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North Carolina

Clingman's Dome

Kevin

by Kevin

Kirby: Attention captain, requesting status of pending operation, over.

Captain: Roger that. Operation Sunrise has been approved by the Joint Chiefs, you are due to start at 0430, over.

Kirby: 10-4. Commencing preparation for operation sunrise. Over and out.

I had my eyes set on summiting Clingman's Dome for sunrise. A 4:30AM wake up is never easy, the cold weather just made it a tab bit more diffcult.

As I finished packiong up VIA headlamp, I spotted two deer. One immediately bolted when my headlamp made contact with its eyes. I snapped a photo of the other one. My first piece of interesting wildlife.

I was on trail at 5:00AM, and was sitting in the tower on the summit by 6:30AM. The sunrise was quite a delight, although there was a bitter wind.

The descent into Newfound Gap was nothing special, although I walked across my first bog bridge, except these ones where designed to preven hikers from stepping in the mud, which would add to erosion.

I spent the rolling descent listening to the Weekly Top 40 on my porable radio. This is a great investment, it makes dull miles seem semi-bearable.

Newfound Gap was quite windy. I had my first "official" crossing into Tennessee. The trail has been stradding the NC-TN border for about 20 miles now. I do not cross into TN permanently until north of Erwin, TN.

At the gap, I used a flushing toilet, a luxury item for a long distance hiker.

The climb out of the gap was fairly easy, ice was randomly scattered along the trail.

As of now, I shall try for 20 miles tomorrow, but we shall see. I am focused on getting out of this park.

I have been on trail down for 22 days, but it does not feel that long. Springer is in the distant past, and I am very used to waking up and hiking each day.

I am starting to think about Hot Spring, NC. That is my next overnight in a town, I have a maildrop I sent myself at Standing Bear Farm, just north of the Smokies.

Well, I shall now commence with sleeping preparations, it is 7:43PM, and I am exausted.

Good night, and good luck.

Kirby

Ga>ME 2008.

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