July 26, 2008
Smokies Challenge Adventure Run

We headed out midday Friday to find a place to camp. Adam Hill, Drew Shelfer, Charlie Roberts and I cruised into Big Creek but the camp was full. We hung out there for a while and then went to the Pigeon River where Drew was doing some fly fishing. We had a few beers in the sun and then got into some competitive rock skipping.

We still needed to find a place to rest so we scoped out a gravel road which led us up through a backwood area. Some guys were constructing a building so we stopped to chat with them about finding a place to camp. They were quite accomodating and offered up a church further up the road. Jimmy Barnes gave us his blessing and said to tell anyone who questioned us at Brown's Missionary Baptist Churchus that he said it was okay. We offered up a donation to the church and we had our renegade campsite. Upon inspecting the graveyard, it became clear why it was called Brown's as over half of the names on the stones were Browns. Da Browns.

We met Mike Day and his daughter Jessica and headed back up to the church. There was a large pavillion so we didn't even bother with tents. We enjoyed a meal and talked for a bit and then started sawing logs, at least I did, which prevented some others from getting a good night's rest. We had a visit from coon dogs. They'd been making noise for a good while and one came up and checked us out.

The morning came quickly, in part because it was only 4am. We gathered our stuff and headed to the rendezvous point at Davenport Gap. We met up with Denise Davis and Brian Kistner, and Byron Backer was also there to lend support.

I took off ahead of the group. The trail climbed right away but kept a gradual grade. I could hear the sounds of I-40 for the first couple of miles. Soon the group caught me but Adam was nowhere to be seen. He came along a good bit later, just as it started raining lightly. That light rain turned to a solid rain as I reached higher elevations.

The first trail junction was at the Mount Cammerer trail at 5.2 miles. It took me just over two hours to reach that point. Suddenly 10 hours to get to Newfound Gap seemed beyond reach. That was my conservative goal. I was hoping for 9-9 1/2 hours. My myriad ailments over the past ten months had taken their toll on my fitness level.

At 8:45, I heard a noise just off the trail and saw a black creature walking through the brush. A bear cub plopped down onto the trail about 25 feet ahead of me. It headed on without noticing me. I heard a grunt and down came mama bear. She was aware of my presence and she stopped on the trail to check me out. She was quite large for a female and spent a couple of seconds looking at me and then determined I wasn't a threat and leapt off the trail, leaving skidmarks in the mud over a foot long. I still wasn't sure if the cub was on the trail so I proceeded cautiously so as not to wind up between the two.

That incident gave me bursts of adrenaline and energy. I moved much more quickly and enjoyed an extended downhill. The trail went up and down but remained much closer to level. The big climb was over and it became much smoother sailing.

Looking off to the left, I noticed some metal objects. After closer examination, I noticed they were the remnants of a plane crash. The plane hit the mountain just several yards off trail.

I saw my first human in many hours and was able to gauge how far in back of Denise I was. I thought it posiible to catch her but by the time I saw another hiker, I had fallen back further. It would be just myself and the trail the rest of the way.

As I neared the final shelter before Newfound Gap, the hikers became more plentiful. Everyone was doing a section hike and most were averaging 10 miles per day. I met one duo who had done no more than 7 miles a day. They rested about every 100 yards.

After passing the Icerock shelter, more day hikers were present. I had a mostly downhill stretch to Newfound Gap. I knew this was as far as I was going today. My legs started moving very quickly over the extremely rugged terrain. My feet started reacting with the rock and I got a feeling I hadn't had in almost a year. I no longer had to think about foot placement or worry about my knees or feet. I had no pain and was moving at a torrid pace. As I leapt from rock to rock, I got the sensation of being a gazelle, gliding across outcroppings with ease. This is close to the sensation of flying in a dream. Freedom found me and I welcomed it back.

Mike Day was waiting at the car. All but two had dropped. I enjoyed a Subway sandwich and then we headed to Fontana, where we ate again and then set up camp at the Fontana Hilton. Adam and Charlie made it through before midnight, in fine form. I slept out under the stars. I did 34 miles.

B-Rex

For other accounts: http://www.ncultra.org/article.php?story=20080801120356495
http://www.charlieroberts.com/archives/75