UPDATE: Unexpected Zero Day @ Fontana

Hey all, just popping in for some quick updates. I'm currently in Fontana Village, which is 165 miles up the trail for any of you knuckleheads keeping track of that sort of thing. I've been on the trail for 17 days, which makes my average pace 9.7 miles per day. Considering that I've taken two Nearos and am doing a Zero today, I'd say that's not too bad! Certainly not great, but not bad either.

Anyhow, about that Zero. I hitched a ride into Fontana Village yesterday afternoon to hit a short term resupply and do a bit a laundry. All went well, and I hiked on to the next shelter to spend the night (aka "The Fontana Hilton" for the fact that there's actually running water on site!). Now, about 1 mile past Fontana Dam is the boundary for Great Smoky Mountain National Park, which requires that anyone hiking in the backcountry obtain a permit. The plan, made in accordance with outdated information, had been to nip into the Fontana Dam Visitor's Center (about a half mile past the shelter) and obtain said permit prior to entering the park. However, the VC no longer issues paper permits, as everything of that nature must be done digitally now, so I had to hitch back into town to access this computer thing I'm currently on. A completely wasted morning!! FURTHERMORE, one can't just camp willy-nilly in the Smokies, one MUST utilize the shelters built along the trail (blah blah blah... high traffic volume... Leave No Trace principles, etc., etc., etc.), and the first shelter isn't until the 11 mile mark. Isn't that just swell? So now I'm stuck in Fontana, half a day wasted, and not enough daylight to hitch back out of town and make the 11 mile hike (which is, per usual, a brutal uphill battle with 3000 ft of elevation gain in the first 5 miles). I guess I'll just have to eat a big, fat, juicy cheeseburger at the local bar and grill... the hiking life can be so hard sometimes.

Will check in again from Gatlinburg.

EDIT 2PM: The grill was closed, I had to eat overpriced hot dogs from the gas station. They were dry. Today officially blows. I did have a lovely Cheerwine (cherry flavored soda), though, so that was nice.

EDIT 3PM: There's a Mini Cooper convention of sorts in town. There are literally 1000 Minis in this tiny resort town. Every one of the drivers is, by all appearances, completely serious about owning a Mini Cooper.

EDIT 4PM: I bought a very depressing book on "The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation." Heading back to the luxurious Fontana Hilton ( it's nearly rodent free!) to sulk in white guilt and make supper. I'm thinking a nicely re-hydrated couscous topped with cashew butter. Maybe a Cliff Bar for good measure. Oh, and tap water from the nasty public restroom. I bet the Cherokee never had to drink tap water from nasty public restrooms.