6.1 miles

Cable gap shelter (mile 158.8) to Fontana Hilton shelter (mile 165.3)

Duck likes to sleep in and Pigweed likes to take his time in the morning, so it was just Happiness and myself who set off for Fontana at 8 am.

There were still snow drifts about, and my nemesis. Mud.

We got great views of Fontana dam very early on, which ended up being frustrating as it looked so close, but we were still miles and miles away.

Again a day of descending, and again my ankle gave me some problems. This was getting old. I should have been flying down the mountain but instead I was hobbling like an old man at times.

We passed some day hikers who were heading up the mountain and we could smell all the products they used. Their deodorant, their shampoo, the laundry powder they used. It was amazing. And these folk had been climbing up from Fontana for the last hour or so, so they must have been pretty sweaty.

We laughed about it for a bit then a horrible realisation hit me.

“Hey Happiness, do you think they could smell us as well as we could smell them?”

We both paled at the thought. For their sakes I hoped they couldn’t.

Happiness was having some issues with her knee and slowed down a fair bit when we were close to the shelter. I kept pushing for the shelter and thought I was there when I finally saw the road. My joy was short-lived when I realised I was still a mile away. And Jesus, that must have been the longest mile ever. It felt like it would never bloody end!

Finally I reached the Fontana Hilton shelter, so called because it can fit 20+ hikers, has rubbish bins, benches, fire pits, a heated bathroom/shower and as solar charger station. It was also right in the lake, so the views were purty.

I got a shuttle into Fontana village to resupply and met Pacecar and Clipper, who were zeroing at the Fontana lodge. I had thought about doing that, but at $115 USD it was a bit steep, especially considering the shelter was so nice.

After pizza and a big can of Coke I went back to the lodge to hang out with Pacecar and Clipper at the bar and use the free WiFi and coffee for a few hours. I was able to get my pass for the Smokys sorted out there as well. I met a Scottish couple hanging out there, turns out that work in Govan, Glasgow. Small bloody world.

I left the lodge before the folk there for too suspicious and headed to the general store to resupply. Not that I needed much though, Pacecar and Clipper showed my the hiker box that had some Mountain House meals as well as a few other goodies.

Fontana is a resort town so there is not much there. A general store, a post office, a laundromat, a fast food type place and the lodge. I picked up a few things at the general store. More spam mainly. The lady behind the counter looked at me as if she knew me.

“Excuse me sir, where you shopping at the Ingles store two nights ago?”

“Indeed I was”. (This was the snow day. I was wearing my kilt as nearly everything else had gotten soaked and was getting washed)

“I thought so. Not many folks wearing kilts around these parts”

“No I guess not”

“My brother saw you first and he grabbed me and said ‘look Jenny that man’s wearing a skirt!’ I told him ‘that ain’t no skirt you fool. That there is a kilt!'”

It’s good to know I’m making a good impression. I wonder how many other folks out there thought I was wearing a dress. Probably more than a few.

I headed back to the shelter before dark, grabbed a shower and settled down for the night. Happiness had gotten to the shelter a few hours after I did and had gotten a shuttle into town to get her knee checked out. She was in strict orders to take a zero. My plan was to take a zero tomorrow as well, to ensure I hit the Smoky mountains as fresh as I possibly could be.