Closing The Ring...On The AT From Spivey Gap To Chesota

As has been reported on this blog I went out Monday to final finish an Appalachian Trail (AT) Section, Spivey Gap to Chestoa.
I will do an extensive blog on hiking this section at a future time. Anyway, this AT Section has kind of stood out for me as it would bridge the gap between 130 miles of the trail from Hot Springs to Walnut Mountain Road. Well, not the whole section as I had done four miles from Chesota to just beyond Temple Hill Gap. That left about seven miles to finish, but one that would be hard for an out-and-back. 

I thought I was going to finish a week-a-go Saturday as the scheduled Mid-Appalachian/Johnson City Hiking Clubs joint hike was this 11.2-mile section. Well, Snow Mixer had other plans, so we ended up doing an out and back as far as Temple Hill Gap (snow picture above). So, I knew if I wanted to get it done I would need a shuttle up to Spivey Gap. So, I got one from Uncle Johnny's Hostel & Outfitters. For those not familiar with Uncle Johnny's it is located at the corner of Chesota Pike and Atkins Lane, near where the AT exits the woods and crosses the bridge over the Nolichucky River. It is an outfitter, hostel and offers shuttles to trailheads.

So, I arrived early and met up with my driver Doug. However, out front of Uncle Johnny's I ran into an AT Thru-hiker who I have been following on YouTube, Quicksand on the Trail. Anyway, Doug was the driver who told me the story about the hiker with cowboy boots and his group he rescued from Street Gap. On the way up I got a good look at Spivey Creek Falls and two others I got a glimpse of...waterfall outing?

This was my third time hiking at Spivey Gap, but my first going towards Chesota. I think I might have pointed this out before, but Spivey Gap is where the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club (TEHCC) take over maintaining the trail. So at the 4.9-mile mark, you come to the first shelter maintained by the TEHCC, the No Business Knob Shelter. It is said that No Business Knob got its name as a local tried to get to the top and decried "I have no business here!" The shelter was built in 1963 and is a typical concert block TEHCC Shelter. I was passed earlier by a group of hikers, I thought were more heading to main. It turns out they were, last year, this was a reunion hike as they finished the AT together. I ate lunch and traded stories with them. 

Once I reached Temple Hill Gap I finished the section and took a photo to commemorate the event. Some of the photos will be AT Southbound since I will be doing the AT Section Blog Northbound.