J-Town Trail Hikers in Great Smoky Mountains

Welcome to the latest in the escapades of Shawn McCarton (Pace) and Karl Weiss (Hungus) in their Appalachian Trail adventure. As we leave off with our hikers, they are in the Great Smoky Mountains, and Pace celebrates her birthday!

April 9

We spent the night at Mt. Cammerer lookout tower. It was awesome. As requested, I woke everybody up at 6:45am. The sunrise was forecasted for 7:06am. Cheese Water had actually slept outside on the observation deck. He said he was plenty warm. We all went out to observe the sunrise. We watched as the orb broke the horizon and lifted into the sky. The light danced on the mountain tops and slowly spread to the valleys. We watched in awe. We all went back inside, made breakfast, packed up and said our goodbyes to the Smokies. 

Our next stop would be standing bear hostel about 8 miles away. We scurried down the mountains with the thoughts of pizza, showers and beers motivating us. We made short work of the distance. Around 12:30 we stepped onto the hostel property. It was 0.8miles off the trail. 

Standing bear hostel is a quaint piece of property nestled along a stream in the tennessee mountains. As we walked up the driveway we were greeted by Pilgrim. He told us to set our packs down and gave us the tour. There were two buildings for sleeping, a cabin and a bunk house. There were separate buildings for the kitchen,laundry, phone/Internet, showers, privy and the store. There were flowers planted and blooming everywhere. Everything was based on the honor system. You took an envelope and kept a running tab of what you took. Everything was free except sleeping arrangements and food from the store.  

April 10

La Familia climbed up the grassy mountain top loving the view the whole way. When we got to the ridge line we were blasted with the strong wind. The only saving grace was that it was very sunny so we felt warm. On the summit we took our packs off and posed for some pictures. The wind was so strong it almost blew cheese waters hat down the mountain. He caught it just in time though. Pace was doing cartwheels so that inspired everyone to do round offs and other Gymnastics moves up there. I enjoyed watching. Max patch is such a cool place! It is a huge grassy field mowed to 500ft below the summit so you feel on top of the world up there. We all wanted to camp there so badly but it was just too windy. After about 20 min up there we continued on. 

The trail followed the grassy bald for another 15 min or so. The wind was still kicking so we got back into the trees to try and find a campsite. We almost settled on a few spots and the "official" campsite already had 5 hikers posted up. It was way too windy there though. We moved past them and found a spot semi protected from the wind in a rhody stand. We all decided we could make it work so we set up shop. Pace, watermelon, and I hung our hammocks and long triland set up their tents. We all changed into warm clothes as it was getting cold. Temps are supposed to get into the 20's tonight. By this point it was dark. We all cooked dinner around a small fire cheese water and sir towlie built then climbed into our hammocks to write in the journal. The wind is still blowing hard on the patch, I can hear it howling. Every once in a while a big gust makes its way down to us. The trees pace and I are hung in are kind of small so when they sway in the wind our hammocks get picked up ad rocked around. I kind of enjoy it. It's like the wind is rocking me to sleep. 

April 12

Pace and I were up an hiking by 8am with the thoughts of breakfast on the mind. Watermelon was out with us but long triland was still fast asleep when we left. We cruised the 3.2 into town in a little over an hour and went directly to the Smoky Mountain Diner. I remembered the legendary breakfast skillet from 07 so I barely needed to look at a menu. This skillet was a huge pile of potatoes with fried onions, mushrooms, peppers and sausage mixed in. Then topped with cheddar cheese and 2 over easy eggs. They give you a biscuit on the side for good measure. Watermelon got the exact same thing. Before our skillets came out, paces two eggs with sausage and hash browns arrived. She finished the whole thing before the skillets showed up so she ordered a second round! We rolled out of the diner with busted bellies and walked across town (which is still on the trail) to the iron horse station inn. 

We managed to get a private room with a bathroom for two nights so we were psyched! We unpacked and immediately went to the "wash tub" to get some laundry spinning. We realized we hadn't done proper laundry in 9 days! Our clothes were pretty nasty but cleaned right up. Next on the agenda was cleaning ourselves up. We went back to the room and took long hot showers. 

After relaxing for a bit we decided to head over to the hot springs spa to soak in the mineral water hot tubs. That was the best $ 30 ever spent. Pace and I felt so good after getting out of them. I booked an hr long Swedish massage for Pace for her birthday and thought I might as well get one too. That will be at 1 tomorrow followed by another hr in the tubs. :) 

April 13

This morning we slept in until 9. We then revisited the Smokey Mountain Diner for breakfast. It was once again delicious!!! While in the diner a bunch of hikers came in and out. They were mostly people that we have met before. One guy, Wiffle, carries a wiffle ball and bat with him. He said there was to be a game at 2 in front of the hot springs resort. We told him we would spread the word. 

On the way back to our room we stopped at the post office and picked up our new camera and girl scout cookies, thanks Tribes :) Hungus immediately took a nap when we got back. I washed my nalgene and cooking pot and wrote out some post cards. I woke Hungus up at 12:30, it was almost time for our massages. Yeah that's right, booked massages at the hot springs resort. This hiking thing is really tough ;) 

We both went for hr long massages followed by another hr in the hot springs. This time we were creek side. Afterwards we were mush. On our way out of the resort we saw the whiffle ball game. The game was in full swing so we watched the rest of it. There were about 30 hikers in hot springs that day and 20 of them were playing the game. I don't think anyone knew the score at the end but nevertheless both teams shook hands. Hungus announced we would be at the spring creek tavern later that night. We all dispersed throughout town. Sir Towlie, Cheese Water, Tahrzahn and Watermelon went to soak in the hot springs while Hungus and I returned to our room. 

Around 7 we headed to the tavern for dinner. We napped the time in between away. At the tavern a lot of locals were finishing up diner and a band was setting up to play. Our waitress, Natalie, was super friendly and helpful. 

April 14

Just as we were about to get our food bags they showed up and the birthday surprises began!!!! 

Hashbrown, Sir Towlie and Cheese Water had carried up ingredients to make calzones over the fire. Watermelon carried up cake batter and oranges. Hashbrown and Cheese Water went about making dough while the rest of us hollowed out oranges. The hollowed out oranges were then filled with cake batter, wrapped in tin foil and placed in the fire. Everyone also mysteriously acquired noise makers and made a ruckus. 

The fire cooked calzones were amazing and so were the orange cakes. I was completely surprised and touched by everyone's efforts!! We decided we would try to cook in the woods ate least once a week. 

We went to bed late, fat and happy. Hungus forgot to put the candle on my orange cake so he sang me happy birthday before i climbed into my hammock :) 

Thank you again to everybody who sent birthday wishes and to my friends out here for making it special. It all means so much to me :)