miles and a good day, so we'll take it slow and spend one more night on trail.

The shelter is without a doubt the best one we have been to so far.  It is a half-mile off trail.  The water is from a spring and delicious.  Some other older hikers come and we have some great conversation.  The only thing it lacks is phone service.

As five o'clock comes, the conversation about what to do about the weather becomes disjointed.  My phone has old data.  I agree to hike back to the AT and hike backwards to the point where I last had service.  While walking miles you already hiked doesn't have a name, I'll call it "double bonus miles".

As I'm climbing, I run into Captain Blogger.  She's confused.  Where is my pack?  Why am I walking in the wrong direction?  I explain to her what is going on.

As I connect, I receive a text.  Blaze has been cleared to return to the trail!  We're getting the band back together!

The updated weather is now worse.  That's fine.  Blaze won't be here until Friday anyways.  I return with the bad news.  Gatlinburg is going to have some hotel rooms filled with stinky hikers