Oceania Trip - Day 2

(Note: this day was spent airborne over the Pacific).  During the oceanic transit, the plane stayed on NYC time.  I got about five hours of sleep, waking up at about the mid-point mark on the trip (approaching Tahiti).  To pass the time, I did some Duolingo and Sudoku and did some reading, hoping to get tired again.  That was unsuccessful because it was about 0600 at home.  Instead, I walked a bit in the cabin and ended up talking with the crew.  They were very nice and told me that the Auckland to New York flight was usually full but that the return leg was almost always only about half full (I told them that made the flight much better).  Back in my seat, I watched a movie and then lay down for a short (maybe two hours) nap.  Sometime during this time, we reached the beginning of the next day for Auckland!

Oceania Trip - Day 1

Today, my adventure in New Zealand and Australia begins!  I got limited sleep last night so was up by 0545 (no alarm needed).  After eating a light breakfast and cleaning things up in my condo, I met my neighbor (Monte) in the parking lot.  At 0645, we left for the Dartmouth Coach Terminal in Lebanon.  I had one big bag (less than 40 pounds) and a day pack carry-on bag.  We arrived at the station to find two buses (one for Logan and the other for South Station).  I got on the 0705 (mostly full) bus and we departed on time.  To get to Boston, we took I-89 and made one stop at New London (to pick up one person).  I passed the time reading.  After getting on I-93 and using some side streets, we arrived at Logan (Terminal C) at 0930.  Immediately after getting off the bus, I located the USO and spent about two hours there relaxing, eating and talking to other veterans.  At 1130, I said goodbye to the helpful staff and walked to the United Airlines Counter in Terminal B.  It was fortunate that I tried to check in early because the gate agent immediately discovered that there was a major issue with my itinerary (“Jim’s itinerary”, Plan A).  At least one of my later flights apparently “didn’t exist” (?) and, as a result, I was in danger of not getting out of the US today.  I think being an “Early Bird” on a Saturday ultimately made it easier to resolve my problem but there is no doubt that I owe a lot to the very nice employees at United Airlines who quickly created a new itinerary.  After learning that my trip was "impossible" (there some kind of problem with the Air New Zealand legs), they rebooked me on an American Airlines flight to JFK (instead of Houston).  At the time, it didn't register but I later learned that I was booked on ANZ’s flagship flight (“1”) which, at 17.5 hours, was the fourth longest flight in the airline world!  The main impact on my overall schedule appeared to be that I wouldn’t arrive in Christchurch until three hours later than my original plan.  Best news, though, was that I could get to New Zealand without much extra delay.  To execute Plan B, I had to walk across to the other side of Terminal B to find the American Airlines counter.  Fortunately, the lines were short and I was able to check in for my flight (got my free checked bag too).  In the process, the nice gate agent changed my BOS-JFK flight to a 1407 departure (Plan C).  Next, I walked a short distance to the TSA Pre-Check line.  Unfortunately, my United profile information didn’t carry over to American so I had to switch to the regular TSA line.  I was lucky (again) that the line was very short and I made it through quickly.  After all the waiting, I decided to spend a little time walking and stretching my legs before going to my gate.  However, just after I sat down, the gate agent called my name and told me I should change flights again (“because this one is about to be delayed and you will miss your flight to Auckland”).  Even with this extra change (Plan D), I didn’t have far to walk and felt like I was due for a quick trip to NYC.  I found out later that my new flight was already three hours delayed and the time continued to "slide right."  In the meantime, the last two flights of the day (later than mine) were canceled and all the passengers on those flights started filling the empty seats we’d previously had.  The American Eagle E175 aircraft was so little that the gate agents next wanted me to check my carry-on bag all the way to Christchurch!  I knew this would not be optimal for me so, with the desk manager’s blessing (probably only to get rid of me), I carried my little backpack on the flight.  With help from a nice flight attendant, I was then able sweet talk my way into getting it on board (she stored it in the coat closet for me).  I was in my seat by 1530 but we next got to sit at the gate for nearly an hour while the crew attempted to get clearance to depart (JFK had gone into a "ground stop" condition).  Finally (1630), we pushed back from the gate and taxied towards the runway.  Before we could depart, however, we had to wait on a taxiway while the crew burned fuel (down to maximum takeoff weight.  In the end, it wasn’t until 1735 that we finally taxied to the actual runway hold short line.   After a few hours of doubt, I was aboard the last AA JFK-bound flight of the day.  By this point, I was crossing my fingers that “Plan X” would be the one that helped me catch a Trans-PAC connection...  Ultimately, the flight was mostly uneventful, with a little turbulence but no other issues, and we landed in New York City at 1840.  With all the delays, I'd had time to do research about how to find the Air New Zealand counter and, before we even landed, I had already reached the disconcerting realization that I might not have enough time to get to Terminal 1 (where my flight to NZ would depart).  It didn't help that our plane parked at Terminal 8 (where we parked) - this was just about as far away from my next flight as I could be...  Next challenge, I had to leave the secured area and then re-clear TSA - grrrr.  Needless to say, I practically sprinted from the American Eagle flight to find the AirTrain.  The way the trains were running, I had to do a full circuit of the airport because they only drove clockwise.  Next, I had to look all over the Terminal to find Air New Zealand’s little counter.  When I found it, the gate agent told me they’d only been there since October and were basically borrowing space.  With time dwindling, I got checked in and then had to go through normal TSA (ANZ not enrolled in Pre-check) again.  Fortunately, the lines weren’t too bad so I found myself on the cleared side again by 2015.  With an hour left before boarding (whew!), I decided to finish getting my 10,000 steps.  This was actually a little difficult because there wasn’t much room between TSA and the gates.  Still, it was nice to move around after a lot of sitting earlier in the day.  At about 2045, I sat down to rest and wait for boarding.  Just after 2100, the gate staff started boarding people in a rather random order.  Since I couldn’t really tell what group I was in, I decided to try to get onboard.  They just let me past and I was in my seat a few minutes later.  On the aircraft (B787-9), I was surprised to sit down in an empty row and even more shocked when no one ever came to sit next to me; we departed the gate early (2145) with only 74 people in the Economy section (I think there were almost 200 empty seats).  Because of the size of JFK, weather and the departure line, we didn’t actually take off until 2215.  Any loud sound you heard at that time was my sigh of relief to finally be on the Air New Zealand Dreamliner, enroute to Auckland - nearly five years in the planning and it’s actually happening!  Once we settled in at cruising altitude, I was quite impressed with the performance of the classy ANZ crew.  The airline also offered many good amenities (free WiFi, great movies & music choices, awesome food).  I enjoyed a delicious dinner (penne with an excellent sauce and sliced chicken, a creative salad, a dinner roll, cake and a brownie) and the crew gave me a few chances to sample New Zealand wines (I tried a Cab-Sav and a Sav-Blanc).  It was actually possible (although I didn’t try it) to get almost any kind of drink during the night.  Instead, completely satisfied, I stayed awake until after midnight (NYC time) and then lay down in my empty triple-row “bed” for the night.  It was a LONG, difficult day but I'm on my way!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking early - after breakfast, drove to White River Junction for a workout (45 minutes of swimming) at UVAC (0815 to 0900) - back to teleworking by 0930]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking early - after lunch, drove to White River Junction for a workout (45 minutes of swimming, sauna and 20 minutes of biking) at UVAC (1430 to 1600) - quick shopping stop on the way home - back to teleworking at 1630]

Woodsville, NH (USA)

Today I was able to join another “Dayhike and Dine” event with the group from Bradford, VT I met last month!  After getting up early, I first went to Mass at Sacred Heart in Lebanon (0800).  Afterwards, I took the "scenic route" (NH-10 all the way) to Woodsville, arriving at a parking lot for the Haverhill-Bath Covered Bridge at around 1015.  The rest of the hiking group arrived about 1045 and we started our hike.  We only had to walk a short distance (across the Amonoosuc River) to reach the Lone Oak Trail.  From there, 13 of us (and three dogs) made our way up a steep track to the top of Mount Gardner, which stands watch above the villages of Woodsville (NH) and Wells River (VT).  The weather was awesome (high 60s, partly cloudy) and and nearly bug free.  At the summit, we could see all the terrain to the south and west and also got obstructed views of several prominent White Mountain peaks to the east.  Most of the high ridges only had a small snow cap remaining - the Spring Thaw is definitely in full swing!  Some amazing raptors joined us at the overlook - they never had to flap a wing but were able to anchor close to our perch on the mountainside.  One of our group pointed out the Lone Oak, which looked like it had seen better days… We stayed up top, enjoying a nice breeze, and many people shared their perspectives about “the good life” in the Upper Valley.  Reluctantly, we departed the mountain solitude… Of course, downhill hiking went much more quickly and the conversations soon turned to food.  Fortunately, Jared had made reservations at Shiloh’s Restaurant, only a short drive away.  We all enjoyed our well-earned meals!  After saying goodbye to everyone, I drove back to Hanover (via NH-10 and River Road).  Before going home, I took a walk at the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area (1500 and 1600), checking on the trail system I sponsor for the Hanover Conservancy.  I next stopped for mail at my condo and visited with neighbors.  Unfortunately, not much had changed inside my condo since my last visit - the end of the "Burst Pipe" affair still seemed quite far away...  Annoyed, I returned to the Residence Inn by 1630 and spent the rest of the evening in my room (reading, watching movies).  Bed was at 2200.  Feeling good that I got some good miles on the trails in the Upper Valley today!

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 13

Eileen's dogs woke me up at around 0530 and I spent a little time reading.  When Eileen was awake too, I joined her in the kitchen and she made breakfast for me.  We talked for a little while about our upcoming weeks and took our time getting ready.  Since we were still finding tiny shards of glass in various places, I helped Eileen move furniture so she could do a deep cleaning of all the rooms.  She had plans to meet some friends at 0830 so I packed up my car and said goodbye to her just after 0800.  I left Potsdam by driving south and east on NY-72, which took me to NY-11B.  From there, I got on NY-458 and used it to reach NY-30.  Along the way, I passed lots of areas with thick snow (temps were still in the 30s).  I listened to more audiobooks on the way.  Using NY-86, I drove to Saranac Lake and continued on to Lake Placid.  As usual, I bypassed town on the Old Military Road and joined NY-73 after that.  From there (using a couple of minor roads as shortcuts), I was able to reach NY-9N and drive around the southern end of Lake Champlain.  I then switched to NY-185 and drove to Crown Point State Park (arrived at 1045).  Since reading “Rabble in Arms” (Kenneth Roberts) a little while back, I’ve made a point of visiting a few (new to me) sites related to the 1775 Invasion of Canada and subsequent retreat towards Fort Ticonderoga.  The weather was wonderful so I stopped to walk the grounds around the historic forts at Crown Point (NY) and Chimney Point (VT).  There were lots of interesting things to see and I probably got almost an hour of walking on the old earthworks above Lake Champlain.  Bonus: I walked a section (very short) of the North Country Trail and checked out the Samuel de Champlain Memorial.  Back on the road (1145), I used VT-125 to reach Middlebury.  Eileen called just as I drove through town and we talked for a little while before I stopped at McDonalds for lunch (1235).  She said she'd call me back but I had a lot of driving with barely any signal coming up - bottom line: difficult to carry on a conversation while crossing Vermont!  I used US-7, VT-125, VT-100, Bethel Mountain Road and Camp Brook Road to cross all the mountains and reach VT-12.  From there, I got on VT-107 and drove to I-89.  Eileen called again at that point and we talked more about our great visit.  By the time we hung up, I'd reached New Hampshire and continued towards my condo.  Before arriving at my condo (still under repair/construction), I got a gas fill-up at the former Irving (now Citgo) station near my home (1400).  Then I drove up to my parking lot, got my mail and greeted my neighbors - they were outside enjoying the nice weather.  Monte offered to give me a ride to return my rental the Lebanon Airport and I didn't want to pass that option up!  Quickly moving all my things from the rental car to my own, I was ready to depart for West Lebanon by 1430.  We then drove in a convoy to the airport and I dropped off my Honda HRV at around 1450.  From there, Monte drove me home and I got my own car.  Since my insurance company had been informed that my condo would probably not be ready prior to April 10, they had made me a reservation at the nearby Residence Inn (Lebanon) - it's great to have USAA!  I went to my new "home away from home" and was able to check into my room at 1515.  I spent the next hour setting things up the way I wanted them - the room layout was pretty nice for teleworking.  I'm hoping that my stay is not too long but it is nice to have a good place to live while the condo saga continues... I let the girls know I was home and then relaxed for the rest of the evening.  What a trip - whew!  NCT Today = 0.59 miles (hiking) / NCT Total = 12.6 miles

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 12

I got up at 0630 and took my time getting ready.  While waiting for Eileen to tell me her daughter had left for her weekend trip, I did some reading, Duolingo and travel blogging. Later, I ate breakfast (oatmeal, muffins, hot chocolate) in the lobby of the hotel.  I then continued reading in the room until about 0830.  Eventually, I decided that I didn't want to hang out at the hotel any longer so I loaded up the car and drove east (US-11) into Potsdam.  Just as I was crossing the Raquette River, Eileen called to tell me her daughter had left for her trip and that she could meet me in town for breakfast.  I told her I was close by and we agreed that I should head over to her house so we could make plans.  When I arrived, I round her in the middle of a complex project related to some wiring and a broken microwave.  She admitted that she wanted to resolve the problem before we went anywhere for fun so I told her I'd try to assist.  Even though she didn't really need a lot my help, I was able to keep her company during the rest of the time she was working - I also played with her dogs a little bit.  By 1045, Eileen decided that she'd need to go into town to find some replacement wiring parts and/or a new microwave.  We rode together to a thrift store that was on NY-56 but didn't have any luck there.  Next, we continued north to Lowes (arrived at 1115).  Just after we parked, Eileen ran into a distraught friend so I went inside the store to start shopping.  Within a short time, I found a replacement plug (solving one of the issues).  Eileen joined me about 15 minutes later and we looked at the stock of microwaves.  A nice salesman helped us and, with Eileen's coupons and discounts, we left the store with a nice new machine.  She joked with me that this was her first microwave in nearly 30 years and "could be the last one I need."  On the way home, we stopped (1200) for lunch at the Asian Buffet and Grill.  The amount of food choices was amazing!  We had a good talk while eating there and were both full by the time we left.  Back at Eileen's (1315), I helped her repair the wire/plug, fix a cabinet door (magnet move) and set up the microwave.  We then cleaned up a little bit until about 1430, when we drove over to Robin's to meet up with his new puppy ("Bran").  Robin's house, which I'd last visited in 2018, is located in the northern part of Parishville and is surrounded by trees and flowers.  While Eileen did some visiting and doggy cuddling, I played fetch with both Mika and Juneau.  The weather was pleasant and we stayed for over an hour.  Eventually (1600), we got back to Eileen's house.  Just before we opened a bottle of wine, Eileen remembered that we'd earlier discussed going on a walk.  So, getting back in Eileen's car (minus Juneau), we drove to Hannawa Falls and took a walk down the full length of the Red Sandstone Trail.  For over an hour, we walked and talked and played with Mika.  We've been on this trail several times since I've been visiting Potsdam but today was a perfect experience in the woods.  Reluctantly, we drove back to Eileen's (1730)...  One bonus about this, though, was that we were able to start enjoying the Chilean wine I'd brought.  Eileen was concerned about ticks so I started prepping food for our dinner while she got a shower.  I peeled potatoes and sliced them very thinly = I also cut big stalks of broccoli and put them in a steamer.  When she returned, Eileen suggested we prep the chicken breasts with a marinade and, after brainstorming together, we decided to try a combination of soy sauce and garlic paste.  From the internet, I got some more ideas and then set up the chicken to marinate while Eileen taught me a card game called "hand and foot".  It was quite complicated (at least to me, because I rarely play cards) but I had a good time.  As the food got closer to being ready, we easily transitioned into a dinner mindset (table settings, etc.).  When we ultimately started to eat, it was great to discover that we'd done an excellent job - it all tasted delicious!  After finishing our game (close to 2030), we adjourned to Eileen's living room.  I thought we were going to read for a little while (I'd brought a lot of new reading material for her) but, about 30 minutes later, Eileen suggested we watch some episodes of "Ted Lasso".  Those turned out to be funny and we binge watched several.  During one of the breaks, I went into the kitchen to get something and somehow managed to knock over a little glass cup that shattered into a million pieces on the floor of the kitchen and living room.  This interrupted our evening and put us back into work mode - together, we cleaned as much of the shards as we could before returning to the television show.  Before long, we realized it 2230 - reluctantly, we headed to bed.  As always, my visit to Potsdam was not boring - I had a great day!

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 11

This morning, I was awake by 0530 and immediately started teleworking in the hotel.  I went down to breakfast in the lobby at around 0700 and then resumed teleworking again.  At 1145, I checked out of the Comfort Inn in Apalachin and started my drive to Potsdam.  I used I-81 to get to Syracuse and, just after passing through the main part of the city (1315), stopped for gas in a busy area (Liberty "Delta Sonic" station).  Back on the highway, I continued listening to my audiobook.  It was sunny but the temperatures continued to drop.  By the time I was on US-11, headed east, it was about 45 degrees - what a difference a few days makes!  Eileen texted while I was driving that we might not be able to get together for dinner (as we'd hoped) because her daughter was having some personal issues.  Meanwhile, I continued driving until just after 1530 (when I arrived in Canton) and stopped at a McDonalds (free WiFi) so I could do another hour and 45 minutes of telework.  Eileen eventually confirmed that she was too busy to meet so, after I'd finished my day, I closed up shop and took a walk inside a nearby Price Chopper and the parking lot there.  Afterwards (1730), I drove east (from Canton to Potsdam) and checked into the Potsdam Inn (1740).  After getting my stuff unpacked, I took a walk down US-11 to the nearby Walmart and walked around inside for about an hour.  The place was HUGE and not as busy as other Walmarts I've visited... By 1900, I was back in my room, where I ate a light dinner (snacks).  I spent the rest of the evening catching up on reading, emails and blogging (I also checked my work emails one more time).  Feeling tired from multiple days of travel, I went to bed just after 2200.  Hope I get to see Eileen tomorrow...

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 10

I woke up early at Brenna’s apartment, excited to have an opportunity to volunteer in my daughter’s kindergarten classroom today!  Since Brenna wasn’t awake yet, I teleworked until around 0730 (when she came to check on me).  I talked to her (very nice) roommate for a little bit and, about fifteen minutes after waking up, Brenna she was ready to leave.  On the way to school, we stopped to pick up breakfast (0800) at Chick-fil-A, which had reopened since the previous week.  At 0815, I checked in as a Volunteer at Brenna’s school and spent the day in her classroom, assisting her as needed.  During several long breaks during the day, I also was able to telework a little bit.  Similar to my last visit to Brenna's school (in the Fall of 2021), I was able to assist my daughter during several phases of her work day as she patiently taught around 30 young people (across two class groups) in Math and Reading topics.  Also like last time, the kids seemed surprised to learn that their teacher had a Dad. Sprinkled throughout the serious lessons of the day were fun dances and songs, along with lots of special phrases Brenna lovingly uses to get her lively students (most about five years old) to focus. Along the way, I got to meet many of my daughter’s colleagues (who all sung her praises) and enjoyed a tasty lunch from the cafeteria.  I read “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” twice, once to each class section.  I think the kids liked my storytelling flair!  Other highlights included: seeing students from Brenna’s 2021-2022 class, getting lots of hugs from her current students, working on math and reading one-on-one with the youngsters. In the afternoon, I began to get more and more involved in my telework job but, fortunately, the school day was winding down by then.  The best part of the day, though, was that I had several chances to tell Brenna how proud I was of her and pleased that I got to witness, first hand, the huge impact she is having on the lives of impressionable young people.  By the time Brenna was ready to leave work, I was ready to get back on the highway.  It was hard to say goodbye after such a good day - Brenna told me she was really happy that I'd stayed for the whole day.  At 1700, I got on I-81 and headed north through northern Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland - along the way, I called my dad (voicemail), Eileen, Mollie and Erin and we had some good conversations.  Brenna also texted to tell me she was already missing me and felt very special after watching the way I’d interacted with her students and colleagues (my heart felt great to know that!).  I was able to make it almost to the Mason-Dixon Line before I needed gas - I stopped at Liberty in Hagerstown for a fill-up at 1840.  Back on I-81, I made good time into Pennsylvania.  Once again, I listened to audio books on the way.  Since I was making such good time, I didn't stop for dinner.  Instead, I ended up eating in my car (leftovers from my hiking trip).  The weather was OK (rain had passed through, apparently, but I missed it).  I stopped for a bathroom break at the rest area just after passing I-80 and also made an online reservation for a hotel.  I'd wanted to stay in Binghamton but those hotels were sold out.  Instead, I to had drive west from that city (on I-86) until I reached the Comfort Inn in Apalachin, NY (2250).  After such a long day, I was glad to be able to quickly check into my room.  Before going to bed, I checked on some last minute telework items and also worked on some Duolingo. My head hit the pillow at 2355 after another great day!

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 9

This morning, I woke up (with alarm) at 0630 and started teleworking immediately.  After eating a light breakfast (snack in the room), I left my hotel in Marion (0730).  I got gas (across the street) at Shell before getting on I-81.  Was able to fit in a call with Eileen before I had to join a telcon for work.  I made it to Blacksburg and picked up Mollie at around 0900.  We drove to Hello Bagel to eat breakfast (0910).  While there, I met Eitan and we all had a nice talk.  Afterwards, I took Mollie to her class (1000) and then spent the next few hours on another work call (from the Hello Bagel) parking lot.  Mollie had told me she had a paper to write and wanted to get to work at her job so getting back together wasn’t a foregone conclusion.  In the end, the stars aligned and, at 1155, Mollie met me at the Squires Student Center.  When we went inside, I got to meet a few of her Student Senate colleagues and then she treated me to lunch at one of the dining halls.  Surprisingly, she didn’t eat any food herself (telling me “I’m not hungry”).  Eitan met up with us again and we spent about 45 minutes chatting.  At about 1230, Mollie said she had to go to work.  I said goodbye to them and left Blacksburg (1300).  While driving, I rejoined my telcon meetings and continued north on I-81.  Once the meetings were finished (1415), I listened to more audiobooks.  The weather was good for the drive and reminded me of the many times I'd been on this stretch of Interstate during hiking trips on the AT...  I made it to Harrisonburg before 1500 and resumed teleworking in the parking lot of Brenna's school.  I texted her that I had arrived and, even though we hadn’t communicated about it in advance, was able to join her inside her classroom at about 1530.  While Brenna prepped for her next day of teaching and attended some late meetings, I teleworked some more.  When she returned to find me, I got to meet some of her colleagues and we prepped for my next day of volunteering in her classroom.  Afterwards (1700), we drove to the Golden China Restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious buffet and a great conversation until around 1745.  We then drove to Brenna’s apartment and she took a nap (starting at 1815).  Meanwhile, I did some more teleworking.  After Brenna woke up (2030), we watched a movie (“Same Time Next Week”) and then went to bed (2230).  What a great day of visiting with my daughters!

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 8

For most of the night, the gusty winds made for some good "white noise".  The moon was quite bright again, giving me the impression at one point that is was sunrise when it was only 0200.  But, once again, I managed to get some rest in my warm sleep system.  When everyone started stirring in earnest (0700), I noticed that everything had been soaked with a thick coating of dew.  It made sense when I looked out of the Shelter and saw a thick fog surrounding us.  At least the wind had died down, though...  I took my time getting ready again and, with packing breakfast (leftover gumbo and an orange) and water filtering to complete, I didn't depart until about 0815.  By that point, I'd said goodbye to "Nice Hat" (who left much earlier) and the Thru Hikers - I hoped I'd see all of them again.  For the first mile or so of my hike, the terrain sloped noticeably downward and I made good time to the bottom of the hill.  By this point in the three days of the hike, however, I was experiencing conditions that have given me trouble before: sore shoulders, tired calves, achy feet (with blisters this time).  Also, I encountered many more downed trees than I had during the previous two days (probably the result of the wind storm over the weekend).  Still, I soldiered onward, hoping that the general downhill of the day would make it easier to keep going.  Sadly, these thoughts turned out to be illusions and I had to cope with another series of "sawtooth" hills for the first half of the hike.  I crossed on high hill called Doe Knob but the rest of the tops didn't seem to have names.  Instead, I passed through a series of low-points: Mud Gap, Birth Spring Gap and Sassafras Gap before climbing what seemed like a huge summit called Shuckstack.  In hindsight, I can see now that I'd lost nearly 1000 net feet of altitude by then - but, when you are tired, everything "up" seems like a big climb.  During this phase of the hike, I again encountered "fearless deer" who wouldn't easily move from the trail so I could pass - I guess they aren't hassled by anyone on the ridge... I stopped a couple of times for snacks along the way and layered down to a short sleeved shirt as the temps climbed into the 70s.  What a difference the warm weather made on my progress!  Instead of feeling peppy, I started to feel overheated and sweaty.  But, as I passed (and skipped the climb of) Shuckstack Fire Tower, I started to pass NOBO Thru Hikers who had WAY MORE to complain about than I did.  Their ascent from the Fontana Dam required over 2500 of nearly continuous climbing (the main reason I had chosen to hike south, rather than north).  Each one of them was huffing and puffing and trying their best not to turn back (I heard from the Fontana Dam volunteer staff that this hill has sent many a prospective Thru Hiker home).  I tried to be encouraging to each of them but some were overtly jealous of the opposite nature of our futures...  I should mention that I was able to see the Fontana Dam for almost the entire rest of my hike.  As the crow flies, I was probably only about a mile from Shuckstack but the AT arced around the lake for over three additional miles - tantalizing… By this point in my day, however, I was hot, tired, hungry and thirsty and my feet were screaming at me about the blisters that had only been a nuisance earlier in the day.  As a result, I took very few photos during this part of my hike.  Downhill, I was getting a gravity assist but I was still susceptible to lower blood sugar and depleted electrolytes.  By the time I'd nearly reached the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I decided I desperately needed to stop for fuel and spent about 20 minutes in the only shade I could find, charging up my body with candy and "Liquid IV".  While I ultimately finished all of the water I was carrying, I only had to walk about another mile to finish.  I passed a few more NOBO Thru hikers, just starting their day - they were part of a group of about 40 that I saw during the day.  Near the end, I remembered that the last bit was a section of AT I'd already completed back in 2014.  Walking on the pavement of the Fontana Dam road (and the Dam itself) felt really good - I was done!  As I came into the parking lot where my car was parked (1415), I encountered "Nice Hat", who was waiting for his wife to retrieve him.  We shared some snacks and gave each other a fist bump for conquering the southern half of the Smokies over a tough few days of weather and trail conditions.  When I realized that the Dam had a shower (1445), I gladly took advantage of the amenity and peeled off the clothes I'd been wearing for about 60 straight hours.  Before beginning my drive to Virginia, I returned to the Fontana Village Resort to pick up my computers (I'd left them while I was hiking).  While I had WiFi there, I tried to join a "pop up" work call I'd heard about but had trouble with Zoom.  By 1530, I decided to leave the area of the Resort and drive east.  I used NC-28 until I reached US-74, which I took all the way to Sylva - I got some early dinner at McDonalds there (1645).  Once I had cell signal again, I talked to Brenna and Mollie.  I also listened to audiobooks to pass the time.  I continued on US-74 all the way to I-40 and then continued east to Ashville.  From there, I got on I-26 and drove north to I-81 (and into Tennessee).  I continued all the way into Virginia and stopped for the night in Marion at the Travel Inn (1930).  Hoping to get a head start on my next full day of work, I set up my computer and checked some emails.  Enough had happened during my absence that I stayed at it until 2300 - after that, I went to bed.  As I drifted off to sleep, I pondered the results of my trip to the Smokies to finish my last 30 AT miles south of Maine.  Today's hike had been about 11 miles, of which I could only count part (because of a 2014 hike).  Still, it felt good to have cobbled together roughly 35 miles of backcountry walking, camping and exploring.  All I've got left now is 67 miles of Maine and my AT journey will be complete!  AT Today = 8.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2118.3 miles / AT Left = 67.0 miles

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 7

I got up once during the night and was stunned at how bright the moon was.  By the time the sun came up (at around 0700), I was ready to get moving because it had seemed like daytime for so long already.  Along with me, everyone in the Shelter started getting ready to leave simultaneously and this caused a crowd everywhere (water source, eating area, backpack staging area).  I decided to let everyone else move ahead and sat down for a light breakfast of an orange, energy bars and some candy.  The temps were already in the 40s by this point and the sky was overcast.  Meanwhile, one of the main gripes I heard a lot of during this time was that there was no Privy at this shelter.  Imagine a steep hill (below the shelter on the opposite side of the ridge from the water source) with little while blooms of toilet paper and you get the idea...  Personally, I didn't have a problem with this because of several thousand miles of "Using the Nature" (as my Chileno Guides called it).  Still, it was clear that trail griping was alive and well - since the weather was gone, this was the new complaint.  "Snapper" and "Nice Hat" left earlier than me because they were worried about incoming rain so I ended up with just the NOBO Thru Hikers to talk to at the end.  They asked me a lot of questions about re-supply and other logistics close to Clingman's Dome and I tried to help as best I could.  It occurred to me at that point that this Hiker Bubble would likely reach Maine right about the time that I was hiking the rest of my AT miles - we talked about this and agreed that it would be good to meet up again.  Departing Derrick's Knob at around 0815, I continued south on the trail for about a mile before encountering "Nice Hat" - he was changing clothes.  From that point until much later in the day, I didn't see him again.  Instead, I "girded my loins" for several sharp climbs I had in front of me.  At one point, I passed by some deer, grazing on the trail, and they barely moved out of the way so I could pass.  I continued encountering NOBO Thru hikers but not at the frequency of the previous day.  As a result, I was by myself for long periods of time.  Due to the "sawtooth" nature of the hills, I stopped a few times to eat a snack and check on my water - it held out OK but I definitely was glad I'd brought some "Liquid IV" (replenished electrolytes) that Mollie had given me.  After a few hours of walking, I finally encountered the incline that indicated I'd reached Thunderhead Mountain (5527 feet).  The climb wasn't too bad but the weather changed dramatically from that point.  When I reached the summit, I was met with very gusty conditions, swirling sleet and much colder temperatures (high 20s).  I was not dressed for this and it made my next 30 minutes uncomfortable - I was hoping to find some cover to get warmer and dryer but never found any.  Instead, I crossed over the adjacent summit of Rocky Top (5540 feet) as the weather got progressively worse.  The views from this stretch of trail were supposed to be awesome but I didn't stay on the exposed rock outcropping long enough to make my own assessment.  Instead, I descended as rapidly as I could into a small valley (still 4900 feet elevation) with limited tree cover.  Along the way, I started to pass families and day hikers who had come up from Cades Cove (on the Tennessee side of the border).  They looked chipper and happy, despite the elements, and gave me an idea that I was close to the Spence Field Shelter.  Located about 0.2 miles from the AT, the warm, dry lean-to was the perfect place to stop (despite my normal aversion to "blue blazing").  As I sat under cover (and, more importantly, out of the wind) for about an hour, I transitioned from being very cold and wet to being warmer and dryer.  While waiting, I met up with "Snapper" again, who told me he was going to spend the night in the shelter "because it is the only one with a privy."  Eventually, the sun actually came out (although the wind didn't cease) and I decided to return to AT, hoping to cover the remaining five miles of my hike before conditions worsened again.  From the trail junction, the AT progressed downhill (for nearly 1000 feet of elevation loss) to Russell Field Shelter.  I was passing fewer and fewer other hikers as I continued, indicating that most everyone else with a brain had stopped for the night somewhere.  Unfortunately, I had a reservation (with my Backcountry Permit) that required me to climb about 1000 feet out of the valley where Russell Field Shelter was - this nearly broke all my resolve to complete the hike.  Actually, about the only thing that kept me going was that I really had zero other options.  Each time I crested a smaller hill with no visible hills behind it, I thought I was done with the hike - "the shelter has to be nearby!"  But, each time, I was disappointed with yet another climb.  Added to my overall psychological condition, the dropping temperatures and higher winds made for tough going.  Dejected, exhausted and feeling very humble, I still managed to reach the Mollies Ridge Shelter (my stopping point for the day) at around 1615.  The situation there was different than my previous night in that the whole shelter was full of Thru hikers except for one, narrow slot for my sleep system (inflatable pad and sleeping bag).  I gladly took it and got to know some of the 12 NOBOs who were going to spend the night with me indoors: "McCrackin", "Waterboy", "High Fructose", "Gadget" and "Lieutenant Dan" were some of the memorable ones.  My dinner consisted of another dehydrated meal (Chicken Gumbo) and some other snacks.  Meanwhile, the Thru hikers had brought lots of odd combinations of food: blocks of cheese, Chef Boyardee (in a plastic bag), sticks of salami, Red Claw, etc.  There was also a lively trade in "pain medications" going on while I was there.  The water and toilet area were almost identical to my previous night at Derrick's Knob but I didn't use either location because it was so cold (mid 30s).  Someone got the bright idea to attempt building a fire (same setup as the previous night) but the wind made all the smoke fill the two sleeping levels - one hiker eventually complained and the attempts ceased.  Right around this point, "Nice Hat" appeared (1815).  Since he had the same permit as me, he could have booted out a Thru Hiker but he wisely/generously didn't and, instead, pitched a tent with about 10 other late-arrivers on the cold (4600 foot) ridge (brrrr).  Including everyone I saw since sunrise, I believe I encountered about 40 hikers.  Since I was cold, I retired to my upper "loft" bedding slot and, by 2015, I had been lying in my bed for almost an hour already.  My clothes, which had started out damp, had finally dried.  Needless to say, I didn't get up again before falling asleep.  It was great to finish another 12 miles of AT today and I'm looking forward to getting back to Fontana Dam tomorrow!  AT Today = 12.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2110.3 miles

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 6

I have been trying to hike an AT section in the southern half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park since my first week of serious effort on the trail but have been stymied by lack of available time-off, inclement weather, road closures and a popular Backcountry Shelter reservation system.  Even during this trip to the Smokies, I was again forced to delay my hike because of high winds and thunderstorms on the Ridge above Gatlinburg/Cherokee.  Fortunately, everyone (Fontana Village Resort, Shuttle Driver and Backcountry Office, my company and government client) cheerfully assisted me in moving my entire plan to the right so I could try again this morning.  Prior to leaving the Resort today, I must have repacked my backpack about five times because I was not exactly sure what the weather would be like of my three day hike.  My day began at 0530 and I checked out of my room within the next hour.  I then waited in the lobby until the breakfast buffet opened at 0700.  The food was good and I finished eating at around 0730.  I then waited in the lobby again, still using WiFi calling until 0745, in case Mike K (my shuttle driver) tried to call me.  When he did, I found out that he was already waiting at the Fontana Dam.  Since I was ready to go, I quickly drove over there (it took about 15 minutes).  When I arrived at the Visitor Center at 0800, it was crisp and cool but there wasn't any wind.  Once I'd tagged up with Mike, he gave me the news that US-441 was still not open yet.  Fortunately, though, he said he was willing to take a chance with me that we'd arrive after it opened.  It took about an hour and a half to drive from Fontana to Clingman's Dome and this turned out to be just enough time for the National Park Service to check all the roads (for debris from the previous day's weather) and re-open US-441 (and, more importantly, the Clingman's Dome access road).  As a result, Mike and I arrived at the parking area just after 0945.  To say I was ecstatic that I'd finally reached the starting point for this long-overdue hike would be an understatement!  But I wasn't exactly prepared for the weather that greeted me while I was getting my gear out of Mike's car - the wind was probably 30+ mph and the temperatures were in the 30s.  It was also clear and sunny but the ground was very wet from rain overnight (I learned later that there had been a significant frost too).  Needless to say, I layered up on clothes (3 levels) and also donned gloves and a winter hat.  Saying goodbye to Mike, I climbed up (about 0.5 miles) to the place where the AT crossed the Clingman's Dome visitor walking path and, double checking my gear one more time, plunged into the alpine forest (1015).  Immediately, I met several NOBO Thru hikers (I was headed south) and this started a long day of stopping and talking with the other folks I met.  We shared intel, encouraged each other and sometimes parted with a hope we'd meet again before the end of the summer.  In the initial stages of the hike, I proceeded downhill from Clingman's Dome (6643 feet), across Mount Buckley (6585 feet), to the Double Spring Shelter.  When I arrived there, I took a break (for a snack and to layer down again because it had gotten a little warmer).  While I was relaxing, a young lady NPS Ranger appeared from behind the shelter and asked to see my Backcountry Pass.  I think I actually talked to her on the phone when I was rescheduling and, at her own recommendation, had prepared for this situation.  For that reason, all was well.  Just after that (1200), a large group of NOBOs arrived at the shelter and announced that they were planning to stay the night at the shelter.  This was much too early for me (and my reservation was for a place about 8 miles away) so I donned my backpack again and headed south.  My encounters with NOBO Thrus continued for the next several miles and it got downright crowded on the trail - I was also usually the one who had to clear the trail (allowing others to pass) because of hiker etiquette that the uphill person has the right of way.  Before long, I reached the Siler's Bald Shelter (just below Siler's Bald, which is 5607 feet) and stopped briefly (for another snack).  While there, I talked to some young folks who were trying to decide if they should visit Dollywood when they passed Gatlinburg.  When they asked my opinion, I suggested that there were few places I would rather go than a popular theme park...  Proceeding onward, I soon found myself in the first quiet zone of the day - after that point, I rarely passed anyone because most had started at around the same place in the morning and there was a gap.  At around this time, I changed into a short sleeved shirt because the sun had warmed up everything above 5000 feet to a pleasant 50 degrees.  I saw LOTS of birds and flowers along the way and, at times, saw some pretty views of the valleys below: looking south, North Carolina, and looking north, Tennessee.  Actually, my feet were alternately falling in each state, since the ridge followed the state boundaries.  At around 1615 (after a seemingly pointless descent-climb-descent), I finally arrived at my destination: Derrick Knob Shelter.  I'd walked roughly 11 miles since leaving my shuttle driver and felt pretty good.  Even better, I found that there were spaces inside the shelter itself, which prevented a scenario where I'd have to eject a Thru Hiker (because of the Backcountry Permit rules) or set up the tent I'd brought.  After I had rested for a little bit, several folks introduced themselves and we started a nice back-and-forth exchange of information for the rest of the evening.  I learned that most ("Peanut Butter", "Dragonfly" and "Sleepwalker") were NOBO Thrus.  However, I also met "Nice Hat" (a section hiker from Florida who was doing the same thing I was) and "Snapper" (a retired Navy Cryptologist who had been SOBO Thru hiking off and on since June 2022).  While making my dinner (dehydrated Chicken in White Sauce), I ended up in a nice conversation with "Sleepwalker", who I learned had been a First Responder during 9/11 at Ground Zero and was walking the trail in support of PTSD, Support Animal and Fire Department charities.  I've always enjoyed learning about the reasons for people's AT journey and his story was very memorable.  We continued talking while we walked down the steep hill below the shelter to get water from a spring.  Later, "Dragonfly" introduced herself as a woman of color who was hiking to broaden exposure of the trail (including in the Trail Towns) and expand accessibility.  "Nice Hat" got a good fire going in the nice stone chimney attached to the sleeping area and "Snapper" regaled all of us with tales of his trail adventures throughout the previous nine months.  It started to get chilly again as the sun went down (maybe hitting 35 degrees again) - this encouraged all of us to retire to our sleep systems early (2100).  Including my six companions in the Shelter, I probably encountered about 50 other hikers during the day - I was smack dab in the middle of the Main Bubble for sure.  Big positive: my new sleeping bag (along with the bag liner I'd bought since my 2022 Smokies hike) was quite warm and I was able to get some ZZZs pretty easily.  AT Today = 10.0 Miles / Grand Total AT = 2098.3 miles

Smokies Hiking Trip - Day 5

I woke up at around 0600 to a huge (loud) thunderstorm outside.  Still stymied in my desire to get going on my AT hike, I did my best to pass the time - I spent the next few hours reading and resting in my room.  At around 0800, I walked (through sprinkles of rain) up to the main building at the Resort to check on whether my room had been extended to Sunday - fortunately, I found out that it had.  The lobby was filled with car enthusiasts, who were also all waiting for the weather to improve.  I explored the grounds a bit, although I didn't want to stray too far from the dry Resort buildings.  There were a LOT more Hondas (of all kinds) parked around the property and I felt right at home with my rented HR-V.  Back in my room (0900), I ate a light breakfast (snacks) and then re-packed my backpack (this time, with food too).  I was able to slim down the contents and felt good about the potential ability to be able to leave on a moment's notice if that ever turned out to be possible.  Unfortunately, it didn't...  After that, I caught up on some more reading and paperwork for the next few hours as the weather outside slowly improved.  However, since the wind was still negatively affecting the High Peaks, US-441 didn't open.  So, after a light lunch (snacks) at around noon, I found myself going stir-crazy in my room.  At around 1500, I departed the hotel and drove around the area near the Dam, exploring and getting some steps above the lake and in the discharge valley below.  It was VERY windy on top of the Dam itself but warm because the sun had come out.  During my visit, I spoke with the volunteer caretakers at the Visitor Center and they shared some interesting stories about the weather and hikers who were also having difficulty with transportation.  With a warm/dry hotel room and a backup plan for my section hike, I realized I should be counting my blessings...  After getting back to the Resort (1730), I walked down the hill to the Wildwood Grill and hung out at the bar again.  This time, I ate dinner (buffalo chicken strips and cole slaw) and drank some more local beers.  I finished visiting with the staff and some locals at around 1900 and then walked back to my room.  I spent the rest of the evening re-checking my backpack, reading and watching movies, heading to bed at around 2200.  It had felt very strange to have a weekend day where I really didn't accomplish anything - I've been going almost full tilt since I departed from Vermont (and maybe even longer).  With the possibility of my hiking plans for the morning being nixed again (there were still high winds and thunderstorms, while US-441 was still closed), I crossed my fingers that this was the only extra day and night I'd need at the Fontana Village Resort...  It was a nice place to stay but I'm still hoping the weather clears by the AM so I can get down to AT business in the Smokies!