Day 139 (November 9)

I am doing a nero today in Gaitlinburg, TN. I was able to re-connect with Zest, my hiking partner since New York. He went off-trail for a few days to attend his daughter's wedding. I stayed at Iceberg Shelter last night -- appropriately named. I had every article of clothing on and was inside my 25 degree bag with my tent rain fly over that. The shelter is at the top of a mountain in the Smokies. It was a nice downhill hike this morning to Newfound Gap where I got a quick hitch for the 15 miles into town. 

Gaitlinburg is a fun tourist town, a bit like Disneyland, clean with lots of shops. Also, one can sample whiskey here from various recognized stills. Bootlegging was big in the area during prohibition. Out of that tradition, whiskey manufacturing evolved from moonshine and NASCAR evolved from the modified cars used to run moonshine to various markets. Capitalism at its finest!