Mar 22

DAY #20
START LOCATION: Cable Gap Shelter
FINISH LOCATION: Fontana Dam Shelter
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 6.6
TRIP MILEAGE: 163.7
MILES TO GO: 2,015.4

It POURED last night. I dozed off at 10ish and woke up around 2AM to a
really cool sight. My tent was completely illuminated from the
outside. I thought someone had a bright headlamp cast in my direction,
but when I peered out, the moon was blazing between the clouds. It
didn't last long... It was raining again when I awoke again at 5. Read
a little and started to pack up when I heard Scruffy nearby cooking
breakfast.

I was last out by 9AM and within minutes the snow started to fall. It
made the trail treacherous... Lots of rocks and slippery leaf covered
roots. Thrashed my ankles and the pinky toe blisters I'm fighting.
Snow kept coming all morning and even accumulated a bit by the time I
reached Fontana Dam visitors center at 11:30.

Caught the shuttle to Fontana Village where I did laundry, got my food
drop box and ate pizza for lunch. I was a little bummed that Scruffy
was leaving us... He met his family at Fontana and will be taking 3
zeros at home with them. Home for him is only an hour drive away in
Tennessee. But it was great to reunite with Research, Hollywood, Sofa,
Bama, Mike and Cornpatch. Everyone from tent city and Cable gap is
here as well... Thrasher, Turkey, Switchback, Picker, Boomhauer,
Guidefoot, Pace Car and met Walley (from Cambridge). There's also a
guy here with sleep apnea, so suddenly my extra earplugs are worth
Snickers bars... Aka... Thru-Hiker currency. Like cigarettes in prison.

The view here at Fontana Dam Shelter is fantastic... Right on the
banks of the TVA created lake. Like I mentioned yesterday, there's
heated restrooms, faucet water, a shower, picnic tables and outlets.
A nice get-ready for the Smokies, which we enter about a mile into
tomorrow's hike. We'll hike right across the dam, which I'm being told
is the largest east of the Mississippi and second to Hoover. Somebody
wikipedia that please! My sources are not credible.

Pretty excited to make my first visit to Tennessee in my life. Which
might be tomorrow... Im not sure as I'm missing that guidebook page!
Ha. Tennessee will be the only new state I visit on this hike... A
cool natedog fact when it comes up on Jeopardy some day.

-natedog