Fontana to Russel Field

Last night Nothai and I walked down to the dam and watched the sunset. He is afraid of heights and it was funny to watch him. Even when I bent over to look down over the edge, he would get chills vicariously! A bunch of others came to the dam for the sunset as well. It wasn't nearly as awesome as the postcard in the visitors center, but it was pretty cool. Screefreak and I bought a bunch of chips and dip and wine coolers after Chef sprung for hot dogs and buns. We hung at the huge fire that someone made. There are a bunch of people here. Nano's sister and brother in law joined him here to hike with him through the Smokies.
Woke up to watch the sunrise with Nothai, Sky and Bluto. Bluto's leg still hurts a lot and he is not continuing with us, needing to go to a doctor if another zero day doesn't fix it. Chef, Nothai, Andy and I also left this morning without Screfreak because he is picking up his girlfriend from England in a day and then they are hiking the Smokies together. I'm sure we will see him again, fast little bugger he is! We entered Smokey Mountain National Forest and I did my highest mileage day so far, 13.5! It helps to be on fresh rested feet I guess. It was a tough climb though, and it didn't help that Nothai kept trying to get us to go back to the pool! Chef also wasn't feelin' it today and didn't perk up until after lunch. It is so hard to leave 'town'.
The shelter log reported bears at night trying to get food from the bag cables. The shelter is one of the last remaining with metal fencing to keep the bears out (or hikers in)! And in the park, backcountry hikers are required to sleep in the shelter. As we were sitting making/eating dinner, Nothai goes over to go to the bathroom and comes back, "Holy shit! A bear, a bear!" We all jump up and go where he is standing there. And all of us are looking at...no joke, a bear! He was kind enough to stay put for all of us to get some pictures and then ran away. We were very careful to hang every scented item and went to bed without any other sightings. A strange guy is with us tonight, talking about how he wants to sleep outside the shelter and have a pile of rocks handy to throw rocks at any bear that comes up to him. We all discus that this dude is a bit off!