Day 14

03/14/12 - Nantahala Outdoor Center / Bryson City - 137.1 miles

Nero day #2, and day #4 for some serious trail magic!  Walked the .8 miles this morning into the NOC and met up with Dr. Bruce and Glenda.  Oh my gosh!  They did everything for us!  Got us a hotel, food, laundry, lunch, resupply, more food, dinner, ice cream and more laundry.  So incredibly generous.  Right now I'm in my own room with a king sized bed.  Unbelievable and definitely trail magic.  I am so blessed by them and thankful for their kind and loving hearts.  For real.

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Day 13

03/13/12 - A. Rufus Morgan Shelter - 136.3 miles

16 mile day!  And third consecutive day of trail magic.  Day one was the tub, yesterday a former thru-hiker (Socks) had McDonalds on the trail, and today at Wesser Bald a group from Snowbird came up for a day-hike and gave us food.  One of the girls, Stride, was a former thru-hiker.  Today started off cold and wet and ended dry and warm.  It's already starting to get hot.

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Stride also went on to thru-hike the PCT in 2012.  You can check out her two thru-hikes here.  Congrats, Stride!  And thanks for the Lucky Charms on Wesser.

Day 12

03/12/12 - Past Wayah Bald - ≈120 miles


So cold.  So wet.  My fingers are just barely able to write anything.  About 30 minutes ago I was in convulsions and could not strike a match.  Fingers just weren't moving.  Now I'm in dry clothes (ish) and my sleeping bag.  Definitely a whole 'nother level of difficulty here on the AT.  Our first full day of rain.

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I walked to the mailbox today and was so excited to see the March/April '13 issue of AT Journeys waiting for me!  Then I looked inside...

Day 11

03/11/12 - Rock Gap Shelter - 106 miles

We have walked over 100 miles!  Feels great.  Anna is still feeling a bit sick and uncomfortable.  We both have something like heat rash on the tops of our hands and my ears are peeling from sunburn.  Right now the sun is setting and Anna is curled up in her tent.  I have a fire going and am listening to the birds.  I just saw a large woodpecker.  We are going to try to get to the NOC in three days.  We shall see.  We are camped down below from the shelter.  It is a beautiful evening.  We also had some trail magic today when we came across a tub hanging above the trail.  Inside was a note and homemade cookies from Gingersnap, a 2011 thru-hiker.  So wonderful!
*Weird creepy owl during the night.  Part owl, part wolf.

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Day 10

03/10/12 - Between Carter Gap & Betty Creek - ≈95 miles

Today's hiking was easier than yesterday.  But poor Anna hasn't been feeling too good.  I feel for her and wish there was more that I could do.  And we're both running low on TP.
*Such a still, quiet night.

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Day 9

03/09/12 - Near Muskrat Creek - 81.4 miles

Today was TOUGH.  We got the shuttle out of town and set off towards the anticipated NC border.  I was slow going right away.  I think being in town softened me up.  I got a good night's sleep, but I was so tired on the trail.  Like sleepy tired.  I was struggling.  Anna led most of the day and was doing awesome.  I was crawling.  Exhausted.  Discouraged.  The border seemed so far away.  When we finally crossed into NC, the trail immediately went straight up a mountain.  And for a long time.  It was brutal and my knee was killing me, but it was beautiful as always.  We set up camp just before the shelter on a ridge overlooking the valley below.  Ate dinner as the sun set.  Then Cicada, John, and a few other guys came up from the shelter to watch the sun set.  Romantic moment FAIL.  But it was fine.  Pretty cool guys.  Tonight is a cold one.  Wish I was snuggled with Anna.

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GA/NC border.  This handshake just happened.

Day 8

03/08/12 - Hiawassee - 69.6 miles

Our first "nero" day and first day in town.  We woke this morning to heavy fog and hiked about 2.4 miles to Dicks Creek Gap.  There, the other thru-hikers were waiting to be picked up by the Budget Inn shuttle.  About 13 of us total.  The shuttle came and we got a room with two beds, bathroom, shower, TV & coin laundry!  Ate some breakfast at Huddle House with John and Bread'n'Butter.  Good conversation with them.  Dried out and cleaned up then resupplied at Ingles and ate dinner at Zaxby's with a mint Oreo Blizzard at Dairy Queen.  Did some blogging and now in bed for a nice comfy sleep.  We are exhausted.  When we were walking back from Ingles, GoodDeeds offered us a beer.  I accepted and we talked for a bit with him, Salty, MellowYellow, Chief, and Cicada.  I enjoyed that.

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Months later, Anna and I would still talk about that dinner in Hiawassee.  One of our favorites.

Self portrait as we reviewed our Ingles resupply in a gazebo.