Feeling rested from the zero-day in Franklin we piled into the Budget Inn shuttle and headed back to the trail with a weather forecast that was calling for four days of rain. The plan was to make it to the Nantahala Outdoor Center in two days, get a cabin, and then push on to Fontana Dam in another two days. The first day back on the trail began with rain and later turned to dense fog, foreshadowing the typical weather of the Smokies. The fog, coupled with another patch of recent forest fires, created a scene that felt like walking through a Tim Burton movie.
Back into the woods we go, Winding Stair Gap
Wayah Bald fire tower that lost its wooden roof in the forest fires. I was expecting a Frenchman on top to taunt me a second time (Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference)
The 2nd day again began with some rains that tapered off into fog and then gave way to sunshine as we descended down into the Nantahala Gorge. The NOC has an Outfitters, restaurant, general store, kayaking course, and a small beachy area all on the river. I immediately stripped down to my space shorts and jumped in the river which is front and center of the window seating at the restaurant. Hikers rinsing in the river must be a daily show for the restaurant-goers. A lady knew we must be thru hikers and offered us a huge bag of leftover Easter candy.
Glimpse of the view offered by the Wesser Bald fire tower
View through a knot hole in the tower's floor, a fire pit and camp site are below
Unimpressed frog at the NOC
More hiker humor
Day 3 was humid, sunny, and completely exhausting as we rose 3000 feet out of the gorge. Dan, Alex, and I played the name game to grind away some miles and then everyone pulled ahead when we stopped for lunch because I took the time to cook a Mountain House dehydrated meal. I caught up to everyone at Stecoah Gap which was right before Jacob's Ladder, a steep 650 ft ascent in just over half a mile. Soon after we reached Brown Fork Shelter which was full so most of us set up camp down the hill near the water spring and the running joke all night was about the fancy bourgeois folk up on the hill. We also joked about the Smokey Mountain NP should pass out flyers about the dangers of feeding thru hikers.
Just a few of the many switchbacks on Jacob's Ladder
Day 4 was flat and easy relative to the 16 miles and insane elevation change of the day before. It gently sloped down to Fontana Lake and we could see the massive dam through the trees. A group of hikers asked me to take their photo and rained down compliments on my shorts so I asked them what the thought my trail name should be and one girl said Cosmo, but I was underwhelmed. More on that later. We took a shuttle to Fontana village to resupply, grab a bite, and Stick and I had food drops to pick up. I also had to print out my Smokie Mountains permit in the middle of a upscale hotel lobby, while still in my hiking clothes and reaking like your typical thru hiker. A BMW motorcycle meet-up just rode the infamous Dragons Tail and all the fancy bikers were checking in while casting gazes of disapproval towards us hiker trash.
Is their logo is a bear looking at a snake?
On the way back to the trail to finish the 1.1 miles to the "Fontana Hilton" the new shuttle driver complimented my shorts so I asked her what she thought my trail name should be. Without hesitation Kayte replied "Space Jam" SOLD! The name even comes with a theme song! I was thrilled to finally get a solid trail name after 165 miles. The next day was a short walk across the actual Fontana Dam before entering the Smokey Mountains.
More on trail names. It is tradition to earn a nickname while hiking long trails and they are usually based off of something stupid or memorable you did. For example I know a "Snaps" who carries a big DSLR camera and lenses around and I recently met "Molotov" who accidentally set his alcohol stove on fire and almost set a shelter ablaze as he tried to throw it out the door. Here are some trail names tossed my way that didn't stick:
Rugby Tim: based on the "Gorge Rugby" shirt that I hike in. But my name is not Tim and I no longer play rugby aside from a handful of social tourneys a year.
Gandalf: since my rain poncho can look like a cloak but I'm too tall to be a hobbit. This trail name is way too cliche/overused.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Kevin: since my poncho also looks like a big turtle shell on my back and I used to practice Kung Fu, but this is obviously way too long of a name and only sorta makes sense when I wear the poncho.
Cosmo or Intergalactic: based off my shorts, one is a girly drink and one is too many syllables.
Space Jam: YUP Currently in Gatlinburg, tis a silly place.