{"id":363,"date":"2014-05-11T20:16:59","date_gmt":"2014-05-12T00:16:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/wordpress-happytrails\/?p=363"},"modified":"2014-05-11T20:16:59","modified_gmt":"2014-05-12T00:16:59","slug":"day-26-erwin-tn-to-iron-mountain-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/happytrails\/?p=363","title":{"rendered":"Day 26 – Erwin, TN to Iron Mountain Gap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Mother’s day!
\nWe left Uncle Johnny’s around 8:45am and ascended out of Erwin. <\/p>\n

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Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel (5 stars)<\/p><\/div>\n

Leaving town with a full pack of resupply and a big climb has been tough sledding so far and today was no different. We had some cool morning sun as the storms of the last few days blew out.<\/p>\n

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Woods outside Erwin<\/p><\/div>\n

We had a great lunch spot on a bald area called Beauty Spot Gap. <\/p>\n

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Straight maxin' and relaxin' at lunch<\/p><\/div>\n

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Beauteous<\/p><\/div>\n

The biggest climb we had of the day was shortly after lunch on Unaka Mountain. There was no view, but the dense spruce forest on top was really cool. It looked creepy like something out of Game of Thrones. <\/p>\n

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Picture doesn't really capture how dense it was<\/p><\/div>\n

Oh yea, we scored some trail magic at a gap earlier in the day from a fine trail angel named Rob who used to run a hostel up in the trail town of Dalton, Massachusetts. He retired recently down to Tennessee he said. <\/p>\n

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Cool dude, although he looks creepy in this picture hanging out in a white van. He wasn't creepy at all.<\/p><\/div>\n

After Unaka we had one other cool view from the side of Little Bald Knob at the end of the day. <\/p>\n

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Little Bald Knob looking back into Tennessee<\/p><\/div>\n

We hiked a couple more miles after that for a total of about 19.5 today. We camped out up above the gap on an old roadbed. Great weather today and more good hiking. <\/p>\n

Tomorrow we summit the Roan Mountains, the aforementioned remaining southern 6000 footer. Should be another big day. <\/p>\n

Vital stats :<\/strong>
\nMood – positive
\nPhysical state – tired and sore feet as usual
\nSmell – like a horse that’s on fire
\nSong stuck in my head – Mother Lover by Andy Samberg and JT and that other dude<\/p>\n

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