Allen Gap, NC to Watauga Lake, TN

Day 10, Friday, June 1

Kincora Hostel, Dennis Cove, TN to Watauga Lake, 8.9 miles

Last day. Let it rain! And rain it does! I wake up at 5 AM and it's pouring. I roll over and doze until 6:30 AM before getting up. My leg hurts badly, but nothing is going to keep me from finishing my section today.

Tom and two other hikers are going to be dropped off over at Highway 321 this morning. Headed north. "Slo-Motion" heads out from the hostel at 8:30 AM in the rain. Our group including "Ropeyarn", "Yellow", "Whitey", "Belu", "Giddyup", and me are going to get Pat to shuttle us over to Highway 321 and we'll walk back over Pond Mountain through Laurel Falls to the hostel.

We pile into Pat's Dodge truck at 10 AM and head for Hampton to drop off some mail at the Post Office before dropping us off. It's still raining as we stop on the side of the road where the AT crosses Highway 321. We cross the road and head up Pond Mountain...in the rain.

After an hour and ten minutes we're on top of the mountain...in the rain. "Ropeyarn" falls back to hike with me since I'm not fully up to speed. Crossing over the top, we meet "Slo-Motion" on his way north. We stop and talk for a few minutes before pushing on...in the rain.

Down the other side of the mountain...in the rain, we reach Laurel Creek by 1 PM. We hike up to the Laurel Fork Shelter and take a break until 2 PM. Then on to the falls.

Laurel Falls has more water coming over it than the last time I was here. It's pretty...in the rain. "Whitey", "Belu", "Yellow", and "Giddyup" wade out into the pool of water in front of the falls for a quick dip. "Ropeyarn" and I are the only two sane ones left.

We shoot some pictures and then climb out of the falls area and head back toward the hostel. The rain finally has stopped this afternoon, but it looks like it could pour any minute. I'm the last one back to the hostel, still favoring my leg. By 3:40 PM, I'm back at Kincora, finished. Another completed section, 128.3 miles over the last ten days, and one day ahead of schedule.

There is a Konnarock work crew at the hostel trying to warm up and dry off when we get back. They have been working on the trail relocation project on Roan Mountain and Round Bald for the last week. It started sleeting on them this afternoon, so they quit work before frostbite set in.

I'm still cleaning up; the shower feels great, while the others head into town for supper. "Ropeyarn" and the others get hamburgers, more corn, and potatoes for another cookout tonight. It turns out to be the second best meal of the trip.

Bob recruits the gang to go work on the trail relocation at Roan Mountain tomorrow. I would go with them, but my leg is shot. It needs rest. I'll come back and pay my debt later.

I sleep a very restful sleep tonight.