Wind howled all around us as we camped on top of Albert Mountain. You could hear the wind blow up one side of the mountain and soar over us to the other side like it’s one sole purpose in life was to move as fast as he could and create so much noise that we could not sleep at all. I laid there in the pitch dark wondering when this night would end. “Can you sleep?” Dannys whispered. “Nope not one bit.” Finally we drifted off into a purgatory of sleeping and waking. The sun rose and we packed up our things. Thankfully most of our day was downhill. Though we didn’t know it at the time, this was going to be our last day on trail. We broke the tree line that led to the highway and was greeted with a sign that read:
Due to corona virus, Graham County, NC now has a stay at home order. Anyone who enters will have to quarantine for 14 Days. The Great Smokey Mountains are also closed until further notice.
Here we faced a challenge. We could keep going until we faced an obstacle or be shuttled around the Smokey’s. With no service at the parking lot, we pondered what to do when a van with AT Shuttle stickers drove up. An old man hopped out of the car. “You need a ride?” He said in a Swiss accent. “Yes! I would love you for life” I replied “Well I love you but not you you or you” he said pointing at the guys around me. Silence fell amongst the group....he laughed and said he was joking and would take us into town. His ride was better than no ride I guess. I rode in the front seat and he talked my ear off about his time in the war and how he raised his family here in Franklin. When we got out of the car he gave me a piece of fools gold and asked if I would carry it all the way to Maine. I regret to inform you that I lost that piece of gold about a week later. Jim dropped us off at a local outfitter that allowed us to do laundry, shower, and wait for a ride. We had decided to shuttle around the Smokey’s and start the next day at Standing Bear Hostel. While we waited, we began to see the full effects of corona stay at home orders. Restaurants had switched to take out only and closed all non essential businesses including motels. Things were getting bad. Our ride showed up and it was the famous Miss Janet who was known up and down the trail for her shuttle rides. We should’ve been happier to see her but she greeted us with negative energy and a pessimistic look on the time ahead. “The trail’s gettin’ all closed down and it is gonna get harder and harder the farther you go. I can take ya to Asheville so y’all can get a flight or rent a car home but it ain’t lookin’ good.” We stood in silence outside the van as we tried to grasp the situation at hand. Tensions high, we decided to ride to Asheville and get a motel room tonight to talk amongst ourselves without the voices of others. As we read more and more stay at home orders for the towns ahead, the situation looked less and less realistic to continue. With heavy hearts we decided to post pone our thru hike until a later date possibly when the Smokey’s reopen. Trying to keep our spirits high, we relived the time that we had and the fun that we had. The next day we drove the 11 hours home. I held back tears for most of the ride.
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