Getting off the mountain last night was one of the best decisions I've made so far. It is amazing what a hot shower and a hot meal can do for my morale. The cabin last night was simple but great. $16 for the cabin plus a few bucks more for a grilled cheese and salad for dinner equals a great night's sleep. I was joking with OWL that if I wrote a book about my adventure I would name it "beer to beer" but I think a more accurate name will be "shower to shower". Even after taking a hiker bath every day (using dehydrated baby wipes) I still manage to have a nice hiker funk going on by the time I get to town. A hot shower is a true luxury!
Old Goat & I got up early in order to be on the trail at sunrise. We decided to slackpack this section in order to stay on schedule. The sunrise was absolutely spectacular as we climbed up Jacob's Ladder. The climb would have been awful with full packs on, but with fresh legs and limited weight in the pack it wasn't too bad. We made really good time overall, but it was a much harder day than the elevation profile hinted at. What we thought was going to be a nice gradual downhill turned out to be a scramble over rocks and trees and eroded hillside. I was tired when we finished but every day I feel stronger.
I saw my first flower yesterday - a little buttercup. 167 miles for one flower - seems worth it. :)
We are going to stay in Fontana for at least one more day. We are about to enter the Smokies, and once we start there isn't a bailout point. The Smokies have the highest elevation on the trail, and it's not someplace I want to weather a storm. There are two weather rumors right now: either rain (and almost freezing temps) during the day, or 6-8 inches of snow. I don't really want to wait - a delay in the plan! - but want to be smart about it. This is supposed to be a fun adventure, after all, and not a "test my survival skills" adventure. There are some people headed up tomorrow. But "zag and the geezers" are holding.
Also - my new sleeping pad arrived via FedEx!!!! And it appears to hold air just fine. I have named it "Princess". So hopefully Princess will last me through the Smokies...and beyond!
This week was really tough. But I knew the trail would be a trial when I started, and I am just trying to roll with the punches and not spend too much time worrying about the "what ifs". Even though it's been hard, the AT has been good to me so far. Every step is a step closer to Maine.
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