Day 3: Back to the Real World
Where’s the Sunrise?
Our alarms woke the four of us up at 5:15 AM, as planned. We wasted little time in disassembling our tents and repacking our packs amidst the morning fog. We were on the trail by 6 AM, making our way to Myrtle Point to watch the sunrise. When we completed our journey, the fog had not cleared up as we were hoping. Wind, clouds, and a decisive lack of view buffeted us on the rocky Myrtle Point. Fortunately, we were so pleased with our luck on the trip otherwise that we were unshaken. Our quartet happily devoured breakfast while enjoying fleeting views of the mountains below.
A Long Trek Back
From Myrtle Point, we faced a 7-mile hike back to the car. Despite our general exhaustion, the lovely morning weather reinvigorated us. The steady downhill trek made us happier, too.
As we lost elevation, the fog and clouds cleared up and the mountains reappeared. This allowed us to catch solid views of our surroundings as the mountains peaked through the trees. The rugged Boulevard Trail guided us back through scenery we’d seen the day before, which looked entirely different in the morning light.
While we navigated the trail, our enthusiastic conversations drowned out the sounds of the forest. We talked about movies, our plans for the summer, quirks of New Zealand vs. the United States, and plenty more topics. We didn’t see another soul on the trail for hours, but encountered other people once we neared the Appalachian Trail.
After reaching the Boulevard Trail’s intersection with the Appalachian Trail, we quickly completed the final three miles of hiking to reach the car. Maria and I began noticing trail-induced aches throughout our bodies. Her feet and back hurt, while my shoulders screamed at me and my left knee throbbed with every step I took. I was ready to sit down in the car for a few hours: my body had evidently had enough.
We finally reached the parking lot around 11 AM. We had completed over 7 miles of hiking in just a few hours – 23 over the whole weekend – and our bodies felt it. While the prospect of leaving the park saddened Maria and me, we were undoubtedly ready for a nice shower and fresh clothes.
Hannah and Sam bid Maria and me farewell, and we parted. Hannah and Sam were continuing east to Asheville, and Maria and I were headed northwest to return to Indiana. On our way out of the Great Smoky Mountains, we stopped at the park’s Sugarlands Visitor Center and bought ice cream in Pigeon Forge. Then, we began excitedly calling our relatives and friends to tell them the news…
“MARIA AND I ARE ENGAGED!!!”
In Conclusion…
I could not have asked for a better, more perfect engagement. Great Smoky Mountains National Park means so much to Maria and to us as a couple, and proposing in such a beautiful spot at Charlies Bunion with nobody around but Hannah and Sam was the best way I could have thought to do it.
Maria and I will continue our national park adventures together. Nature brings us closer together, heals us, and inspires us. We will never abandon our shared passion for the outdoors. “Paul in the Parks” is a slightly misleading title for this website, since I fully intend for Maria to be present for most of my future adventures. She shares my goal of visiting every national park, and you best believe we will pursue that goal vigorously together.
— Paul
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