Miles: 166.0 | A slow, logistics-heavy day at Fontana Dam. Post office hours, UPS delays, breakfast at the lodge, and hours of waiting turn into an unexpectedly social afternoon with hikers old and new. By nightfall, my pack is heavier than it’s ever been — stuffed with borrowed warmth, fresh gear, and Smokies-level anxiety — but I fall asleep at the Fontana “Hilton” warm, dry, and finally ready to step into the next chapter.
Today I woke up and finished packing. Shadow, one of Lonnie's employees drove me and a few people out to Fontana Dam to the Lodge. I had originally planned to head out to the Smokies this afternoon but upon my arrival to the Lodge I found out that the post office wouldn't be open til 11:45am and, worse still, the UPS truck doesn't usually come until 3pm. I got breakfast at the lodge and then hung out in the lobby for a while until the post office opened.
I went down and mailed out some packages I had and then hung out up at the Lodge for a while longer. I met Skywalker, Baloo, Miles, Huevos, Tater Tot, Trashman, and a few other hikers. I also ran into my two favorite ladies from Long Branch Shelter who finally got their trail names: Pancake and Pop Corn.
I picked up my packages at the Post Office and went back to the Lodge for dinner. All of us hikers got the huge communal table in the middle of the dining room and socialized through dinner. After dinner I repacked my pack. I had Michelin's synthetic 0* sleeping bag that he let me borrow for the smokies (4 pounds of new weight...), a new water filter, some Gatorade packets, a muscle roller, and some resupply food that I received in the mail. In exchange for all that new weight, I left my umbrella behind (I still regret this…).
After I finished packing up Huevos, Tater Tot, Trashman, and I all got a ride down to the Fontana Dam Shelter (also known as the 'Hilton' complete with heated showers, 1 power outlet, and a beautiful fire pit. I set up my bed in the shelter near Helix and his dog Odin. Then I went out the the campfire and hung out with Miles, Baloo, Skywalker, and Nomad. Cinnabun came down and shared some of her extra resupply box with us. I met another Rachael, trail name Blade.
After hanging out around the campfire for a while we all went to bed. Rain started to fall and I slept the night. Warm in this synthetic sleeping bag.