Slackpacking Trip - Day 2

Woke up later than I’d planned (it was warm and the rain drops helped me sleep). Larry gave me a good meal and conversation until 8:00. It hadn’t stopped raining when I left Damascus - it actually started sleeting as I drove south on Route 91 into Tennessee. Even as I reached an area without precipitation, it became clear that there was a good amount of snow at elevation. I even checked out the pass on US-421 and decided against hiking in those conditions. Instead, I used TN-67 and US-321 to get to Hampton and then I drove around to the northwest side of Watauga Lake (near the dam) for my hike. Headed NOBO from Wilbur Dam Road at 10:00, bound for the Vandeventer Shelter. It was a heck of a climb and, coupled with freezing rain, a strong breeze and sub-40 temperatures, made me want to turn around. But I kept at it, trudging through rhododendrons blanketed with a light coating of snow. I made it through a series of small roller coasters, paralleling the northern arm of the lake and turned around at my intended target. I was surprised to see a pair of section hikers mid way through the backtrack. They had orange hats and told me they were finishing their last section south of Damascus. I said goodbye and made it back to my car in good time (seeing only one other person, a trail runner, all day). Continued SOBO to the Watauga Shelter, where I’d last stopped in May 2014. There were signs everywhere, warning of bear activity (I didn’t see any). Backtracked on the road (cutting off about 0.5 miles). Arrived at my car again at 4:10 PM after around 14 miles of challenging hiking. Drove over to Elizabethton and got a hotel room at Travelers Inn (1650).  Soaked my aching muscles in the tub for over 30 minutes.  Got dinner  (and margaritas - needed salt, right?) at Amigo Mexican Restaurant (finished at 1845). Resting in the hotel later - hoping I can actually walk by morning... AT Today = 7.20 miles / G.T. AT = 989.36 miles