Day 32 May 15 - Big mile day

Day 32 May 15, Days miles 21.6 AT Mile 492.4
Hiking time 10hr
Pass plus/minus -3
Critter Rescue -  4

We left the Inn early at 7am to be able to hike slower if needed and see how my knee was. We made great time because we took an alternate route on the Creeper Trail for 6 miles, missed a lot of elevation.  Wanted to give my knee more of a break. Day was all uphill climbing but mostly gentle. 

The Creeper Trail is an old narrow gage train rail bed converted to a recreational trail. It's 17 miles long on this side of town and has a very gentle grade down into town.

 It's big business in Damascus to shuttle bike riders up to the end of the trail so they can coast down it.  There's even a Cafe half way down the trail! 

It's really scenic as it follows a large stream and has over 30 bridges to cross.

There was some neat things along the Creeper Trail like this train car used to house workers.

Along the Creeper Trail we met up with another hiker, Chris who did the same route as us and we were talking and hiking faster to keep up with him.  We kept going past the first campsite we planned on stopping at as my knee was feeling fine. 

The second stop was a shelter for lunch and it poured while we were there and after it stopped raining we continued on. We figured we could get to a campsite that was 17 miles out, but while walking and talking with Chris we missed it!  At that point it was getting late and it was a long ridge walk up White top mt and no places to camp.  Near the top was a water source and we found a stealth site to camp at so that was the end of the day, over 21 miles and 6100 feet of elevation gain.

We were both wiped but got the tent set up just before it began to rain.  We ate a cold supper in the tent because of the rain.

It poured on and off all night and the wind was howling and really moving the tent around, I was afraid the tent stakes would come out so I stayed awake from 330 am on to hold the tent pole.