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* Met the first trail maintainers thus far who had a chainsaw and were taking out blowdowns from the trail.
* Broke my trekking pole. It had been damaged just prior to my arrival at Fontana Dam when I accidentally dropped a log on it leaving cracks in the carbon fiber, but the pole hadn’t broken completely, so I kept using it. Today, the bottom several inches snapped clean off. Only the bottom segment was broken, though, and I figured when time permitted, I’d look for a good stick that I could replace the broken part with and see if I could keep it working.
* Stopped at “Mom’s” for a Coke and a Klondike bar. It was at a road crossing and my AT guidebook said nothing about it. All I saw was a sad-looking sign pointing down the road a short ways. I went ahead and followed it to a structure that looked like it had been condemned with boarded up windows and all, but a sign on the front said it was open so in I walked. Inside, half the place felt like a flea market or maybe a storage unit with all sorts of junk (antiques) laying around, and the other half was a simple store with snacks and drinks for hikers. A boy was tending the store, who looked old enough to be in high school. He spoke with that thick, slow southern accent and fiddled with a cigarette as if waiting for me to leave before lighting it. He seemed nice and chatted a bit, but the conversation felt a little forced and I left after finishing my Coke and Klondike bar.
I finished the day at the Jerry Mountain Cabin Shelter, a forgettable shelter I shared with a few other hikers. For the most part, not an especially exciting day…
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Although it was still cloudy early in the morning, the clouds were high enough to still leave some views from the lookout tower.
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The Coke and Klondike bar I had to snack on in Mom’s store. I rather liked the cigarette ads in the background. You don’t see those very much anymore!
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Drats! Trekking pole gave up the ghost! I extended the rest of it as far as it would go and continued using it, broken tip and all until I could find a suitable stick to replace the broken part. The pole was, obviously, a little short for me after this mishap. I’d definitely need to do something about it.
2 comments:
Survey Markers. Those mysterious pipes are marking the TN/NC border.
I just LOVE that tree pic between the memorial marker and the worm. Thanks for sharing!
Trishee =)
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