Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 105 – The Great Smoky Mountains
8th November 2023
Max Patch Road (1944.1) - Cosby Knob shelter (1967.3)
Daily miles: 24.4
Total miles: 1954.4
It was another night of blowing my air mattress up. Only once though. I could have done with another inflation but I just let myself be a bit uncomfortable until morning.
The cowboy campers
My alarm went off at 6am and I had the intention of hiking by 6:30am but I ended up leaving just after 7am. We had 13 miles to get to Standing Bear Farm and quite a lot of climbing. The trail was crazy hot and so muggy and humid. It’s been a while since I had sweat rolling down my face and dripping off my chin.
I was gradually passed by everyone as I was going uphill! I could see them all hiking in a hiker train and I just couldn’t keep up even though I tried, but I thought I might be able to catch them on the way down the other side of the climb.
I hiked as fast as I could down the other side, even though the trail was very rocky and rooty and I tripped so many times, I was flying down. I caught up to Neptune, May Queen and Toe getting water. It was pretty difficult to collect so as Neptune was already down there he got my water for me. I had run out of water and I was pretty parched as it was so hot.
Sunrise
Hendrix
Out of the trees
Great AT sign
Rhododendron trail
Searching for water
I walked the remaining way to Standing Bear with Neptune and May Queen and we arrived at 12pm which was pretty good going.
This place is interesting… it’s a commune. It’s a little chaotic.
They have some resupply there which was good as we just need a day and a half extra of food. The options were not great but we all managed to find something. I got some bars and some hot chocolate. I also drank 3 Sprites (I really should have drunk some water but I rehydrated on soda instead). Then everyone got a pizza so I got one too, ate half and packed the other half out for dinner to supplement my horrible resupply. A lot of the food was out of date, but it was cheap.
Standing Bear
Out of date resupply
Pizza
Hikers pack explosions
Gradually everyone rolled in over the time we were there, Crunchy and Robin Hood (who said his goodbyes to us yesterday) then Lemonhope (who saw a bear on the road) then safety Sidequest and Cal. The whole crew was here.
I left around 2:15pm, heading into the start of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, and we had a plan to go to a fire tower which was 0.6 miles off trail but it would be a good sunset. It was 8 miles up the trail – literally uphill the whole way – so I didn’t know whether I was going to make it in time, but I managed to get a bit of a move on and I was maintaining a 3mph pace.
Back on the trail
Follow the white blazes
Road walking
Love the colours
The start of the Great Smoky Mountains
Thigh High passed me and told me Professor was just behind me but I had to keep moving forwards, I couldn’t wait for him. I saw him on a switchback and saw he was hiking with May Queen so that was good. I thought they would gain on my quickly but it took a while for them to catch up. After my initial speed I started to hit a wall and slow down. It was so hot, 30ºC / 86ºF
The climb was long but thankfully it wasn’t too steep and being in a national park the trail was well maintained and well graded. It was still leafy but there were noticeably fewer trip hazards, although not zero.
Robin hood overtaking me
The trail in nice because it’s a national park
Racing sunset
It was a big climb
Great views
There was about a mile to go and Professor and May Queen finally caught up to me when I stopped at a lookout and we hiked together to the junction of the fire tower. May Queen decided to go to the tower so we followed her and we were practically running to make it in time for sunset.
Professor is back!
Robin Hood, Thigh High, Late Start, Toe and Jet were already there and we had a nice time watching the sunset, then we all ate dinner inside the fire tower out of the wind.
When the sun went down you could see all the lights of whatever town was below us and it was really pretty. Professor roasted me when I asked if there were anyone with a longer arm who could take the photo and he said “literally everyone”!
Made it to the fire tower for sunset
Fire tower friends
Puff and Prof
Fire tower gang
Inside the fire tower
Sunset
The lights of civilisation
We packed up and left when it started to get dark and I hiked with Professor to the shelter, we were going really fast to start with and then the last mile we (well me because I was in the lead) really slowed down. We were more than ready to be done and lying down. Professor had a harsh intro back to trail with over 4k ft of climbing over 10 miles! He has come back to join us through the Smokey Mountains.
I also had run out of water and I was so thirsty my mouth was sticking together. I went straight to the water and guzzled nearly a litre. I hope I’m not up in the night!
Hendrix was already lying down in his bag but not responding, it was only 7:45pm he couldn’t be asleep, so I grabbed his feet, he was watching something on his phone.
As everyone arrived it got quite chaotic. We are mostly in the shelter and some people are camping. There is a tarp up because the shelters have been prepared for winter so it’s pretty cosy. It’s not cold tonight.
There was a lot of bantering around tonight and it was fun to listen to.
I wasn’t going to hang my food but Robin Hood offered to do mine while he did his so it’s hanging on the cables.
We joked that we did 2 Neros today. A Nero into town and a Nero out of town.
