Backstory
In early March, I was going through a lot of personal things and I decided to plan a big trip for myself in Tennessee for later in the year, which included hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as attending a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in beautiful Bristol, Tennessee. After purchasing the tickets, which were shockingly only $25, I couldn't believe that I had just committed to such a big trip! That said, it was a trip for the ages filled with memories I will never forget.
September 17th, 2024
On the morning of September 17th, 2024, I woke up in Norman, Oklahoma, and drove east towards Mount Juliet, Tennessee. I began to encounter heavy fog as I drove east of Eufaula, Oklahoma. This fog combined with the mountainous terrain of Eastern Oklahoma, made me feel like I was already in Tennessee.
As I drove into Fort Smith, Arkansas, I realized that I had only been on the road for 4 hours and nearly 7 hours of driving remained. Now, I am used to driving 800 to 1,000 miles in a single day from my storm-chasing days, however, I am now 27 years old and these longer drives take a toll on someone who "just wants to be there already." As I drove East of Little Rock, I came across a traffic accident involving a semi and a car in the opposite lane. For such a simple accident, it involved one of the largest traffic jams that I have ever seen, that went on for 10+ Miles! I was so glad that I wasn't in that mess.
Around 1:15 PM, I crossed the Mississippi River from Arkansas into Tennessee and after getting East of Memphis, I watched as the landscape around me turned from urban sprawls into vast forested landscapes right up against the Interstate. It was at this moment, that I fell in love with Tennessee. You see, I grew up in Wisconsin and love thick, forested landscapes, and seeing these vast landscapes made my heart full.
After making it into Nashville around 4:30 PM, I realized that I had about 3 hours left of daylight and I was only 30 minutes away from my hotel. So, being the outdoorsman I am, I began searching for any State Park or Nature area near Mount Juliet and stumbled upon Long Hunter State Park just south of the City. However, I encountered a problem and that was the traffic in Nashville. I have been all over the United States and in
parts of Canada and I can confidently say that Nashville has some of the WORST traffic jams in the US. It took nearly an hour to go 10 miles just because of Rush Hour. After traversing the traffic in Nashville, I made it to Long Hunter State Park, and to my surprise, I learned that Tennessee does not charge fees for its State Parks. I chose to hike the "Dail Loop Trail" and what a lovely trail it was. I saw beautiful lakeside sights, different kinds of birds, squirrels, and an incredible sunset while on this trail. The best part is that I only ran into
a couple of people while on the trail, making the sights feel more personal in the process. According to my Garmin Instinct 2, I hiked 2.69 miles in an hour and 19 minutes, burning 532 calories and boy did I feel it! Afterward, I made my way back to Mount Juliet, where I picked up some vegetables for dinner at a local grocery store. However, while on my way to the hotel, I found a Wisconinities favorite thing, that being a Culver's restaurant in the middle of nowhere,
Tennessee. I proudly destroyed my diet and ate a codfish sandwich with cheese curds! Afterward, I drove back to the hotel and for about 2 hours researched where I wanted to go hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains the following day. Truthfully, I had a hard time choosing between the Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte and Charlies Bunion via The Appalachian Trail.
September 18th, 2024
On the morning of September 18th, 2024, I drove to the Great Smoky Mountains, where I found an environment filled with low-level clouds, fogginess, and even rain. The mountains looked angry from afar, but I knew the journey was going to be even more epic. Here was my chance not only to hike in the Smoky's but also to say I hiked the unforgiving Appalachian Trail in the rain!
As the clock struck 1:47 PM, my dreams were becoming a reality as I set foot on the Appalachian Trail for the first time in my life. Armed with medical gear, 5 liters of water, a K-BAR, and bear spray, I set out to complete Charlies Bunion. Nearly fifteen-hundredths of a mile (0.15 miles) into the hike, rain began falling heavily and the trail went from dry to muddy in a matter of minutes. Thankfully I had brought my Hoka Speedgoat 5's for this adventure, so the change in conditions was a welcoming challenge. That said, I quickly realized that I needed to pace myself and not try to rush a 9-mile hike while already 5,049 ft in the air with more elevation gain expected. About two miles into the hike as I was going back and forth between North Carolina and Tennessee, I made it to the Appalachian/Sweat Heifer Creek Trailheads. I caught my breath for a second as I was drenched in rain and took in the views around me. Even with heavy fog blocking beautiful mountainous views, I was still in disbelief that
I was hiking the Appalachian Trail. However, that excitement quickly turned into anxiety at the 3-mile mark when I made it to the Icewater Spring Shelter. As I was turning northeast away from the shelter, I heard a branch snap behind me, which was then followed by huffing from a black bear. After hearing this in such proximity, I chose not to stick around and continued swiftly down the now rocky trail. My concerns were confirmed when about a quarter mile from the shelter I saw a woman frantically running towards me.
At last, after 4.2 miles of hiking in the mountains, I made it to Charlies Bunion. However, the journey was far from over. To reach the summit, I had to rock climb in slippery conditions right on the side of a mountain. This was one time that I was extremely glad the fog was present as I couldn't see the well over 1,000 ft drop a
foot to my left. I carefully navigated the rocks and terrain and after 2 hours and 14 minutes of hiking in diverse conditions, one bear encounter, and now slight pain in my left hip, I had conquered Charlies Bunion. I hung around at the summit for a while, taking multiple self-portraits, selfies, and videos showing off my achievements. Then, I became a daredevil and sat on the ledge of the mountain, feeling overjoyed with what I had done. The only thing that could've made this experience ten times better was if the fog had receded and shown the beautiful view it was hiding of mountainscapes at Charlies Bunion. Still, I was grateful that life had led me to this point and extremely proud of this summit. As I started to head back towards the trailhead, I ran into an older pair of Thru-Hikers who had been on the trail for 7 days. I couldn't even imagine what they had seen on their trip so far as the trail encompasses over 1,000 miles! We chatted for a few minutes and I was off again. That was the last time I saw someone on the trail for nearly 3 hours and
after the bear encounter earlier, that made me somewhat anxious. Seven miles into the hike, the fog finally receded as the sun began to set over the Smoky's. It was here where I finally saw the beauty of the Smoky's. Yes, I didn't get this view at Charlies Bunion, however, it was still something only I saw that night and I was grateful.
Just seven minutes before sunset, I made it back to the trailhead, where I watched one of the most beautiful sunsets that I have ever seen in my life. The fog was now non-existent, and a dying storm cloud was to my southeast, with the reflection of the sun's yellow glow on it. I was taken aback by everything that had happened, filled with such triumph. I had not only completed Charlies Bunion, but I had also hiked 9.10 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 5 hours and 19 minutes. To top it all off, on my way home, I saw a female black bear and her cub run across the road. What a trip this was.
The following day I woke up in Bristol, Tennessee, and ate breakfast at a lovely establishment inside the Bristol Hotel to celebrate the accomplishments I had made over the past 24 hours and to get ready for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway!
Later that afternoon, I went to Bristol Motor Speedway, watched the trucks practice and qualify, then the ARCA Series and Craftsman Truck Series Race. I had checked off two things on my bucket list that I had wanted to do since I was a child. Like I said earlier, what a trip for the ages. Thank you for reading.
About the writer: Michael Thornton graduated from Rose State College majoring in Emergency Management. Currently, he is the Director of Tillman County Emergency Management, an Oklahoma Certified Emergency Manager, and the SW Oklahoma Emergency Management Association VP Alternate. In 2024, he was awarded the OEMA Innovator Award for his severe weather operations in Tillman County.
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