Bill and Tim’s Excellent Adventure Continues!

“Things don’t always work out as planned”

Appalachian Trail Section Hike; Standing Indian Campground to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center)

Mile 85.4 to mile 137.1 / May 26, 2019 – June 1, 2019

It is a known fact that Tim Dierks and I have a mild addiction to the Appalachian Trail (AT). As a bit of history, Tim and I met 20 years ago while I was the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Denison University (Granville, Ohio). Tim served as my assistant for two seasons and our on court relationship quickly turned into a friendship that has stood the test of time.

Unfortunately as friendships sometimes go we lost track of each other. This was mostly due to busy family lives, career changes and relocations but one day while on Linked-In I discovered that Tim was now living in Cumming GA. Uniquely enough this was the same town my soon to be daughter-in-law, Loren grew up. This was a twist of fate that I could not let slip by so I gave Tim a call.

While catching up on the years gone by we discovered that both of us had a growing interest in hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). My interest arose after I read a book title, Hiking Through, by Paul Stutzman. The book chronicled Paul’s (trail name – Apostle) 2176 mile journey from Georgia to Maine. Tim’s interest peaked because he was now living in the shadow of Springer Mountain the official AT starting point. So within minutes of discussing the trail we made a decision to give it a test run and determine if we loved it or hated it.

Spoiler alert!! We loved it!

So far Tim and I have hiked the entire Georgia Section (78.5 miles) and 7 miles into North Carolina ending at Deep Gap near Franklin, North Carolina. On this trip we planned to start at Deep Gap and complete a 51.7 mile section ending at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC).

At 6:30 am, Sunday May 26th we packed up two cars and drove to Bryson City, NC and the NOC. The plan was to leave one car at the NOC and drive the other to Standing Indian Campground and then hike back to the NOC. The drive to the NOC was awesome. If you have never visited the North Georgia Mountains you should put it on your bucket list. It has scenery that rivals any area that you would typically associate with the Appalachian Mountains. What I like best is that it tends to be overlooked and therefore less traffic and crowds.

When we arrived at the NOC we made a quick visit to the Outfitters Store to get some remaining supplies and a parking permit (free) to leave the car behind. Our next stop was to the River’s End Restaurant for our last “real” meal before stepping on the trail. The River’s End is as advertised with every seat providing a view of the river and outstanding food. We both got Omelets, country potatoes, toast and of course bacon.

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After breakfast we parked the car and started our one hour drive to Standing Indian Campground. Our game plan, leave the Jeep at the campground and then use it as a “mini” resupply stop. This section of the trail is sometimes referred to as the “Standing Indian Loop.” This is due to the fact that the AT circles the campground on the ridge above. We could use this to our advantage and pack less reducing and reduce our overall pack weight. When we returned to the Jeep in two days we would resupply and continue north.

Of course with all great plans there must be a flaw. Ours was that if we wanted to pick up the trail where we last ended we would need to hike an additional 4.2 miles up hill from the campground just to get to Deep Gap. Once there it would be another 8 miles to get to our first shelter. Since we were getting a late start and not in trail shape, we decided that it would not be wise to start with a 12 mile jaunt on day 1, so we devised a Plan B.

Kimsey Creek vs Long Branch to connect with AT

Plan B would not be the traditional way of attacking the AT but the plan was to hike the “Loop” counter clockwise or southbound. We would start at the Long Branch Trailhead and hike two miles to where it connected with the AT, turn right and then proceed south toward Deep Gap. Once we reached Deep Gap we would attempt to hitch a ride back to the campground or in a worst case scenario hike the 4.2 miles down the Kimsey Creek TR 23 to the campground, then retrace our steps up the Long Branch Trailhead and set up camp at the Long Branch Shelter. Sounds like a great plan huh.

Is there a difference between White Blazes vs Blue Blazes

If you are not familiar with the AT the trail is distinctly marked with white blazes. You will find them on trees, rocks, fence posts, guard rails sidewalks, buildings and other items along the trail. The trail is littered with them making it almost impossible to get lost. However there are also Blue Blaze trails. In general, the Blue Blazes trails lead to or from the AT or to a place of interest such as a view point, waterfall, shelter, water source and most importantly a privy.

The Long Branch Trail a Blue Blazed. trail was a nice gradual and steady uphill climb. The trail was great with a moderate climb thatgave us time to ease our legs into hiking condition. The only time it got steep was just before we reached the AT. There also was plenty of water sources so it might be possible to carry less water weight.

After about an hour of hiking we connected with the AT and saw our first White Blaze. We were officially back on the AT and it felt great. At the confluence of these trails we took a brief break and had a conversation with another hiker who warned us that there is a bear at the Standing Indian Shelter that has figured out how to get your food cache from the trees and were eating the hikers food. That was a bit worrisome and entertaining but we were not planning to spend our second night at Standing Indian so we would be in the clear.

Today our goal was to get to Carter Gap Shelter before dark. Carter Gap Shelter was about 9.6 mile from this point and we knew we had a few climbs ahead of us including Albert Mountain.

Albert Mountain known for its fire lookout (first on AT for Northbound hikers) and awesome 360 degree views, was my main concern. Based on our calculations it would be a 4 mile walk to this point. The trail was surprisingly level make it an enjoyable walk. As we approached Albert Mountain the trail did start to climb but we were rewarded by an awesome view.

Where is the 100 mile mark on the Appalachian Trail?

Albert Mountain has a second significance to AT hikers because it marks the 100 mile point. Just as crossing a state line or reaching a trail town, the 100 mile mark provides a hiker with a sense of accomplishment and in many cases provides inspiration after a long time on the trail. Tim and I are only section hikers but it still felt great to see the 100 written on the tower and to realize we had actually walked 100 miles on this legendary trail.

Why do we hike?

One mistake I believe we all tend to make while hiking is that we rush. We see the miles that we need to obtain or an end destination to reach and we forget to stop look around and just soak it in. After all, isn’t that one of the main reasons we put ourselves in nature? Consider this…. you may never be in this place again in your lifetime. To me that is profound, because that means I may never see that view, flower, waterfall or bird again… EVER!! You may only get one shot, so why limit it to a glance or a few seconds of time. Slow down and absorb the moment!

After taking some pictures, relaxing, and connecting with family, old man Tim had a quick stretch and the dynamic duo continued their adventure down the trail.

The south side of Albert Mountain was extremely steep with a mixture of boulders, roots and loose ground. It was a slow process that demanded our full attention and in several sections required using our hands to maintain balance. Luckily, it was a fairly short stretch and neither Tim nor I had a fanny slide or inflicted any bodily harm.

After Albert Mountain we hiked another 3 miles and decided set up camp. Between our early morning departure and the 9.5 miles already logged our bodies were beat and in need of rest. Our campsite had an awesome view of the valley below and fellow mountains on the horizon. Straight across from our site we could see the fire tower that we stopped at earlier in the day. It was a great place to call it a night.

Day 2

Day 2 started with a spectacular sunrise that just exploded with orange, pink and some purples. I was admiring it from my hammock while being serenaded by the Black-throated Blue Warbler , and the questioning call of the Warbling Vireo saying…. Here I am…..Over hear……Can you see me???? Reluctantly I climbed out of my hammock and started to break camp.

Todays hike was expected to be difficult with a lot of miles. It would start with a 2 mile hike to Carter Gap for a water resupply, then a hike up and over Standing Indian before making our final two mile decent into Deep Gap. If we made it that far we would have hiked 10 miles. However, we still needed to get to the Jeep and then hike back up to the AT. Getting a hitch a Deep Gap was key as it would shorten our hiking miles and we would not be racing nigh fall. If we could not land a hitch we would either stay at Standing Indian Shelter (with the bear) or hike an additional 4.2 miles to the Jeep. All in all without a hitch that would be a 17 mile day and the most Tim and I had every done in a single day. We crossed our fingers and hit the trail.

The trail to Carter Gap Shelter was a good trail but it did not provide many views with the exception of one and it was worth the stop. Although we had just started hiking, I was feeling very tired and weary. My guess was that I was experiencing a little residual fatigue from yesterday and that in time my muscles would warm up and I would get back into my rhythm.

After a brief stop at the vista the trail took a steady down hill trek until it reached the Carter Gap Shelter. As we entered the shelter area the shelter and privy are located on the left side of the trail and the water source is on the right side down a blue blazed trail.

Why filter water?

After filling our water bottles and taking a quick trip to the privy and we were back on the trail and moving toward the Standing Indian summit.

After only a mile or two my condition seemed to be getting worse. My energy level was just zapped and I was struggling to go uphill. As a result, I lost sight of Tim (this was not untypical) and I was falling behind more and more with every minute. My mind was spinning. Why am I so stinking tired? I felt great yesterday. The temperatures are good, the breeze on the ridge is keeping things comfortable and unlike Georgia the hills were not long steep grades but rather short and gradual with ample level areas in between climbs. There was no reason for me to feel this way. I was completely baffled and was becoming very frustrated.

After a few miles we took a welcomed stopped for lunch. Maybe a little food would provide the energy I was lacking? Today’s lunch was deli style tuna on a tortilla, beef jerky, a cliff bar (or two) and water. While having lunch another hiker stopped and joined us. He was from Georgia, probably in his 30’s and much more fit than Tim and I put together. His goal, hike the entire 24 mile loop in one day. We were amazed that someone could or would want to do that for “fun.” After a few minutes he was back on the trail at a pace that looked more of a jog than a hike. We looked at each other and said ” well we won’t be seeing that guy again.”

About a mile and half from the summit my body started yelling at me and I hit a wall. It was telling me to stop, right here and right now. Do not take one more step. I enjoy hiking and I do it often so this was odd. Many of my hikes are 10 miles or more and some are much more strenuous. Sure those hikes don’t include a 30 pound backpack but still the way I felt was not normal. Tired is one thing but wanting to just stop is something unfamiliar.

In April, while in Arizona on business I hiked to the top of Flatiron which is located east of Phoenix in the Superstition Mountains. My level of physical condition was less than what it was on this hike and Flatiron was ten times more difficult and very hot! Although tired at the end of that hike I did not ever feel anything like I was experiencing on the north side of the Standing Indian.

Finally, I made it to Standing Indian. Tim had reached the summit at least 30 minutes ahead of me and was patiently waiting at the Blue Blaze trail which leads to the actual summit. I dropped my bag and sat down. I had hiked to the summit of Standing Indian on a previous hike so I thought it was better to just chill while he took a look.

When Tim returned we devised a Plan C. Given the way I was feeling and since I had previously hiked the 2 miles section between Standing Indian and Deep Gap we decide to slit up and I would hike directly to the Jeep using the Lower Ridge Trail. Tim would continue to Deep Gap where I would pick him up in the Jeep. This would shave off 2 miles of my day if we were unable to get a hitch.

The 4.2 mile Lower Ridge Trail was not a good choice. Initially it was perilously steep and hard to follow. The trail also was not well maintained and had several large blow downs that forced me to either climb over under the large trees. This additional climbing and crawling only added to my current state of fatigue.

I was beginning to believe I would never make it to the bottom of this mountain and found myself stopping every 20 feet to rest. Finally, through the trees I got a glimpse of the campground and it was not a minute too soon. My pack felt like it was 200 pounds and for some reason it was pulling me to one side, I could not go one more step with it on, so I dropped it on a picnic table and continued through the campground to the Jeep. When I finally got to the Jeep, I was pleased to see Tim had gotten a hitch and was waiting.

He was outwardly concerned with my condition and especially the amount of time it had taken me to get down from Standing Indian so we decided to drive into Franklin, NC eat and develop our strategy for the rest of the hike. We both did not want to leave the trail but as I was driving to town a sudden urge to throw up overwhelmed me. Quickly I jerked the Jeep off the road and well I think you can assume the rest. It had been a good 10 years since the last time I threw up and well lets just say it was as awful today as it was then.

This was not a good sign but we ate dinner at Zaxby’s where I consumed 1 chicken strip and drank part of a large Coke to help ease my stomach. Once again this did not end well and I was forced to make a rapid dash to the bathroom. Something was definitely wrong. Sadly we decided to play it safe and end the hike. I was glad but at the same time very disappointed, but I knew it was for the best.

I would like to say the vomiting ended and I started feeling better but as we drove home I had 2 more emergency pit stops and things were only getting worse. Upon returning to Tim’s house I immediately went to bed and slept about 12 hours only to be interrupted by 3 more dashes to the bathroom. I remained at Tim’s house for 3 days and basically slept or lounged around the house staring into space. Finally, on the fourth day I was feeling well enough to get back on the road.

It is still a mystery as to what actually happened on this trip. Was it heat exhaustion? heat stroke? dehydration? a venomous snake bite? low electrolytes? the flu? food poisoning? or something completely different? I will probably never know. The good news is, this experience has not deterred my enthusiasm for hiking and the possible pursuit of a long distance through hike, maybe the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) – Mexico to Canada.

As I look back and evaluate the situation, I would say we (or just I) should have stopped either at Standing Indian or before and set up camp instead of pushed forward. What we (I) did wrong was to not obey one of the first rules of backpacking, Listen to your body. Instead of forcing an onward push we should have let the body rest, eat, hydrate and heal. It may have resulted in an entirely different experience and it may not have forced us to ended our hike early. Mostly, I may have avoided the self inflicted misery I put myself through.

Time and future hikes will only tell if I learned my lesson. I hope to one day return to Standing Indian Campground and finish our hike to the NOC. Who know maybe Tim and I will make a second attempt this fall and Lose Track of Time on the Appalachian Trail.

~ Slow-LEE Hiking