So funny it hurts

Today was the rainiest day we've had yet. My shoes were still soaked, as were one of my two pairs of socks, so my dry socks went into my wet shoes. My feet were clammy within 3 minutes of setting out.
The trail became a dangerous deluge, the large trail rocks turning to stepping stones in a rushing stream. Today I failed in my goal to finish the trail having not fallen once. Of course I almost fall about 10 times a day, but this time I finally landed.
My clothes soaked through, my shoes filled with water as I sloshed through 6 inch deep water, and my guidebook became inexorably waterlogged.
I finally caught up with Mr. Famtastic at the road marking the 8 mile point we had planned. We both said that we wanted to stay at the Standing Bear hostel, but as we quickly discovered it wasn't for another 3 miles. He stopped to eat a Cliff bar, but I refused to even open my pack in this heavy rain and trudged on.
By the time we only had a mile to go the rain had let up for once. We passed by Master Splinter, reunited with his dog Bruce now that the Smokies were behind us, on our way to the hostel.
We paid the 20 bucks to stay in the little cabin. It's an amazing place; a little hiker oasis tucked away off the trail and highways. I got a warm shower, and purchased some provisions. We even cooked up a frozen pizza for dinner.
I finally got to weigh myself, and at 26 days in I've dropped 8 lbs. That's about what I expected in the beginning, as getting into shape changed my shape a bit. Now I just have to maintain the weight I have for the next few months, or become a skinny wreck. As CVS joked, Christian Bale prepared for his role in the Machinist by hiking the AT.
Our time at the hostel here has been comfortable and great, definitely worth the stop. We were even rejoined by Tapeworm, Dick Flap, and Stonechair. Meta and Optimus are still behind us by a shelter, but will probably catch up tomorrow.
Just a few more days until we reach Hot Springs for a proper resupply. Now that we finally have dry feet again, and the ethereal promise of dry weather, maybe the hikes can keep as upbeat as Mr. Fantastic's mood.

Last night in the Smokies

I stayed in my sleeping bag late today. There wasn't enough room for everyone to eat with a seat at the same time. Once people started clearing out I got up and made my rounds. It was very overcast, but the rain had stopped for the moment.
Today turned out to be an easy hike, though that is the way things are trending. 13 miles today, with a shelter at the halfway point for lunch. Once in the lunch shelter it started raining pretty hard. Always a good feeling to be under a roof at the moment the skies open up. I took a ninety minute lunch break today and felt reinvigorated for the second half of my hike.
I spent the rest of my hike with full rain gear on, and headphones under my hood playing Reamde by Neal Stephenson. I was reading it before I left and decided I couldn't wait until I get back, so got it on Audible. I find he's perfect to hike to. He's very dry and monotone in style, which is easy to listen to while paying attention to foot placement. Of course he's also insanely creative and amazing with action sequences, so it also keeps me listening.
I got to the shelter at 5:30pm and met one thru-hiker, and 3 members of a family that were section hiking. I'm finding we bump into more section hikers in the Smokies, and to be honest I'm looking forward to getting back to the less populated areas of the trail. I've enjoyed all the section hikers I've met, but somehow they all snore! I can handle one loud snorer with ease, but the surround sound cacophony of vibrating uvulas in the shelters obliterates my sleep!
Dinner was great tonight. One backpacker pizza (a tortilla wrap with pepperoni and mozzarella string cheese), then some Spanish rice with sweet and spicy tuna (four tortilla wraps), and a Cinnabon breakfast bar for dessert(!). Now I'm quite stuffed.
Tomorrow we hike 8 miles down and out of the Smokies and then pass by a hostel with resupply. At that point we'll decide if it's worth staying there, or just stocking up and trekking on. We also need to get a new map. This is 3 maps finished, but a lot more to go. Everything beyond the next 8 miles is a mystery to us. There's something comforting about that out here.

A wet start

I woke up and watched Game of Thrones while Mr. Fantastic and CVS snoozed. Great way to start the day! I had everything packed up, so I could just relax while they got up and gathered their packs. I enjoyed my leftover pizza for breakfast and walked over to the NOC. We needed to stock up on fuel before heading out, so I wanted to get that out of the way.
CVS got a new room, and Mr. Fantastic joined me to go hitch back. The taxi was $15pp, so we stretched our thumbs. We realized today that having our packs on makes us look just pathetic enough to pickup. It took two lifts, as the first only took us a mile. The second was on the back of a pickup truck, which really makes you feel like a hiker.
We got back to the trail around 1:30pm, and enjoyed a quick lunch. Then the rains came. By the end of my hike everything that I had dried over my zero was soaked through again (everything I was wearing at least). Oh well, such is the nature of living in the woods.
The views were amazing today, long sweeping vistas and deep green pine forests. We walked on a razor sharp ridge line, with just a foot of grass growing on either side of the footpath before a sheer dropoff. Mountains looming from off in the distance in all directions. Amazing views, ugly weather. Thankfully the weather didn't detract from the views.
It was only a 10.5 mile day, but it's good to take it a little easy the first day back on the hoof.
I dried my tent out on our balcony at the motel, so I'm going to camp out in the shelter tonight to keep it dry. The shelter's full, but they always are. I may just shelter it for the rest of the Smokies, because it's very wet up here, and there's more rain tomorrow.
We've left behind CVS, Dick Flap, Optimus, Stonechair, Meta, Tapeworm, and Philly. If they have a good hike tomorrow though, some of them may catch up. If not then, probably soon. We're hearing that there are shuttles from all the towns that go to Trail Days in Damascus, VA. That may happen if timing works well, because we certainly aren't going to make it there in time on foot.
Well it's about time to squeeze into my little cubby in the shelter. Tomorrow should be another wet one, but at least I won't have a wet tent.

What a zero

I woke up with the morning sun, as is my lot anymore. Mr. Fantastic was still sleeping, and I bided my time catching up with a couple shows on Hulu. By 9 we were both up and ready for food, so at the behest of the motel front desk agent we walked over to Bennett's for an AYCE buffet. Hikers really do seem to like their acronyms.
On the walk back we decided to hit up the satellite NOC shop they have here in Gatlinburg. Mr. Fantastic didn't find much of value, but I picked up a new steripen. The one I had was problematic with its outdated solar panel, but this new one is smaller and can work off my good solar charger.
Mr. Fantastic gave me some good news when I got back from the NOC, telling me that CVS would be here soon. We hadn't seen him since back in Franklin, and were concerned he wouldn't catch up because of his swollen ankle. His girlfriend came up to surprise him, and was giving him a ride from the NOC (the real one, not the satellite store) to Gatlinburg. They arrived around 2:30pm, and we got to meet her and her dog, both very friendly. I gave CVS my old steripen, which worked out perfectly since his was having battery issues. He also found a new pair of shoes, his size, in the hiker box. He's constantly swapping out his gear. I think he'll finish his hike without a single piece of gear that he started with. I also got rid of my camp towel, some redundant small supplies, knee brace, and tent liner (while it does stop some wetness getting through, it's a hassle to put up or down and makes my tent smell of mildew).
The three of us then set out to pick up the trolley at the aquarium. Gatlinburg is a very interesting place, and the main drag reminds me of Atlantic City and Ocean City wrapped together. Just subtract the beach and add the Smokey Mountains.
We left at 3, hoping to make a 4:15 showing of The Avengers. The trolley driver took us to the end of the line, where we had to get on another trolley going to the Welcome Center of another town called Pigeon Forge, and then one last trolley ride to the movie theater. By the time we arrived it was 5:15, so not only had we missed the show we aimed for, but the following show as well. We planned for an adjusted 7:25 viewing, and went into the Mellow Mushroom for some vittles and beer. The pizza was fantastic (red skin potato pizza!), and CVS bought us a round. After that it was movie time!
All I can really say is thank you Joss Whedon for making a childhood fantasy actually come true. The Avengers was fantastic, and the first scene after the credits gave me chills! My all time favorite Marvel character to be in the next movie?! Too perfect!
We came out of the theater to a torrential downpour outside. We had called a cab, but cancelled it halfway through the movie thanks to CVS finding us a ride. He met a local girl through Ben (the guy who hosted us in Franklin for the impromptu jam session), and she was kind enough to not only give us a ride back, but stop at a late night super market so we could do our food shopping. Only four days this time, not eight, so it was much easier shopping. She said she couldn't bear to let anyone ride the trolleys, because she knew what tormenting hell they could be.
We got back to the hotel and CVS went back out with her to have a few drinks. He isn't hiking on with us tomorrow because he wants to meet up with the Israelis here for their last night before going to Atlanta. He will hopefully catch up with us up the trail, but for now he'll crash on Mr. Fantastic's ultralight cot.
It was an awesome day, and I didn't even get to watch tonight's Game of Thrones. To be able to miss that and still call today a victory goes against my typical nature, so my nature must now be atypical. I guess that mental change is starting to come on.