Springer Mtn, GA to Fontana Dam, NC

Epilogue

I went back to work the next day. It seemed a little strange to be back at my desk after the last two weeks on the trail. I hadn't shaved during my trip, so I was sporting a pretty good set of whiskers. I'm not sure if I'll let them continue or not.

My knee and ankles swelled up for several days after the trip. In fact, my knee has taken almost two months to completely heal. I probably should have gotten a doctor to draw some of the fluid off of it to speed the process, but so far I've toughed it out.

I went up to Watauga Lake on Tuesday two weeks later with the hope of catching some of the folks as they were passing by. M&L had sent me a note from Hot Springs saying they hoped to reach Erwin, TN by the end of the next week. I figured they would pass Watauga Lake a week later.

I left home at lunchtime and drove to Watauga Lake. I walked down to the Watauga Lake Shelter in the shade of the trees. There were two folks there, but they hadn't seen M&L. I checked out the shelter log, but I didn't see them as having signed in over the last couple of days. "Mule-boy" and "Frogger" had recently signed, so they couldn't be too far away. After checking out Apple House Shelter and several hostels around Hampton, I drove to Damascus to see if anyone was at "The Place".

When I reached Damascus, I saw that I had just missed "Mule-boy" and "Cypress" by a day. "Cypress" had finished his hike at Damascus and his sister had picked him up on Sunday afternoon. "Mule-boy" had left north for the James River the day before.

I left some goodies and some notes behind for M&L and "Frogger" and "Torn". I hoped they would find them in a day or so. I wish I could have stayed longer in hopes of catching up with them, but we were leaving on vacation on Thursday for a week at the beach. Next time...

I can't wait for my next trip. I've already laid out ten days from Fontana Dam to Hot Springs, NC.