Days 49-54 Smoked the Smokys

We just finished hiking through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and have come into Newport, TN for the night to re-supply.  I didn't have the time to do a detailed post, but wanted to get the rest of our Smoky pics up and a few bullets.  I will fillin the details when we get to HotSprings, NC.

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Day 49, Sat 3 May, 202.3 miles
Start Clingmans Dome
End Mt Collins Shelter

- met four ladies who we hiking a section of the Smokys, amateurs so we helped them out and taught them a few tricks/skills,
- mice weren't an issue at this shelter, a psycho red squirrel was
-shelter was 0.5 miles off trail, never would have stayed here is we didn't have to camp at shelter sites only

We made it to Clingmans Dome, highest point on bgthe AT,

 6655 ft.

We made it to the 200 mile mark, spelling out 200 in roman numerals "CC"

Mom standing next to a giant hemlock rootball, the hemlocks are being killed by a bug from Asia and eventually get blown over by storms.

Mom in the hemlock forest, notice all the dead trees, very spooky

Psycho red squirrel at Mt Collins shelter

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Day 50, Sun 4 May, 209.8 miles
Start Mt Collins
End Icewater Spring Shelter
-Annoying chick i will refer to as Giggles keptus awake all night giggling, most of our fellow hikers are awesome, but there is always that one
- Amazing view at this shelter
-Met a woman named Tanya and her husband dayhiking on the trail.  They started conversing with us and we explained what we were doing and they donated cash on the spot to our cause!!!

The view from our "kitchen"/shelter Sunday morning

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Day 51, Mon 5 May, 217.2 miles
Start Icewater Spring Shelter
End Pecks Corner Shelter
-Climbed Charlie's Bunion
-met Bob from Illinois who donated cash on the spotto our cause!!!!
-another shleter .5 miles off trail
-Met research scientists from Canada, study lemurs in madagascar.

Charlie's Bunion

Closer view of Charlie's Bunion

Hendo's Mom on top of Charlie's Bunion

Hendo on top of Charlie's Bunion

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Day 52, Tues 6 May, 222.4 miles
Start Pecks
End Tri-Corner
Lemur Scientists hiked to Tri-corner as well, had a good time visiting, getting trail legs and feet
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Day 53 , Wed 7 May, 230.1 miles
Start Tri-Corner Shelter
End Cosby knob Shelter
Most people on the trail nice and couteous, however a few are not. I don't know what her real ot trail name is but I will refer to her as sqawkbox.  Annoyed everyone this morning with her look at me loud melodramatic talking/sqwaking.  Good hike today, I think I finally have my trail legs and feet, no pain at the end of the day, just tired.  Passed plane crash, need to research.  Moms shoulder better, but still irritating her at times, trying to figure out what meds work best and when.  Losts of bear poo but no bears.  Tomorrow is last day in smokies, glad to get out so we can go back to stopping when we want for the end of the day rather than at a shelter.

Cool vista of a plateau off in the distance during our hike

Hendo's Mom hiking through hemlocks, felt like the enchanted forest

Saw lots of bear poo, but no bears

Wreckage from 1984 F4 Phantom crash

Wreckage from 1984 F4 Phantom crash

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Day 54, Thurs 8 May
Start Cosby Knob Shelter
End Davenport Gap, North end of Smokys
We did it...we smoked the Smokys!!! Headed into Newport, TN to resupply on food.

Goodbye Smokys, headed on north