Bone Valley - GSMNP

“yummmm...if I come will ya feed me too!??????...lol....”

“Divinity.. it would be nice to see yas. You thinking bout coming along?”

“Somehow I knew this might happen. My daughter and boyfriend will in all likelihood bail on me. She is covered up with graduate school already, and he most likely will have to work.

Sooooo now.. .. . . LOLz.. I'm prolly back to the deathmarch plan -- or I might still do the "boat/hike" plan and just rent me a canoe.

I've got to talk to my friend John sometime today (who just returned from overseas, and is back in the states) and see if he has any preference.”

“call me tomorrow TD, when you figure it out

I will have word on if I have a new Job tomorrow. I don't know when I'll start, but it might have me working Friday. Don't know yet.”

“karo, Hard, OPIE, black panther, offtrack, sleahcim, j e l l o f o g, Mocs123, chili36, humanpackmule, Longlosthiker, crash bang..

What’s your current arrival day? Current trip plans.. point of entry, point of departure.. just wondering.. so I know who to expect where?”

“I'm very doubtful.
My right knee is still felling pretty screwed up. I'm not sure that 12 miles of downhill is a good idea.”

“Towndawg

ygm”

“It's official. Me and my friend John (and anyone else who wants to) are doing the original 34 miler deathmarch. We are meeting at the "Clingmans dome BYPASS" trailhead at first light on Friday morning. We will be arriving in the Hazel Creek / Bone Valley area sometime Saturday.

1) Daughter and Boyfriend had to cancel due to school and work commitments.

2) I'm a glutton for punishment. I definitely need this hike so I can feel alive again.

3) John and I know that it can't possibly be any worse than some of the routes we have aleady hiked together before.

tenjen: ygm?.. (what's that stand for? I'm clueless.)

karo: should I carry my new fly fishing pole for ONE good day of fishing, or just watch y'all?
last edited: 8/28/09 9:10:45 AM”

“you've got mail...check your email”

“I'll be behind you TD Friday.
Probably start around 830/930 depending on traffic and such. I would like to make 83 before I pass out, but I might stop at 82.

I'll hang out at 83 Saturday all day, heading up Bone Valley.

Then I'm gonna arrange for a shuttle out Sunday. I'll call the marina Monday.”

“I am sure you will hear that Clingmans dome, Newfound Gap.. etc etc.. will all be closed.. but that celebration will be over on Wednesday.

tenjen: thanks !

opie: awesome.. :).. just you? michelle staying home?
last edited: 8/28/09 9:30:23 AM”

“Yea, last i read when i was at sugarlands, was that they were going to close NFG, and hold a re-dedication, and maybe a reenactment, along with dignitaries and special invitees. Others could watch from special closed circuit tv's at viewing centers at the visitor centers.

I'm sure as soon as they are done Wed, they will open back up.

Michelle is going to hang out her friend Tara, and Sipsey in gatlinburg while we are doing our manly activities.”

“As it stands now, Rick Lausten and I will leave Friday morning, followed by Cindy Kinnard (Flamegirl) and her friend Joyce. We are going to drive separately because I will bring a canoe and they will bring 2 kayaks. We should arrive at Cable Cove boat ramp sometime in the afternoon and cross Fontana Lake, arriving at #83 after dark.

TD: I am bringing 2 packable fly outfits and plenty of flies. Anyone wanting to use one can, but I will have the other one and can share. Sometimes the best approach is to have a spotter above you hidden in the brush or on the trail. That spotter can direct you to the fish. It is challenging fishing for sure. I am still debating on whether to stay till Monday or not. Cindy is bringing an extra kayak to portage their packs so they can stay or leave as they wish. And I am bringing a camp shower cause I know I'll need one.”

“Would it be possible to meet up Friday from the3 road or Sat Morning?”

“Would it be possible to meet up Friday from the3 road or Sat Morning?”

Do you have the correct thread?”

“Sleahcim e-mailed me and offered his canoe for someone to join him paddling across Fontana. As it stands now I told him thanks but I have a paddling partner. I hope he is still interested in this trip, if so anyone could contact him for a shuttle.”

“�Would it be possible to meet up Friday from the3 road or Sat Morning?�

Sorry I hit the wrong key when I hit the 3

Should read Would it be possible to meet up Friday from the road or Sat Morning?�”

“We should be at Cable Cove Boat Ramp sometime afternoon on Friday. What road are you referring to and to whom are you addressing it to??? I'm not trying to be difficult,I just don't understand your post.”

“Can't make the Trip maybe next time.”

“anyone bringing a saw, to cut down wood?
I have one, but if a boater is bringing one, I'll lighten my load.”

“Coyote, I hope I didn't scare you off. Just didn't understand what you meant. Opie, I can bring my saw, that is if I can find it, lol.”

“If you bring it, i'll cut it. You know how hungry my fires get.”

“NGB has the holiday off, but I reckin I ought to go to the coast to see my mother. She is at that age where every time I see her I sort of figure there won't be many more times.

It looks like I will have to go up to Townsend to take care of some business in November, so I will try to get a hike in up there then.”

“Chili36- You will be missed sir.”

“In November most of the leaves will be down.”

“I'm all set, I have a Fontana marina pickup at Hazel Creek at 1pm Sunday September 6th.”

“Opie, I have packed the saw, just keep the embers away from my new tent, lol. The latest update is 5 people coming in with me including myself. That is for Friday and Saturday nights. I still have Sunday night reserved for myself and Rick Lausten only. TD has another 8 slots for Sat. night. We still have plenty of room, esp. if TD and Opie don't arrive till Sat. night at #83. Chili, you will be missed, but family comes first. I am actually celebrating our anniversary on Friday, but we had not planned anything. My son may come home to visit and see his new nephew for the first time. I have just learned that the Spring Hill plant has scheduled 6 OT days and daily OT for the next few months before we go idle. This will be my last chance for a hike or a fishing trip for a while so I am planning on making the most of it.”

“TD says we will whimp out before 83 friday night, I dunno, we might camp at 82, and stage panty raids, and beer runs in the night to your camp. It's only 3 miles!!!”

“Opie -- the sad truth is that we would prolly get shot?.. (with the new gun permit laws).. but it would be soo fun.. to sneak out to their camp about midnight.. without headlamps... and be "bears" or something..”

“Super Trolls not signed up, so I'm more comfortable about us having a successful ambush.”

““karo, Hard, OPIE, black panther, offtrack, sleahcim, j e l l o f o g, Mocs123, chili36, humanpackmule, Longlosthiker, crash bang..

What’s your current arrival day? Current trip plans.. point of entry, point of departure.. just wondering.. so I know who to expect where?”
TownDawg

damn it.. things aren't looking good here unless someone is coming through my town and i could hitch up. my truck is in pieces and right now it looks highly doubtful i'll have it together in the next couple of days. :( and i was so freaking looking forward to this trip and meeting you guys. don't count me out completely just yet but i'm probably dreaming at this point.

i never heard back from CB so i doubt he's coming either.”

“Hmmm.. do ya pay gas expenses?.. but I am driving thursday.. and you prolly work friday?”

“You can ride with me Offtrack. You just have to meet me in Atlanta, and be ready to go Thursday at 8am.

lol

Crashbang just hiked that one time right?”

“I didn't realize I was still a maybe for this trip. I can't make this one, I am doing the 64 miles of the AT north of Damascus this weekend. Have fun and post a TR (with this many people going it ought to be good) and pics!”

“First off, I'm still in. Just been in the woods a lot lately.

As Karo said I still have room if anyone is in need of a ride across Fontana. I'm not real keen on paddling across alone (it's a real #&%!$ to paddle by yourself if the wind decides to join in the fun). I would be leaving Cable Cove marina on Friday morn/afternoon and coming back on Sun/Mon (as you can see I'm open). If there are no takers I'll wait to take my Fontana voyage another day and... join TD (if you don't mind) on the original Deathmarch. I'm a sucker for punishment. What say TD, got room for one more?”

““Hmmm.. do ya pay gas expenses?.. but I am driving thursday.. and you prolly work friday?”
TownDawg

i'll just email you in a minute.


“You can ride with me Offtrack. You just have to meet me in Atlanta, and be ready to go Thursday at 8am.

lol”
OPIE

hilarious man. b&$#&^d!!! :D :D :D
last edited: 9/02/09 7:33:27 PM”

“im out. sorry i didnt get back with you, offtrack. i was always a weak maybe, so i hadnt given this trip much thought”

“sleahcim -- i will be at the Clingmans dome.. trailhead Friday morning.. early..

call my cell sometime tomorrow.. I will be on the road after 5pm.

seven three one.. four one five.. seven three one five.”

“early for TD means 1145”

“LOLz.. not true Opie.. The hotel in Gatlinburg is right at light #10.. so I do not have any traffic when I get up on Friday... :).. if I can only get my butt out of bed, ehh?”

“we will be staying at the Westside motel.
Gonna try to hit the Smoky mtn brewery tonight, come on out, you got my #”

“I'm definitely out dammit.
I was hoping the knee would be 100% by now but it's not. Not going to risk it.”

“no problem CB.. i don't think i'm gonna mess with greyhound so you guys/gals have fun and take a lot of pictures.

see you at the next one.”

“greyhound...you'd be able to make it here by thanksgiving, and be the star of the campfire with your stories.


In Gatlinburg, bout to go eat, and grab a brew.

We'll hike with you soon enough HPM, i didn't feel like carrying your gear anyway.”

“I'm almost packed, canoe is tied down on top of the Brown Bomber and we will leave out at 6 in the morn. Hope to be at #83 by dark thirty.”

“I'm back via Fontana Lake Shuttle.

Sleachim, GAJohn, Towndawg should be above High Rocks on the Welsh Ridge camping in the bushes. I feel for them, the BEAR are everywhere, whelsh ridge is covered in blue/blackberries. Multiple big bears spotted.

Karo and Rich are probably still at the mouth to bone valley fishing, or worked back down Hazel creek. The women they brought across the river retreated before they hit the Pumping stations on Hazel Creek.

My total mileage on this trip, 26.

Picture links to follow.”

“Good hike?”

“awesome hike!! Rocky downhill of 13+ miles turned up a few blisters I'm internally medicating with alcohol.


HPM, your knee wouldn't have made it.”

“Working on a trip report. Will try to have it by lunch today.

I'll create a separate thread for it, ok?
last edited: 9/08/09 7:18:57 AM”