North Carolina Hiking Trip - Day 7

It turned out to be a good thing I hiked such a long section yesterday - the options for AT sections today were quite limited because of several road closures. I woke up early (0545) again and ate breakfast in the hotel.  It was so cold outside that I spent some time resting and cleaning things in the room.  Eventually left the hotel at around 0845 and drove into Bryson City on US-19.  I had hoped to get a NPS passport stamp for Mollie at the Unit there but they didn't open until 1000.  Instead, headed back to US-74 and drove east until reaching US-441.  Wanted to get gas but found the prices were quite high.  Drove towards Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  As I got close, I had to wait for elk to cross the highway!  There were signs saying that US-441 was closed to the north (because of the winter weather) so I stopped at the Oconoluftee Visitor Center got a stamp for Mollie's NPS Passport Book (she'd forgotten it previously).  I'd thought about using the Blue Ridge Parkway to go north but found that it was also closed.  Instead, drove through Cherokee (had to wait for even more elk!) and then used US-19 (through Maggie Valley) to get back to US-74 (near Lake Junaluska).  Took NC-209 and headed north, stopping for gas at Shell in Waynesville (1030).  Continued towards Hot Springs and discovered that the windy road wasn't affected by the weather, fortunately.  However, I saw lots of frosted coverings on the highest peaks.  I'd hoped to go up to Max Patch but changed my mind, due to the conditions (ice and snow all around and the temps dropped into the 20s).  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, though, so I moved on to Plan C: hiking in Hot Springs. I’d saved a section with spectacular views of the French Broad River with a hope that I could use US-25 to access the AT from Tanyard Gap. Parked in town at the big Visitor Lot in town and, before setting out, I called Bonnie to check in on her after Chuck's passing.  At noon, I headed east on the highway, towards the AT Trailhead on US-25. It had warmed up a bit (probably low 40s) and it felt good to power up the hill on the pavement. It took about an hour, but I soon am found my way onto the AT (SOBO). I had to climb a bit to reach the first plateau (Mill Ridge). Along the way, I started encountering hikers who were going in the opposite direction. Before my day was done, I counted three Thru Hikers and eight section hikers. They were all concentrated within about a mile. Highlights included meeting a young couple who were prepping for a Thru Hike next year (they had lots of local hiking info) and encountering a Thru Hiker from Finland named Inka (pronounced Inga) who talked to me for a long time about her Lapland hiking experiences. Actually, I burned a lot of time talking today (directions, encouragement, stories)! The hike took me much higher then I’d expected and the ridge overlooked the French Broad on one side and US-25 on the other. It was startling to look over the drop off and recall that I had started the hike 1000 feet below! Overall, the grade and weather conditions turned out to be ideal. I took my time and enjoyed the unexpected trail vibes... When I reached Lovers Leap Rock, I got the views I’d hoped for - and met up with a total of 21 day hikers in the last mile of my hike... I did enjoy watching a mom and her two little kids trying to reach the rock - they threw a tantrum until she let them “climb like bears” (reminded me of adventures with my own kids). When I reached the river, I was amazed by the power of the water - a kayaker passed by in a flash and I decided I didn’t feel like swimming. Finished my hike after about 9 miles (including 2.5 on the road and about a mile of re-tread) at about 1615.  Even in town, I continued to meet people - many of them were from Ashville and had driven up to visit the recently re-opened Hot Springs Spa.  After I was in my car, I weighed the options (drive more or stay overnight?) before settling for an old place I usually use when in the area (Alpine Court Motel).  I ended up having to do everything over the phone with the (new?) owner who lived in Newport.  The place was about the same as usual (no major improvements, WiFi nonexistent in most rooms) and I was a bit disappointed the price had nearly doubled.  But I was glad to have a room!  I cleaned up and then went to eat dinner at the Iron Horse Grill (1800).  I ordered the burger and loaded baked potato and enjoyed a few Catawba Zombie beers.  The guy next to me was a conspiracy theorist who regaled me with tales of Bigfoot and haunted mansions.  He was nice but seemed disappointed I didn't share his excitement with the paranormal.  Later, I talked to the bartender about the huge crowd they were having for dinner.  Eventually, I ended up in a fun conversation with a group of locals (guys who stocked fish in the creek) and they told me a funny story about how people were panicking at the Walmart (over the Coronavirus) and had cleaned out the entire pharmacy and toiletry section (SMH).  At 1915, I went back to my room and watched TV for a few hours.  Ended up going to bed at around 2300.  I felt good that I’d managed to hike today - but the views and social encounters made the day even better!  I think I can get some more miles tomorrow - wish me luck! AT Today = 5.50 miles / G.T. AT = 1550.66 miles