Day 23: Creatures of the forest.

14.8 miles: Tri-Corner Knob to Davenport Gap Shelter.

Today was a very interesting day. There comes a point on the trail when you go long distances between societies comforts that you almost become a crazy, feral, lunatic. You no longer care what you look or act like. You'll say anything and laugh at everything. We were on a high ridge in the beginning of the day and a thunderstorm broke out. All the other hikers (including the warriors) were talking about how much it scared them to be up there in a thunderstorm. When me and Tric were up there and it started lightning and thundering we could only start laughing and say 'Thank You' to the Smokies. Our pace did not become hurried or any faster, we just went a our own pace, just another day for creatures of the forest like us.

Today began the long descent out of the Smokies and back into national forest lands. I am very grateful to be out of the Smokies and away from all the crazy tourism that brings on inexperienced hikers. I also will be glad to not have to follow the strict rules regarding shelters that the Smokies enforces. At the end of the almost 15 miles we came upon Davenport Gap Shelter, just .9 miles from the boundary of the park. This shelter is a relic of the old days in the smokies. It is the last one on the AT with fencing over the front of it. They used to turn the shelters into almost 'cages' so that bears could not get into them. They have gates with locks and chains on them. The park stopped using this and now uses tarps because many (dare I say stupid?) people would feed bears through the chain link fencing. This habituated bears to humans which made it very dangerous for both unexpecting hikers and the bears. Habituated bears lose their fear of humans and will approach and sometimes attack humans. If a bear is known to be habituated it usually has to be put down.

Anyways, tonight we were the animals in the cage, locked up safe and sound. We were also the only hikers at this shelter, probably because it was too creepy for everyone else. So we got to spread out our stuff, stretch our legs, and choose the nicest spots. G'night!