Woke up just after 0600 and started teleworking. I only took a short break (0900) to get some breakfast (instant oatmeal) in the lobby. Otherwise, I teleworked until 1100, when I had to check out of my room at the Rodeway Inn. Worked on my computer in the parking lot until around 1115 and then drove a short distance (north on US-441) to Walmart to pick up supplies (1130). Next, drove south on US-441 to get a gas fillup at Shell in Sevierville (1140). By that point, I was ready to drive to Fontana Dam so I headed north on US-441 and used it to reach US-321. I took back roads across the northwest corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Got on US-321 again for a short time and then used the Foothills Parkway to drive west to US-129. From there, I found myself on the extremely curvy "Tail of the Dragon" all the way to Deals Gap. I was lucky because almost everyone else on the road was headed in the other direction. There were a few folks going my way but, whenever I pulled off on a siding to let faster car enthusiasts pass me, I got a friendly wave and they sped away on the windy road. There were places that were a bit disconcerting (big drop offs) but most of the time the views were spectacular. In my little (rented) Honda HR-V, I had a lot of maneuverability and was able to drive quickly on a path that is definitely not for the weak of stomach. I passed lots of photographers along the way who dutifully snapped photos of each of my passings and I found photos of my car on their website later in the evening. Most of the other (faster) drivers I encountered were driving little (custom-designed) Hondas. I wasn’t there for the racing or car/cycle culture but still managed to get my fill of the thrill of the challenging road (“318 curves in 11 miles”) today! At the end of the ride, I reached NC-28 and used it to get to the Fontana Village Resort. At about that time, I lost cell signal and didn't regain it again for the rest of the day. That didn't seem like a big deal at the time... I ate some lunch (snack) in my car and then went into the Resort (1300) to check with the main desk about my room (they said it wasn't yet ready). While waiting to check-in, I teleworked for another hour (plus) in the main lobby. There were some Thru hikers there ("Toady Woods" and "Stairmaster") and I talked to them about the AT for a little while. Before long (1530), I was able to get into my room (down the hill from the main building). At that point, some "fun" began because I received a voicemail (via Google Voice) from my Shuttle Driver (for April 1) that US-441 was going to close for about 24 hours due to forecasted high winds. After several attempts to use Google Voice for calls and texts, I figured out that I could do WiFi calls with my AT&T Plan. From that point, I was able to call the Shuttle Driver (to move my ride to April 2), call the NPS Backcountry Office for Great Smoky Mountain National Park (to reschedule my two shelter reservations to April 2 and 3), call my manager and Government client (to add an extra day to my leave request) and contact my kids about the changes to my plans. Gotta love modern conveniences! After finishing this flurry of activity, I walked back up the hill to ask for an extra night in my room (they coordinated a request but suggested I come back in the morning to confirm). I then wandered down the hill again, looking for the Resort's restaurant/bar ("Wildwood Grill"). When I found it, I explored my options (dining in the big room or sitting in the Pub area) and ended up having a few local beers at the bar. The ambiance was great so I later ordered dinner (fish & chips). All the while, I chatted with the nice bartender lady (who showed me lots of photos of her lovely mountain-top home) and other local bar patrons. I finished eating at around 1830 and returned to my room. Just then, it started to rain. For the rest of the evening, I read, relaxed and watched a bit of TV (movies). Since it didn't seem like I'd be hiking the next day, I was much more relaxed - this helped me to get right to sleep by the time I went to bed (2200). Not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow - hope the weather improves!
