Day 27
5/17/12
Flint Mountain Shelter - Low Gap
14.9 miles

We got an early start this day and hustled down the trail, to be able to get lunch in town.  We made it to the town crossing road, but still had 4 miles to get us to the store for re-supply and the cafe for lunch.  We started walking, and expected to see many cars that might give us a ride into town.  We walked about a half mile when the first car drove by.  We stuck our thumbs out and got a ride from a fellow hiker, Michael.  He dropped us at the store for re-supply and we stocked up again.  We also learned from the store clerk that the cafe was closed, so we got some lunch at the store.  As we were finishing up our lunch, we struck up a conversation with another store patron.  He began telling us about the rest of the hike for that day, and offered us a ride back to the trailhead.  We headed back to the trailhead and had a nice talk with a hiker friend's, Mercury, dad.  We continued on the trail and camped that night with some of our trail buddies, Detroit, Screaming Eagle, and Mercury.

Day 26
5/16/12
Allen Gap - Flint Mountain Shelter
17.5 miles

Was a good hiking day, we got an early start and went for it.  There was a challenging section on the fairly moderate terrain today, Big Firescald Knob.  It was a rocky and steep area with great views.  We also met a very friendly and fun lady, Sharon Southall, from Pennsylvania, who we had a nice talk with.  We hope to see you up in Pennsylvania, Sharon!  We hiked with a lot of familiar faces this day, some of our hiking buddies - Detroit, Screaming Eagle, Mercury, Splinter and Bruce.  It was a fun night at the shelter, talking and sharing stories over the campfire.  Everyone was excited when Screaming Eagle brought out his bag of marshmallows to share.  We ate roasted marshmallows and tucked ourselves in for the night.

Day 25
5/15/12
Hot Springs, NC - Allen Gap
18.8 miles

We were excited to hike out of Hot Springs today because we've done a few miles of this day's hike before.  We stopped by a pond, that had a bench overlooking it.  We ate a snack while the pups explored the pond.  It was a peaceful rest stop.  We continued on the trail and walked on a dirt road that overlooked a beautiful meadow and former site of a large farm.  2-Step loved the farm site and was tempted to set up camp in this spot for the night.  We hiked past a busy road near Allen Gap, and continued on the trail to find a campsite.  We found one about a mile away from the road, set up camp and ate dinner.  At about 3AM, when we were both sound asleep, 2-Step woke up and heard footsteps come right through our campsite (we were the only ones camping there) and then walked away.  After the footsteps grew further from the campsite, they came back to our campsite, so 2-Step turned on her headlamp and started moving around.  The footsteps walked away, but 2-Step was a little spooked for the rest of the night.  I was snoring peacefully while this happened.

Day 24
5/14/12
Hot Springs, NC
0 miles

We woke up today in a clean hotel and got some coffee. We went shopping at Bluff Mountain Outfitters, got stamps at the post office, did our laundry, and headed to the library to update the blog, post pictures and get business in order.  We were in contact with 2-Step's parents, who were driving East from Durham, NC, coming from a graduation (2-Step's brother, Matt).  They planned to make a stop in Hot Springs to get dinner with us.  We tried to make our dealings at the library quick, but they dragged on and we decided to stay another night in Hot Springs, to be able to finish our business in town and to see 2-Step's parents.  We eventually finished at the library and waited for 2-Step's parents to arrive.  They arrived around 4PM and we had a nice dinner at the Spring Creek Tavern.  We got to show them some pictures, share some stories and went to the store to re-supply our food.  Her parents headed out of town and we headed to bed, to rest for the next day's hike.

Day 23
5/13/12
Roaring Fork Shelter - Hot Springs, NC
18 miles

Today was pretty miserable.  We got a late start again, and then it pretty much rained all day.  This was 2-Step's first real rain day and she understood why I freaked out every time I saw a grey cloud.  Needless to say, we got a little grumpy with each other and were more than happy to get to Hot Springs and find a place to stay that allowed dogs.  We ate dinner at the Spring Creek Tavern, next to our hotel.  We ordered our food and that first sip of a cold beer and bite of fried pickle was another moment when we experienced tears of joy.

Day 22
5/12/12
I-40 Underpass - Roaring Fork Shelter
15.9 miles

This was a pretty uneventful day.  We got a late start, but made it to camp before dark.  We crossed our first bald today.  We've been on and around Max Patch before, but if felt different coming through having hiked about 250 miles to get there.  It was a cloudy day, but there were a few sun rays coming through for some late afternoon photos.  The hike to the shelter was pretty mellow and mac & cheese was tasty.

Day 20 & 21
5/10/12 - 5/11/12
The Krift Family Cabin in Cosby, TN
0 miles

Since I'd gotten done a day early, we could have gotten back on the trail after the first zero day, but we were waiting on mail from 2-Step's parents.  Thanks for the beef jerky and other treats!  They were delicious while they lasted.  2-Step and I also had a chance to help out another hiker, Punchline, one of our friends from the trail.  I guess he had been trying to catch up with me in the Smokies but I had started a half a day ahead of him and we never saw each other.  He said he was following my posts in the shelter logs and had been asking people if they'd seen me, but it was always a few miles behind me.  He had my phone number, and so when he got out of the Smokies he gave me a call and we were able to give him a place to stay and dry out.  It was funny to talk about how miserable the Smokies had been, but still how enjoyable the experience has been so far.  Shout out to Punchline, although you might be off the trail now?  I hope we can meet up again when 2-Step and I get up to CT.
 
Day 19
5/9/12
Icewater Spring Shelter - I-40 underpass
30.2 miles

Today was the most miserable day of the trail yet, but I broke another personal record.  Until today, 20 miles was my longest hike.  I blew past that like it was nothing to make it a 30 mile day.  The rain started before I even got finished eating my cold oatmeal.  As I slipped my wet t-shirt back on, I was already dreading the 20 miles I had planned.  Once I started hiking it wasn't even a trail.  I was hiking down what I began to refer to as the Appalachian River.  I was literally walking down a stream, stopping every five minutes to defog my glasses, although even with clear glasses visibility was still bad.  Today was supposed to be the best stretch of trail with numerous views and I didn't get to see a single one.  (Hence the lack of pictures from my time in the Smokies).  There was no need to stop so I got done with the twenty planned miles by 3PM.  Maybe it was the cold, or the rain, but about a mile before the shelter I started thinking that I would just hike that last 10 miles of the Smokies and not even have to bother with another shelter.  When I got to the shelter, the rain finally stopped and I even saw my shadow.  It had been so long that when I first saw my shadow it scared me.  At the shelter, I stopped long enough to make sure I had a ride to my family cabin, where 2-Step and the pups were waiting for me.  I then ran down the trail with one thought...get me off the damn trail and into a dry house.  I was a madman cruising down the trail.  I didn't even know it was possible for me to do 30 miles, but I wasn't going to stop to debate my decision.  When I got to the I-40 underpass, I was so happy, and someone had left a bag of candy for hikers where the trail came out to the road.  It was awesome!  Then I realized my phone was out of batteries.  Not to worry though, because the first car I stopped was heading to where I needed to go and they had thru-hiked the trail, so they understood the situation I was in.  Thanks again to Rockafeller and shout-outs to 1-Pace and Mizunga.  You'd been there before and you knew exactly how to make a tired hiker feel welcome.  Thanks for all the help.  When I finally make it to the cabin, 2-Step was waiting with a big, fat plate of bacon pasta.  I'm pretty sure I cried a little bit I was so happy.  I went from miserable to more excited than ever about the miles I'd hiked, the food I was eating, the shower I took, and being with 2-Step and the pups again.  I wen to bed with a full belly and knew we were going all the way to Maine.

Day 18
5/8/12
Silers Bald Shelter - Icewater Spring Shelter
15.5 miles

The wind had picked up overnight and the clouds were so low that I was walking through them.  There were no more views to be seen and I was dreading feeling that first drop of rain.  It didn't take long before the rain started and I shut my brain off and just turned on cruise control.  I did get excited when I passed Newfound Gap and saw the NC-TN border (ha, one of many though, but still exciting).  I also saw a sign with the total miles left before Katahdin and got really pumped when it showed less than 2000 miles.  The next good thing was that I only had three miles left in the day and about 1.5 miles from the shelter, the rain stopped.  Since it was so early, I dropped my pack at the shelter and hiked another mile to a viewpoint called the jump-off that someone had recommended.  I thought since I had seen a break in the clouds I might get a view...nope.  It was a good way to cool my legs off before dinner.  Back at the shelter, i started getting to know my shelter-mates.  Shout-outs to my buddies from Florida, that scotch made my day!!  And guess what...they gave me my trail name.  I'm now known as "The Man With No Name" or "No Name" for short.  It comes from a Clint Eastwood movie.  We'll see if it lasts or if someone will find another one for me.  Thanks guys and I hope the rest of your hike wasn't too wet!

Day 17
5/7/12
Mollies Ridge Shelter - Silers Bald Shelter
17.5 miles

It's different hiking without 2-Step and the dogs.  I have my goal for the day planned out and I don't really stop until I get to camp.  I did see a wild boar, rattlesnake and turkey today.  The views weren't much, since the rain they had been calling for was getting closer.  Every time I got to the top of a climb, the clouds had crept in a little closer.  Eventually it started raining right before I stopped for lunch.  It didn't last long and I started back up as soon as the rain stopped.  I finished up the day pretty quick and had plenty of time to lounge around the shelter before dinner.  I packed only Mountain House dinners, since they are easy to make (boil water and wait for the dinner to re-hydrate).  The shelter was fairly packed by the time it was dark, but I was glad I didn't have to give up my spot.  They don't allow you to camp on the AT in the Smokies.  You have to stay in shelters so I was glad I still had the half-pad that I was carrying for one of the dogs.  It was another early night for me, even though tomorrow was my shortest planned day for the Smokies.

Day 16 - Part 2
5/6/12
Fontana Dam Visitor Center - Mollies Ridge Shelter
10.7 miles

I set a new personal record, 10 miles in 3 hours!!  And it was uphill!  I started the last 10 miles at 5PM and when I checked my phone it was 8PM.  That was enough time to get water and some wood to make dinner.  I was pretty pumped about that, but didn't stay up too much longer after dinner because I had an ambitious few days ahead.  As I was falling asleep, I thought about the most exciting part of the day, which happened to be when I saw a momma bear and her cub.  I was running down the trail on a downhill, with headphones in, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black object on the trail.  I was so startled, I jumped back about five feet and gave a yelp.  When I finally saw the cub, I started backing up immediately, looking for the mother.  I had backed up about nine feet and looked down to my right, to look for the cub again.  I saw it clinging to the trunk of a tree, staring up towards the trail, looking for me.  When I looked past the cub, over my shoulder, I saw the mother, about six feet away from me, looking at me from the trunk of a tree.  When I saw the mother, I started talking to the bears, letting them know I was just passing through.  After that, my mad dash to the shelter was a little less eventful.

Day 16 - Part 1
5/6/12
Cody Gap - Dam Visitor Center
10.2 miles

Part one of the day was a lot of little ups and downs, until we started our descent to the dam.  Not much happened until we got to the Fontana Marina, where we got sick on candy and soda (always worth it)!  We finished the 1.4 miles to the Visitor Center after gorging on candy and I started the sad job of emptying my pack of all items I didn't need, since I wasn't hiking with 2-Step and the pups.  Although my pack felt good, I had heavy feet and didn't want to have to spend the next few days alone.

Day 15
5/5/12
Stealth Camp outside the NOC - Cody Gap
17 miles

Since we had to get to Fontana Dam for 2-Step's ride to my family's cabin on the Northern boundary of the Smokies, we had a long day to keep us on track.  There were a lot of climbs, and that means a lot of descents.  For some reason, when the trail was built, the trail crews felt that hikers needed to see the top of every mountain in all the states it goes through.  And most only have a view of the trees, not the most motivating factor when climbing a mountain.  Climb after climb after climb got us to camp just before dark.  We had enough time to set up before it was too dark to want to even bother.  But we made it our goal and we slept well.

Day 14
5/4/12
Cold Spring Shelter - Stealth Camp outside the NOC
12.4 miles

What a day!  The six-mile, 3000-foot descent to the Nanthahala Outdoor Center (NOC) was the worst!  And we weren't the only ones complaining.  One of the only good things about today was the dank ten-inch pizza and burger that we split, once we arrived at the NOC.  It was also great to soak our feet in the cold river and to get a refreshing Pabst from an awesome couple from Durham, NC; and the pleasant conversation we had. (We never caught your names, but you helped brighten our day, many thanks!!)  When we finally left the NOC, we only made it about .7 miles out before we saw the first campsite and called it quits.  We had received the advice to camp as far away from towns as possible, as sometimes the locals of towns can give you more trouble than any wild animals.  We did camp close to town, nonetheless, and when we rolled into our campsite, we were a little spooked to find a large knife stuck into a tree.  Our imaginations were going a little wild, but our logic and experience were telling us we would be fine.  We went to bed, but were woken up at about 2AM, by a bright light and a disembodied voice exclaiming, "Hi there, I'm just passing through.  I don't mean to startle you, but I live on the other side of the ridge, and I usually come this way after work."  I thought I was dreaming, especially when the voice told us we had picked a good spot to camp and they would be out of our way once they got up the hill from our site.  Little did I know 2-Step was in her hammock ready to help me take out whatever "serial killer" was coming to get us.  Fortunately, that wasn't the case and that was the last event in a long and weary day.  So much for only having weary feet, but hey, that's the life of a thru-hiker.

Day 13
5/3/12
Winding Stair Gap - Cold Spring Shelter
15.8 miles

The climb out of Winding Stair Gap was long, but the day mellowed out afterwards and we made good time.  Stopped for lunch at a small creek and had some cold coffee that helped freshen us up for the rest of the day.  After lunch, we got to an old stone tower that gave us a view of the Smokies, and the highest point on the trail; Clingmans Dome.  It was pretty exciting to be able to see our next goal on the trail.  We were still nervous about not having a plan for the dogs, but we had faith something would work out.  We got a few pictures and were feeling good about the day, so we decided to hike further than planned.  After an uneventful afternoon, we got to the shelter and met back up with Robert, another hiker we've been hiking on and off with.  We also met Punchline, a new face to us on the trail.  We got set up and had a fire going in no time.  So we boiled some water for our dehydrated Pad Thai and listened to The Beatles while we hung out with Robert and Punchline.  We also made a phone call to our friend, Rich, and he was happy to pick up 2-Step in Fontana, so she could spend time at my family's cabin in Cosby with the dogs.  All in all, it was a good day on the trail.  To echo a quote from the Civil Rights era (which we heard while hiking the trail) "My feets are tired, but my soul is rested."
 
Hey folks, just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you.  I'm working on getting the updates for the last couple of weeks, but I've only been on a real computer for just a few minutes at a time at the last few stops.  Hopefully this weekend, when 2-Step and I get to Damascus, VA, I'll get everything updated.  Thanks for your patience and keep checking back to see what's going on!  As always, feel free to ask me questions about whatever you may be interested in knowing if I'm not covering it in my posts.  Until next time, happy trails!
 
Day 12
Franklin, NC
0 miles

This zero day has been awesome.  We got plenty of time to run errands and started trying to find a ride for Missy from Fontana Dam, NC to my parent's cabin in Cosby, TN, near the Northern border of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Because we got behind on our schedule, our friends who were going to watch the dogs, can't do it on the days we would have hiked through the park.  Although we haven't found a ride yet for Missy, one of the calls was to our friend, Rich.  We thought he lived in Asheville, NC, but were more than stoked to find out he lived not even 30 minutes from our hotel in Franklin, NC.  He planned to drive over, and hang out for awhile, after he was done with work.  It was awesome to see you again, Rich.  Glad things are going well out here and hope we can meet up again this summer.  Maybe in New York?  After hanging out with Rich, we had a few more things to do before being able to relax and get ready for hopping back on the trail tomorrow.  The next time I update may not be for awhile, but Missy just got an iphone, and I will try to do some short updates as I can.  Until then, enjoy yourselves and take it easy.

Day 11
Carter Gap Shelter - Winding Stair Gap
15.9 miles

We broke the 15-mile barrier today, and it felt so good.  Not only that, but we completed the first 100 miles of the trail, not even halfway through the day!  We planned on another 12-mile day, and when we got to the planned shelter, it was only 2:30PM.  We took a break and didn't really like the shelter, so we decided to keep heading into town and take a zero day the next day.  We threw our packs back on and headed down the trail, to climb one more mountain and end the day.  When we got to the road, it took us about 25 minutes to hitch a ride, and we were in a hotel room by 6PM.  All I can say is that this day felt so good.  The trail was mellow and the miles flew by.  It felt good!

Day 10 
Muskrat Creek Shelter - Carter Gap Shelter
12.5 miles

Well, the day was pretty mellow, but Missy's foot was acting up, so it made the day seem much longer.  We stopped for lunch on top of Standing Indian Mountain, and met a very friendly retired school teacher.  We had a good conversation about the trail, and our experiences so far.  I hope the rest of your hike that day was a good one, Eileen!  The view from the top was good, but there were so many bugs, we couldn't enjoy lunch, or the view, for very long.  After lunch was the worst for Missy's foot.  A long, downhill grade and high heat, combined to tire out both of our feet; Missy's in particular.  So we stopped at a creek to let Missy soak her bruised foot.  The break was good, Missy's foot felt better, and we continued on.  As we were heading back to the AT from the blue-blazed water trail, I remembered that we wanted to take a picture of a unique rock on the trail behind us.  I told Missy to keep going, and when I got back from the creek to the AT, all I saw was Molly, sitting all alone, whining, and staring the wrong direction down the trail.  Molly is usually pretty good about letting me know where people are, so needless to say, I got a little worried.  I ran down the trail, calling Missy's name, with no response.  I didn't think she could have gotten that far ahead of me, so I turned around and ran North, calling her name, with no response.  The reason I got worried was that with Missy moving slower, because of her bruised foot, I felt she shouldn't have been that far ahead of me.  But the soak was good, and her foot was refreshed, so she was moving quickly down the trail.  Thankfully, I kept heading North, shouting both Missy and Tess's names, and Tess came shooting out from a bend in the trail; Missy was following Tess.  I was so happy to see Missy, that I didn't even mind the hike for the rest of that day.  When we finally did get to camp, we didn't hang out much with the camp crowd.  The day had worn us out in different ways, and we were both ready for bed soon after dinner.

Day 9
Dick's Creek Gap - Muskrat Creek Shelter
11.8 miles

We had lots of energy to start the day, after relaxing in town.  Of course, those Georgia mountains didn't want to give up, and we got tired out quickly before the border.  Once we got to the border, after one of the harder climbs of the trail, we were so excited, our energy picked up just in time for the worst climb of the trail.  As someone wrote in the log book, at the shelter we stayed at for the night, "North Carolina meets you with a kick in the crotch."  Everybody at the shelter that night felt this was an accurate way to describe the climb we had just experienced.  After the climb, we were so glad to be at the shelter, hanging out with some good folks.  What up Guinness and Ryan?  We had a fire and are getting ready for some mellower mountains.  Can't wait for Tuesday, and the first 100 miles of the trail!  Something else exciting happened today, as well...Missy got her trail name!  I named her Two-Step, which relates to the fact that every step I take, she takes two.  (In her own words, "Imagine how hard I must be working, just to keep up with Will's casual pace!")

 
Day 8
Deep Gap Shelter-Dick's Creek Gap
3.9 miles
We woke up at 6AM to get to Dick's Creek Gap by 9AM, for the shuttle to the Budget Inn.  We got there at 8:50AM, and made it to town for our breakfast biscuits.  We had a nice day in town for re-supply and relaxation, but we are excited to get back on the trail again because we cross our first state border tomorrow!  North Carolina here we come!!  We're both excited for our first big milestone on our way to Maine.  Thanks again, Case, for the dark chocolate peanut M&M's.  They are delicious!  

We thought we had more time, but time seems to fly when we are in town, so look for pictures at our next town stop in Franklin, NC!

Day 7
Cheese Factory Site-Deep Gap Shelter
9.4 miles
Because we only had about 9 miles today, we slept in and made pancakes.  We had a pretty relaxing hike, but we did have two decent climbs that already seemed easier than earlier in the week.  We are getting pretty excited about stopping in Hiawassee, GA for Hardee's breakfast biscuits.

Day 6
Low Gap Shelter-Cheese Factory Site
13.4 miles

Our biggest day yet!  We camped by oursleves tonight as most of our friends decided to stop in town for the night.  It turned out to be pretty relaxing and we felt even better after soaking our feet in a cold stream before bed.  As Mr. Coffee said, "You gotta take care of your feet because they're you're wheels."  Although the night was relaxing, Missy wasn't sure about the last six miles.  We had two big climbs at the end of the day, but we did it, and she found she had more in her than she thought.  

Day 5
Neel Gap-Low Gap Shelter
11.5 miles

Missy's foot is feeling much better after some pampering and a couple nights out of the woods.  Today we stopped at a shelter and we got to hang out with some of the friends we've started to make on the trail and had a good time around the bonfire.  What up Mr. Coffee, late start, 2-mules, Wendigo, and Carry-on!?  We're pretty happy to be meeting some good folks already, the nights are warmer and the hammocks are awesome!  The dogs are both doing well and Tess is well fed and back to normal.

Day 4
Woody Gap-Neel Gap
10.5 miles

What an awesome day!  With Missy's foot needing some babying, but us not really wanting to take a zero day only three days in, we decided the slackpack was a good idea.  We were right.  We had such a good hike and the view from Blood Mt. was awesome.  We even saw snow up there!  Once we had gotten to Neel Gap we made a call and got ourselves a small cabin at the Goose Creek Cabins in Blairsville, GA.  This gave us the opportunity to meet the man who ran the cabins and was our ride to our home for the night.  Keith is one of the most pleasant people I've ever had a chance to meet and he was able to tell us all sorts of interesting things about the area.  Thanks again Keith for the hospitality and pleasant conversation!  Say hi every once and a while to let us know how your summer is!

Day 3
Justus Creek Campsites-Woody Gap
6.2 miles

It's been colder and windier than we thought it would be and with Missy's foot hurting her we decided to hitch a ride into town and stay at a hostel near Woody Gap.  What a pleasant surprise that was!  THe Hiker Hostel is run by two former thru-hikers and they have one of the best places a thru-hiker could ever stay at.  They provide a free shuttle to Wal-Mart where I was able to get some more dog food and a few things for Missy's foot.  We felt so good and relaxed hanging out with a few other hikers watching movies and eating Chinese food, we started to think this whole thru-hike thing was gonna be pretty easy (hahaha!).  One of the other hikers even found out we could get help with a slack pack for the next day on our climb over Blood Mt.  Why wouldn't we do that!?

Day 2
Stover Creek Shelter-Justus Creek Campsites
12.2 miles

Last night was colder than we thought and we weren't quite prepared for the almost freezing temps and the cold rain.  Although we stayed dry underneath our tarps we didn't get as restful of a sleep as we had hoped because of the low temperature.  Oh well, what can you do except get up and hike when that happens. And that's exactly what we did!  We didn't mess around with a hot breakfast, we grabbed some granola bars and hopped to it.  Although we wanted to start out with 10 mile or less days we decided to see how it went with a 12 miler.  It turned out to feel longer than it looked, especially for one of Missy's feet.  She ended up brusing her foot pretty bad and by the end of the day was not feeling too good about it.  Another issue we ran into was Tess needing more food than we thought she would.  After the dogs were fed, we began making our dinner, Molly and Tess were begging more than they usually do, and all of a sudden Tess just snapped at Molly!  So after Missy's foot and Tess' hunger freak-out we were kind of feeling a little rough. Although, Tess' hunger is an easier fix than Missy's foot.

Day 1

Springer Mt.-Stover Creek Shelter 
2.8 miles

We woke up to a cool, rainy morning in Helen, GA, where my parents, Missy, the dogs and I were staying.  We decided to take it easy in the morning to see if we could avoid the rain on our first day.  The rain stopped before noon and that was our cue to head on out to Springer.  We skipped the aproach trail up to Springer Mt. because I wanted my parents to be able to hike the first mile up to Springer with us.  The hike was mellow (especially without our packs on!) and the temperature was good for walking.  We got to the top, signed in to the log book and hiked back down to the parking area where we had left our bags.  Once we were all settled and us and the dogs were all loaded up we said our farewells and headed on down the trail!  It had been a hectic week leading up to this day and we were still pretty exhausted from our driving schedule from California to Wisconsin to Tennessee.  Missy and I made the decision to only hike a couple miles to the first shelter we came across and set up for the night.  Our first day out was pretty easy and I'm glad for that now.
 
Hey folks, thanks for following along so far!  We've been on the trail for three days now, and are stopped at the Hiker Hostel in Suches, GA.  Things are good so far, we've already hit rain and pain...so I guess we are going to make it to Maine. (The saying goes, "No rain, no pain...no Maine).  This is just a quick update, to let everybody know we started and we're getting used to life on the trail!  Our next stop will be in five days, where we plan on staying in Hiawassee, GA.  Look for a more detailed update then, about our first week on the trail. 
 
As our time in Mammoth nears its end, I'm left with a bittersweet feeling.  The season was pretty dry and I'm leaving still waiting for winter.  This has helped me get ready to leave only because the snow is pretty much gone already.  I'm also more excited than ever to be hiking, but I'm also sad to be leaving again already because this area of the Eastern Sierras feels so much like home.  As I sit at the top of chair 4 on June Mountain, staring out at Mt. Wood and Mono Lake, I'm constantly thinking about the hikes I've been on and the ones I still want to do.

The friends I've made here feel like my family and it was so good to see and work with them again.  The three-and-a-half months here for the winter season feels too short and I will miss every one of you.  I knew that we had limited time when we moved back out here, but it feels much shorter than I thought.  I can only dwell on the bitter for so long though.  What I really want to take with me when I depart California are the good people and memories we share, the experiences and opportunities given to me through friends and working for Shane Dean at June Mountain (I'm very thankful for every opportunity Shane!) and my love of the outdoors that was re-kindled here.

The bittersweet feelings will only last so long, because before we know it, Missy and I will be on the Appalachian Trail!!  I don't know if I've ever been so excited to do anything before.  I was pretty nervous about it a couple weeks ago, but now all I feel I can really do is just hike it.  I've done as much preparation as I can, and I leave it to the fates the rest of the way.  I can no longer let myself worry about every little thing.  I'm confident I've prepared for most situations we might find ourselves in and if I forgot anything I'll just have to deal with it as I can.  This reminds me of a John Muir quote that seems very fitting for this moment: "But to the few travelers who are in earnest- true lovers of the truth and beauty of wildness- we would say, Heed nothing you have heard; put no questions to "agent," or guide book, or dearest friend; cast away your watches and almanacs, and go at once to our garden-wilds- the more planless and ignorant the better.  Drift away confidingly into the broad gulf-streams of Nature, helmed only by Instinct.  No harsh storm, no bear, no snake, will harm you" (an excerpt from his essay 'Twenty Hill Hollow')
 
First off, I want to apologize for the inconsistency of my posts the last couple of weeks.  It’s “Spring Break Season” here at June Mountain and I felt the need to take my own unofficial spring break.  Part of my spring break consisted of camping a couple nights at the Saline Valley Hot Springs (part of Death Valley National park).  There aren’t many trees available for hammocks, but we rigged something up to help us beat the sweltering, mind-melting heat of the desert.  (when I find the camera, in a box full of our trail "stuff" crammed in the back of our truck, I will post a picture of our set-up)

I felt revived after my much needed break.  It’s been getting harder to talk about the trail the closer Missy and I are to starting it.  After a year of planning for our hike I’m ready to be hiking rather than talking.  With only two weeks to go before we start in Georgia, a trip to the desert with no Internet, cell service, or too many people has helped motivate me to finish up my last week of work in California,  as well as the last minute prep we have for the trail.  Now to get back on track, I believe there was a question about storms from a couple weeks ago that I have to answer.

What do you do when you run into bad weather, like summer thunderstorms?

Hopefully most of the storms will be like the ones that we experienced on day hikes during our brief interlude in Tennessee; afternoon thunderstorms that help to lift the oppressive blanket of heat and humidity, even if for only a brief reprieve.  Some of our more memorable hikes included hail.  It was exciting running from tree to tree, down the trail, dodging bullets of ice that the sky seemed to aim directly at us.  Although there were a few storms where the proximity of the lightning made us nervous, we fully expect to run into more than a few storms this summer that may require us to hunker down until the tempest calms itself.

When a storm does come through that requires us to wait it out, hopefully we’ll be near enough to a shelter that we can settle down under a roof for a while.  Otherwise, we will probably set-up a tarp (if it isn’t already) and wait out the storm while we listen to the rain drum out a beat on the nylon.  This actually reminds me of a tip I learned in high school.  It’s about preventing a lightning strike while waiting out a storm with lightning in close proximity.  Basically it deals with surface area and how much of your body is touching the ground.

If you happen to be waiting out a storm that has a lot of lightning striking close to you, you want to minimize the amount of surface area your body has in contact with the ground.  What you can do is sit on your sleeping pad with your knees tucked up underneath your chin so that you are sitting in the fetal position.  This should leave only your feet and your butt resting on the pad.  What this does is minimize body contact with the ground, which can conduct a lightning strike right into you.  With less body touching the ground, that’s less ground that can conduct the lightning into you.  As for at night, Lisa, pretty much the same thing applies, except that I hope we set our tarps up right so we don’t have to scramble in the middle of the night to keep rain out.

I enjoy a good rainstorm, especially after living in the high desert for so long.  I’m ready to see some storms, but I know there are going to be those times where it’s been wet non-stop for several days and we’re just going to want to get off the trail for a night so we can dry off.  I’m looking forward to that too.  Huddled up in a hostel or motel, gorging on pizza and beer while we dry out and watch T.V. and the world outside gets saturated.  Hopefully that doesn’t happen too many times, but I will be ready for a pizza and beer day, when those storms come in!

 
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE DOGS WHEN YOU GET TO THE NATIONAL PARKS?

I apologize, Mr. Gratch, for taking so long to respond to your question, but I’ve finally gotten around to answering it for you.

Fortunately, there are only three places on the trail where dogs are not permitted to hike.  The first section is the 72 miles of trail that traverses the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park; the second is in New York where the trail goes through a small zoo in the Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park (not sure about the mileage), and the third is the last and final section of the trail within Baxter State Park in Maine which covers about 14 miles.  As prepared as I feel for the trail, this is probably the most unprepared I am on any aspect of the AT.  It’s been hard to plan for potential emergencies involving the dogs, including who can watch them at a moments notice.

Missy and I are lucky enough to have good friends who work as raft guides in Erwin, Tennessee (which the trail meanders through) who volunteered to watch the dogs for us when we hike through the Smokies.  Our plan is to have our friends, Emily and James, meet us at Fontana Dam in North Carolina at the Southern entrance to the Smoky Mountain National Park and pick up Molly and Tess.  We would then hike the 72 miles of the Smokies that the AT cuts through and either have Emily and James drop the dogs off with us once out of the park or (depending on how the dogs are doing) continue watching them for the 103 miles that we have to cover until we reach the section of trail that goes through Erwin where Emily and James work on the Nolichucky River.

The next section that the dogs won’t be allowed to hike is the easiest section to take care of.  The trail has a by-pass for the zoo depending on if thru-hikers have dogs or the zoo happens to be closed.  Some hikers might look down on us for taking a by-pass, but if I don’t have to leave my dogs with someone then I don’t mind at all; especially since the by-pass was marked for hikers with dogs or for zoo closures.  Once we’re past this section we won’t have to worry about the dogs (unless there is an unforeseen emergency) until we get to Maine and Baxter State Park.

Baxter State Park is the last and final section of the trail where the dogs won’t be allowed.  There is a kennel that we can drop the dogs off at for a day or two while we hike the last 14 miles, but Missy and I haven’t really planned that far.  I think we’re hoping that in the 4-½ months that it takes us to get to Baxter State Park we’ll come up with a plan for the dogs.  My worst fear is that the dogs will have to leave the trail early on when we first start and possibly not come back.

This is the hardest thing to plan for.  Right now our emergency contact list for the dogs is a total of one phone number, my brother Case.  We just don’t know that many people who are willing to be on call all summer long just in case the dogs need a break from the trail.  We don’t know when or if they’ll need to leave and that can make it hard for a person to commit to being an emergency contact in case our dogs get injured.  Not that this is what I’m banking on, but I have heard of thru-hikers with dogs speaking with other hikers whose friends or family are willing to help out, just in case something happens and the hikers can’t get someone they know personally to come for a few days.  I love my dogs and I hope this is something we don’t have to deal with, but it is always better to be as prepared as possible.  This is definitely the one aspect of the trail that makes me the most nervous. 

 
Picture
About to drop in on a run, Nirvana, and I had to stop and stare at the big bold face of Mt. Wood, the tallest peak visible from June Mountain.
BUZZZ…BUZZZ…BUZZZ…

…What? What is that?  It can’t be my alarm already.  Why?  I just went to bed…I should
just call in sick today.  I don’t want to get up.  Why do I have to do this, the
sun isn’t even up yet, and my bed is so warm.  I just want to
be…

…Up here, above the deepest, darkest, depths of the oceans.  Above the ambling,
rambling rivers and roads.  Above all of the organic, rooting, crawling,
swimming, walking, flying elements of Earth.  Above all, except, perhaps the
hardiest of plants, bravest of birds, and those searching for the next step, or
the answer, or a fleeting moment where it all makes sense.  Searching and
grasping for anything that you can cling onto for dear life, anything that will
help you take the next step, give you just enough courage to be able to face the
newest challenge.

All of these introspections, dreams, and feelings raced through my body as I stood
on the peak of Mt. Wood.  And then I was ecstatic, standing there on top of the
monolith that seemed to challenge the surrounding environment as if it was a
teenager rebelling against its parents.  I had never felt so good.  Staring out
over the edge of the craggy peak, looking down at where I had started, my head
began to spin and a drunken feeling swept over me.  I was so giddy with
excitement that I could barely contain myself.  I had done it.  I had
accomplished what I wanted to do ever since the first day I worked a chair lift
and looked across the valley to the bold face of Mt. Wood.  Amongst all the
commotion within my body, a great calm began to spread throughout and I no
longer feared the challenges that lay ahead.

On the summit of Mt. Wood I knew that I would be ok.  I knew that what lay ahead
wouldn’t be easy, but I knew I could accomplish whatever I set out to do.  I
knew that Mt. Wood was not the last peak, but merely one of the first that I
would climb and learn from.  These last few weeks, thinking about the thru-hike
of the Appalachian Trail, I’ve found myself dwelling on the day that I climbed
Mt. Wood.  When I begin to get nervous I think about Mt. Wood and everything
that Missy and I have done since then, and I can feel that great calm spread
over me again.  I feel all the anxious, excited nervousness slip away and I
think about everything that we will see and experience, the people we will meet,
and everything that this adventure will teach us.

Some of my happiest moments have been when I’ve found myself lost in the forests and
mountains of the Eastern Sierra.  Knowing it’s just the Earth and I makes me
feel comfortable, more open, and willing to share my thoughts and feelings.  I
know that the Earth won’t judge me and will accept me for who I am as long as I
treat it with the same respect that it shows for me.  I hope to share this with
Missy as we walk, scramble, and climb our way North on the Appalachian Trail.  I
hope to share with her some ecstatic moments similar to the one that I felt on
top of Mt. Wood.  I still get nervous now while I wait to start the trail, but
with memories of Mt. Wood and Missy by my side I know that we can do it and that
when all is said and done we will never look back on this time with
regret…

P.S. Mr. Gratch, I apologize for not answering your question this week.  I felt the
need to take a break from the trail and enjoy the place that I was at and it
made me think about all the memories I had acquired.   Mt. Wood is prominent
among them, especially since I look at it every day at work!  I promise I will
respond this next week.  To those who haven’t asked any questions yet, don’t be
shy; ask away!

I’d also like to ask those interested to give me your e-mail address.  I would like
to get a list of people who I could just send out a quick group e-mail too in
order to inform you of when I make a post.  You can just send an email with the
subject heading of “AT Bound” to [email protected]. Once I get your address I will
send you a notice every time I make a post. 


Thank you to everyone who has posted comments here and on Facebook.  Please keep them
coming!