Day 20, Davenport Gap to Goundhog Creek Shelter

As I began walking, I noticed right away some differences in the forest from when I was last there.

Instead of small, just-sprouted leaves on trees, there was a thick canopy overhead. The foliage was also beginning to crowd in on the footpath.

Pine trees were also enjoying the warmer, sunnier weather.

The whole forest was in a growth spurt.

New wildflowers were popping up everywhere. Wild geranium were some of the most noticeable.

As I continued on the trail and got closer to Interstate 40, I could hear the rumble of highway traffic. Thankfully, that didn't detract from the scenery around me.

Before long, though, the path through nature had to yield to man-made pavement as the trail went over the Pigeon River.

The trail then took me under Interstate 40. I had traveled about 240 miles by now, but this was only the first interstate highway the trail crossed. There will be many more to come in the next few months.

I noticed another plant that I had not seen before I took my break from the trail. This one was not a welcome sight. It was poison ivy

The trail continued a short distance before I arrived at a gravel road. Just a couple hundred yards from here was Standing Bear Farm, a hiker hostel that offered accommodations in a bunkhouse and cabins.

I had been there before and noticed some interesting artistic touches were added to make the place a bit more than an ordinary rustic hiker retreat. Nonetheless, it's still pretty rustic.

There was no need for me to stop there today, so I didn't continue to the hostel.

Before pushing on to take on the steepest part of the climb up Snowbird Mountain, I stopped to have a snack. I enjoyed some dried fruit sent to me by my older son and daughter-in-law.

The climb up the mountain soon became strenuous enough to remind me I had been off the trail for several days. The further I went, the more I was reminded.

Early into the climb, a hiker passed me heading in the opposite direction, but she wasn't carrying a pack. She told me she had gotten to the top of the mountain when she realized she had left her phone at Standing Bear Hostel.

Before long, she passed me again, now headed back to the top with her phone in hand.

I saw for the first time another sign that spring was in full course. It was flame azalea blooms. They stood out brilliantly in the sun.

Nearing the top of Snowbird Mountain, which stood at 4,257 feet tall, I noticed that the trees were still not fully leafed out at higher elevations. Spring was a little slower to arrive here.

Finally, I reached a clearing and the mountain's summit.

I have been here several times before, and I've often wondered how a first-time hikers without prior knowledge of Snowbird would react when they saw what appeared just over the crest.

What the hiker would see was somewhat otherworldly, though it had a very practical purpose. The structure was an aircraft navigation beacon operated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Because of the beacon, the mountaintop is mowed to keep it clear. This provides for a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains.

After enjoying the views, it was time to move on. I only intended to hike 9.6 miles today, but I was already starting to feel the effects of my eight-day layoff.

I was also noticing another change on the trail since I left. The temperature was much warmer today.

Getting to Groundhog Creek Shelter took longer than I expected. The heat and being out of shape were the main reasons, but it didn't help that there were several blowdowns across the trail to step around.

The remainder of the trail was smooth and downhill.

By the time I reached the shelter, several hikers were already there. I met Austria, Brooklyn, Tin Man, Hillbilly, Spring Break, Fireproof, and Glow Worm.

Hillbilly and Glow Worm are both section hikers. They only plan to go to Damascus, Va. Hillbilly completed a thru-hike in 2014.

Glow Worm said she will be enrolling in law school after she gets off the trail.

As I prepared to go to bed, I found one more change I will need to make as I get readjusted to the trail.

I was dehydrated and cramping. I knew immediately I will need to increase the amount of water I drink during the now warmer days. I may also need to add an electrolyte supplement to the water.