End point: Russel Field Shelter
miles hiked: 14
Woke up, wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage that Ty gave me. Got some new insoles from a hiker box, I think some of my ankle problems were caused by the Dr Scholls insoles I had bought in Hiawassee, they were too high under my heel and made the back of my ankle rub on my shoe wrong. Crossed the dam and headed into the Smoky Mountains. Whole day was beautiful, a little hot when going up some of the big climbs. Got to some areas where there were tons of little white flowers covering the hills, kinda makes it feel more like spring. Things are starting to get pretty green finally. At Mollies Ridge Shelter a ridge runner who works for the park suggested I go to the next shelter because it was only another hour walk and it would make tomorrows hike alot easier. On the AT in the Smoky Mountains you are required to sleep in the shelters and can only tent out if they are full. This is because the amount of bears that live in the park. Some of the shelters are fenced in, it cracked me up when someone told me it was like the hiker exhibit, we're the ones in the cage ;)
Woke up, wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage that Ty gave me. Got some new insoles from a hiker box, I think some of my ankle problems were caused by the Dr Scholls insoles I had bought in Hiawassee, they were too high under my heel and made the back of my ankle rub on my shoe wrong. Crossed the dam and headed into the Smoky Mountains. Whole day was beautiful, a little hot when going up some of the big climbs. Got to some areas where there were tons of little white flowers covering the hills, kinda makes it feel more like spring. Things are starting to get pretty green finally. At Mollies Ridge Shelter a ridge runner who works for the park suggested I go to the next shelter because it was only another hour walk and it would make tomorrows hike alot easier. On the AT in the Smoky Mountains you are required to sleep in the shelters and can only tent out if they are full. This is because the amount of bears that live in the park. Some of the shelters are fenced in, it cracked me up when someone told me it was like the hiker exhibit, we're the ones in the cage ;)
Saw my first black bear today. Well I saw it run off. Those guys are fast! It was prob a cub, around 110-130lbs, it took off after it heard me coming and I watched it run up the hill and dissappear. Saw a few chipmunks and a millipede. Up until today all I'd seen were squirrels and birds.
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