April 15 - Fontana Dam

From PJ:

PJ Doing some Easier hiking on the trail - headed toward Fontana Dam

It's April 15th, Friday. It's about 8:45 AM. I'm walking down to Fontana Dam. Only going to do about 8-9 miles today, so that's pretty cool. Then I'll see if I go into this town. The town is only two miles off the trail, so I might try to slack pack it. That's what they call it. Leave my pack somewhere, and just walk in there or get a ride and come back out after a few hours. I just want to get a couple of things. 

But we'll see what happens when we get down there. 

This is easy walking right now. It's like this about 5 % of the time. 

Fontana Dam is in the background

We are coming into Fontana Dam, finally. I just saw it about an hour and a half ago, and I'm basically going around the whole thing. It's taking forever...

***

So...we're still hiking. It's April 15th. It's getting dark. Hopefully I won't need my headlamp. But this is just for the record that I walked back to where I started from. I could have taken a shortcut, but I did not. Hopefully I'll be at the camp before it gets too dark. Cuz I still got to set up. That shelter's gonna be full. I already know it.

Sleeping bag on the ground - camping "a la mode."

Final resting spot. We're going tentless. Out in the open. The shelter is full. You can hear these fools being super load. We're going a la mode. Out in the open. We'll see how it works.

***

[Catania's Interjection]:

PJ sent a few messages today. I'm not sure what he means by saying that he hiked back to where he started. I'm guessing it has to do with going into Fontana. 

In one of the videos PJ sent, I could hear a lot of loud talking. Then I heard some more updates...

I chilled in Fontana all day after I hiked about nine miles. Awesome day met a lot of people. Also was interviewed for a podcast so I'll let you know when it comes out.

***
The following is a highlight of texts from PJ later that night...

Some drunk chick at the shelter tried to start an argument with me so I had to put her in her place in front of 30 people...She basically was mad that I was proud of the fact that I could go pee standing up.

I was actually embarrassed for her by the end, and I felt kind of bad. I ended up having to tell other people to lay off of her. She's wasted, but she wouldn't let it go.

So yeah - I'm camping with a new set of people I don't really know if you can tell. This is about the fourth group I've fallen in with. Needless to say I'm not really digging them.

I made nice with her in the end just so I don't have to deal with her.