View from the Treestand

Departure Day 7

Bear footprint

Making phone calls

All five of us close to the finish!

Up before daybreak on day 7…the last day…can’t believe this adventure is about to end in a few hours…its very surreal. The Lord gave us an amazingly beautiful sunrise this morning…before we leave we share some thoughts with our shelter mates…make our circle and pray around. I have mixed emotions…want this adventure to continue but at the same time I’m really looking forward to seeing Cindy, eating at the Apple Barn (Chicken-n-Dumplings) in Gatlinburg, showering and sleeping in a real bed…no snoring…no sleepless nights…my hips are killing me…if Santa is reading this, maybe a Therma Rest air mattress will be under the tree :-)!  We begin with a short descent before our last climb to Mt. Cammerer about 5300 feet and then it’s all down hill to Davenport Gap, elevation about 2200 feet…8+ mile hike today…adrenalin is pumping! Reaching the summit of Cammerer, Mike and Ron call the wives and give them an ETA for Davenport Gap…weather is great…sun is shining…we start the last few miles. We meet several groups of hikers on the way down along with the same Ridgerunner we met several days ago. We are starting to hear some road noise…from I-40 which goes right by Davenport Gap…the pace quickens…we’re getting close to the end…about a half mile…we turn a corner and there’s Chuck to finish this incredible journey with us…