Monson, ME (09/10) to Mt. Katahdin, ME (09/18)

Wow! Its so surreal to be done with the trail and look back on it all! Sorry to those that have kept up with the blog-- I know this last post took me a while, but it also took a while to get back home! :)

Eric and I fell in love with Monson! We ended up staying a couple extra days and we were able to slackpack our first couple days into the 100 Mile Wilderness. Slackpacking is when you hike a day's portion of the trail without a full pack and have rides to and from the trail. The 100 Mile Wilderness is a section (one guess as to how long) right before Baxter State Park... though it isn't really as remote as it sounds. A bunch of logging companies own the land around the trail, so there's a lot of logging roads and tote roads throughout that section that will get you back to civilization. I'm sure at one point, however, it was truly remote. We didn't see much wildlife in that section, though we did hear a couple of moose in rut at night.

Once we finished the 100 Mile, we entered Baxter State Park (our last 2 days). We had been hiking around a very nice guy named T Cat, who was from South Carolina as well, and his dad had come out to meet him for these last 2 days. His dad hiked out hotdogs and fed everyone at the campsite! We crossed over Abol Bridge, which is a famous bridge that Henry David Thoreau use to spend time at. It wasn't quite what I had thought it was going to be-- I had this romantic image of an old covered bridge or something. It was just an old, regular bridge... but it did have an amazing view of Mt Katahdin! Anyways, our last night camping was right at the base of Mt Katahdin. T Cat's Dad had gone out and bought us a bottle of champagne to bring to the top, and a couple of former thru hikers came to our campsite and grilled out for us!!

The day we climbed Mt Katahdin was perfect!! Clear skies, little wind, and not a cloud in sight! We didn't bring full packs to the top-- just some lunch and champagne! It was a 5 mile climb to the top, and it was rather challenging. I think we had so much adrenaline pumping through us though, that we pretty much ran all the way up! We spent a couple hours on top, celebrating and reminiscing of our five and a half month adventure... then made our way back down to the campground to be picked up.

Now that we're all done, there's a lot to figure out and do! I have loads of pictures (about 900-1000) and I really am going to load them onto the blog! I also kept a journal every day we were out on the trail, and am thinking about going back through the blog and filling in the gaps and details... or who know... maybe a book one day! (we'll see)

My mom and Bill picked us up and we went into NYC for 3 nights! Talk about culture shock!! Now, we're back in South Carolina and trying to get things in order for the next chapter of our lives. We definitely fell in love with the hiking culture and lifestyle though, so we're already planning some other long distance hikes we'd like to do- both in the states and abroad. Everyone keeps asking us how it feels to be back in reality, but the Appalachian Trail was one of the healthiest doses of reality I've ever had! Its as real as it gets out there! (Though it is nice to be back in a bed and have access to a shower on a regular basis!) :)

We had such a great support group throughout this entire experience-- from family to friends to strangers to trail angels! We certainly couldn't of had the experience we did without everyone, so I truly can't thank everyone enough! These past few months have been incredible, and its bitter sweet to be done... although, a certain amount of the lifestyle and culture will never fade!

From Caratunk, ME (09/08) to Monson, ME (09/10)

Well... here we are! The last trail town and the beginning of the end! We start the 100 mile wilderness tomorrow, which ends with Mt Katahdin! Not so much has happened since my last blog but I felt it would be appropriate to write one more blog entry! The next time I'm able to write it will be after everything is said and DONE!

We've really enjoyed the trail-- even the hard parts-- but I must admit, we are also ready to sleep in a bed every night and take shower on a regular basis and cook whatever meal we feel like eating instead of what is the lightest! :)

I also want to say that I have kept a journal everyday that we've been on the trail. I'm still not sure what I want to do exactly with all these documented memories, but the idea of a book has been implanted in my mind. Either way, once everything is said and done, I do plan on writing a more detailed description of our amazing journey! I can't wait to be done... and at the same time, I can't believe its almost over! Wish us luck on these last few days!

From Gorham, NH (08/30) to Caratunk, ME (09/08)

Holy cow... home stretch! Southern Maine proved to be just as difficult as the Whites in New Hampshire! The trail was really tough for a while, and it started to feel as if it wasn't going to let up until the end! It did however! Maine has been absolutely amazing! There are sooo many lakes and ponds that the trail goes by! Plus, every time you summit a mountain, you get the killer view of the wilderness around you, plus huge bodies of water everywhere! There were a bunch of fun boulder scrambles in Maine as well! Mahoosac Notch was a mile long boulder field that was a lot of fun to figure your way thru!

We heard from the rest of Chicken Pot Pie... they're about a week or so behind us and might jump ahead and do the 100 mile wilderness with us. We've met a lot of really cool people lately though! We kind of made our way into a whole new bubble of people! Anyways, Caratunk is our next to last town. We'll be in Monson, ME in about 3 days... then we start the 100 mile wilderness (which ends with us celebrating on top of Katahdin!) We ended up pushing our finishing date back to the 18th. We had fallen behind schedule and there was no way to catch up without some serious injuries!

Its so surreal to have this trip come to a close! We're both pretty excited for a life that doesn't involve hiking 15 to 20 miles a day though! :) Well, I'll update in a couple days in Monson! We miss everyone!!

From Hanover, NH (08/18) to Gorham, NH (08/30)

Wow, it seems like so much has happened since we've been in Hanover! New Hampshire is a beautiful state as well! The first couple days of the state was very similar to Vermont- breath taking views on top of mountains that weren't too hard of climbs. Then, we started the Whites... our first mountain in this range was Mt Moosilauke, which so far is my favorite mountain! Most of the mountains we climbed in the Whites were above tree line on top, so there were basically 360 degree views on top of everything! (Having nice views all day really makes climibing 3000 feet more enjoyable and rewarding). After our first mountain in the Whites, we got into the town of Lincoln and stayed at a wonderful hiker hostel called One Step at a Time. It is ran by a guy named Chet and he is a really wonderful person! We had a blast there, and took a day off to prepare ourselves for the rest of the Whites.

Man... did the rest of the Whites kick our butts!! It was still amazing-- there were a ton of weekend and section hikers who were really nice. The mountains themselves however, are no joke!! We basically climbed up and down 3000+ feet everyday! The Whites also had huts that people pay too much to stay in, but the thru hikers can do work for stay and eat left overs... I might have actually gained weight in this part of the trail because of all the good left overs! The "croo" at the huts were also very cool people (for the most part... of course there's always at least one bad apple, but oh well). Mt Washington is the second highest peak on the AT and it took us about a day and a half to get all the way up and over it! We also hit most of the presidential peaks on the way- the AT doesn't actually go over all the summits, but there were plenty of side trails. We had some nasty weather our first couple days out, so we might actually come back and do the Franconia Ridge again so we can actually see what its like on top :) I seemed to have hurt my ankle coming down Washington tho... so we're taking a day off here in Gorham to see if it just needs rest or if its slightly more serious. It was swollen yesterday, but its going down so I'm just taking it easy!

In Chicken Pot Pie news... well, we don't actually know where the rest of the group is. After we left Lincoln, they seemed to seperate from us a little... and either decided they didn't want to hike the White or they're just taking their time threw these mountains- its hard to tell and we can't get in touch with anyone since we don't have a phone. Oh well! Hopefully they'll catch back up, but Eric and I have really enjoyed being on our own and pushing ourselves and meeting new people on the trail. Its been a pretty amazing experience to be on our own again :)

Anyways, we should be crossing into Maine when we leave this town! Only 298 miles left from here!! Its a bitter sweet thought to be so close to the finish. We've had so much fun out here that I don't want it to end too soon... however, I am really looking forward to the future (and regular showers, haha). Watch out Maine... here we come!!

From Dalton, MA (08/05) to Hanover, NH (08/18)

Wow! It seems like so much has happened since I last updated! We blew right through Mass it seemed-- though we found some very nice hostels to stay in. The trail was very nice, and we're back (officially) in a land with some views! Our group started to get spread out by a day or so for the last little bit of MA, but we managed to get back together by the time we were in Vermont.

Ah, Vermont... this was DEFINITELY my favorite state so far. We're getting back into some real mountains (the Green Mountain range was beautiful). The people were awesome, there were once again a few hostels that were really perfect for hikers, and there was Ben & Jerry's everywhere!! The ice cream was also super cheap, seeing as B&J is made in Vermont. It is really a lovely state. We have also been running into more and more south bounders who are thru hiking the AT. Its very intersting to get a glimpse of what is to come and to meet people with a totally different look out on the trail (they're at mile 500 or so, while we're at mile 1700+). There weren't any major wildlife encounters in Vermont-- though I'm pretty sure I heard a moose snorting the other day, which was kind of scary. I really want to see a moose... but I'd rather there be a pond or lake inbetween it and me :)

Anyways, we crossed into New Hampshire yesterday and we're currently in Hanover, though we'll be hiking out later today. Hanover is a interesting town. Dartmouth (the ivy league school) is in the middle of town... so needless to say, the town is rather expensive and not your typical college town. It is, however, a very pretty town. Supposedly Bill Bryson lives here... let's just hope we don't run into him-- after hiking this much of the trail, most thru hikers have lost a lot of respect for his Walk in the Woods... it is a great story... but a real thru hike is drastically different :)

Well, we've showered, done laundry and I personally just stuffed myself at Dunkin Donuts, and now its time to pack everything up and keep on going! We have less than 450 miles left and less than a month! New Hampshire will, I'm sure, prove more difficult than what we've been doing, but we're all looking forward to the Whites! Hope to update again soon!

From Kent, CT (07/28) to Dalton, MA (08/05)

Well, here we are, yet another state down! We're about 1559 miles into the trail with about 619 to go! Everyone feels much better than since the last time I wrote. We all caught the viral-stomach thing, but everyone recovered just fine (though it did slow us down a bit). Claire is also feeling much better! The vet gave her the antibiotics for Lyme's Disease, and its working fantastically!

Connecticut was a very nice state for us! The views were incredible, and the trail wasn't too hard. It was, however, a very crowded part of the AT on the weekends... which sometimes made finding a campsite a little harder for us. We've encountered some very hiker friendly towns lately. Lee, MA was probably the best so far! Everyone talked to us and wished us luck... we even had an older guy buy us some strawberries and he drove around town until he found us to give them to us! Apparently, from here on out, the towns are much more welcoming to hikers (and probably a little more outdoorsy than the NJ/NY area).

Not really much else to report from this week. We're very close to the Vermont border. After that, the trail is suppose to become a little more difficult again with the Presidentials and the White Mountains. :) We're very excited though. We're hoping to pull out some big miles again until then, so we can slow down and take our time through the more difficult sections.

We miss everyone and we're just over a month from being done! That realization hasn't completely sunk in yet... its going to be a little odd readjusting!

From Culver's Gap, NJ to Kent, CT (07/19-07/28)

Alright!! We're in our final 5 states!! We blew through New Jersey and saw A LOT of bears. We saw 2 adults and I'm pretty sure we walked by a bear den with 4 cubs one day... we ran out of that area tho in case mother bear came back while we were around! New York was incredible, but a little harder than most of us expected! The trail thru PA and NJ was mostly rocky, but they were little rocks that really hurt the feet. The rocks in New York were huge, and you were pretty much rock climbing up and down them. It was actually a fun change of pace on the trail.

Jesse (i.e. Mr. Tea) is back on the trail, so the five of us are together again! We just got into Connecticut yesterday and got into town today! I got really sick a few days ago on the trail (luckily we were taking a zero day, which is a day that we do zero miles, haha). And yesterday, Eric seemed to get the same thing. We think it is just a viral bug tho and not related to water or food (otherwise it would have been way worse and lasted longer than a day). Hopefully he feels better by the end of today, and we're not hiking which should help. Claire, Laura (i.e. Speakeasy)'s dog, seems to have fallen a little ill as well. We're taking her to the first vet clinic we find (which should be tomorrow) and getting her tested for Lyme Disease. :( I hate to leave everyone hanging on that note, but we'll know soon enough, and luckily there is a treatment, so she'll be alright.

Well, that's all for now! I've got to get off the library's computer and finish laundry! :) Miss and love everyone!

p.s. Sandy! We realized Kim had left her headlight. She already replaced it, so she should be fine, but I'll double check with her and see if she wants it mailed out... otherwise, its all yours!

From Boiling Springs, PA to Culver's Gap, NJ (07/04-07/19)

Wow! So lots has happened since the last time I updated! Eric and I left Boiling Springs alone. The girls went home for a week to work and Jesse is still off the trail (also working). We had a lot of fun spending some time alone on the trail... but it was a rough week! Pennslyvania was full of rocks (really painful ones that were no fun to hike over), and it was REALLY hot, and there was a major lack of water on the trail for about 2 weeks. We got into Duncannon, PA where we stayed at the Doyle Motel. It was 105 years old and the motel was above the bar. The people there were awesome and very hiker friendly. We also met Trailangel Mary, who lived right down the road, and helped us get to the grocery store. She's part of Billville, and they were doing a big hiker feed the following weekend, but we unfortunately couldn't make our way back for it. We had some more trail magic leaving there when a younger couple we met gave us a 6 pack of Blue Moon :) Eric was pretty excited about that!

Anyways, we made it into Port Clinton, PA and Jesse came to pick us up and take us to Pittsburg for a couple days. We stayed at the Port Clinton Motel, which was another bar with rooms, but we had a blast meeting and talking to the regulars there. The bartender Ed was great! The girls met us up there, along with Eric's brother and his fiancee. I finally have met his family!! His brother, Eli, and fiancee, Julie, were very nice and we had a blast in the city! We played a little frisbee golf, we walked around downtown (or rather in the REI), and hit up a few bars our last night there. We stayed with Jesse's sister and cousin who lived in the city. It was really fun, and I know Eric really enjoyed getting to see Eli!

So, the four of us (me, Eric, Left It, and Speakeasy... and her dog Claire, so five really) are back on the trail together, which makes things so much easier! We've continuously battled the rocks of PA and we're so excited to be done!! We crossed the border into New Jersey a couple days ago. New Jersey has been interesting so far. Our first stop in the state is here. There were a couple taverns and restaurants around the intersection with the trail. The first place we went to, we were told (very rudely) that we would have to stay outside if we wanted anything. We left JYBS (the name of the place), with a foul taste and were starting to think that NJ was going to be just as sterotypical as its played out to be. After being called "pungent" by the bartender and having a couple of low life types tell us to "try soap and water" we assumed NJ was not going to be friendly and we should just try to hike right on through.

We went next door to a family restaurant, and we were treated WORLDS different!! The bartender was super nice to us, they had a hiker log, and we met some really friendly and interesting locals. We actually befreinded a man named Chris, whose family (wife Sandra and son Jullian) took us in and gave us an AC filled room to sleep and showers and whatnot. They have been really great, and we're getting ready to take off from their house now. They treated us amazingly, and we had a good time drinkin with chris and hanging out with Jullian! New Jersey has started to redeem itself with people like this!!

Well, all for now! We should be able to update sooner next time!!

From Harper's Ferry, WV to Boiling Springs, PA (06/28-07/04)

Wow! What a TOUGH week! Eric, Mr. Tea, and I completed the four state challenge!! We started hiking at 1:30 in the morning on monday and finished at 11:30 that night. It was 43.4 miles, though we probably hiked a couple extra miles (to get water, check out a view or two, and we went down the wrong road at one point in the dark). It was really hard, but luckily Left It had her dad's car for the day and helped us out by bringing food and gatorade and whatnot. Her and Speakeasy's encouragement helped a lot. We took it easy after that because our bodies would have revolted if we hadn't! Mr. Tea left the next day-- he's going home to work while we hike the state of PA (since he lives here and can finish it later). Its a bummer to lose him even for a little while!

So, Chicken Pot Pie is temporarily reduced to 4. We hiked into Boiling Springs and my dad and Karen drove up from South Carolina to spend the 4th of July weekend with us!! We've had a blast hanging out with them! They got us a room for the weekend at a Sleep Inn (which is WAY nicer than anything we're use to staying in) and brought us normal clothes and my computer :) We also were fed very well this weekend, thanks to the Cracker Barrel next door!

We actually went to the Hershey Amusement Park today to celebrate the 4th! It was great!! We spent the day riding coasters and eating delicious carnival type food. Surprisingly the amusement park isn't full of chocolate. I was expecting to dance in chocolate fountain or something!! :) Anyways, its been a great weekend getting to see family again. The rest was well needed after that challenge! (I don't think I'll ever recommend anyone do it... though I don't regret it). We feel encouraged and energized and we're ready for the rest!!

The girls are leaving tomorrow for a week in order to work as well. It should be interesting for Eric and I to hike and camp alone again for a week. Our group has been together since Hot Springs!! I'm really looking forward to a little time alone though, but we do look forward to having the group back soon!

In financial news, we should be alright from here on out as long as we're better about not spending so much time in towns! We have our usual errands we have to run (laundry, a shower, and grocery shopping)... but we've decided we have to get into town early so we can get back on the trail and not get a hotel room! We also had some help from both family and some friends who know how thankful we are!

Well, that's all for now, and I can't wait for part 2!

From Luray, VA to Harpers Ferry, WV

Woo Hoo!! We are over 1000 miles and 5 states in! For the past week we did our canoe trip. It was a lot of fun, but not near as relaxing as we all thought it would be. We did get to rest our feet and legs for a week (which we all needed), but our arms were not use to the workout we got! The water was kind of low and not flowing very fast, so it was a decent amount of work. Still a great time! We basically just floated down the river most days and partied. (Some more than others).

We got to Harpers Ferry and we're staying with Hotsauce. It was so great to have him back with us for a week, and we're certainly going to miss him (again). He let us stay at his mom's house, so we got to shower and do laundry and what not. Eric has family in Maryland who came and picked us up from Harpers Ferry and we're staying with them for the night. His aunt Susan and uncle Bobby Joe. They're super fun and nice!

Our next big goal is the four state challenge! We actually have to backtrack maybe 2 miles from Harpers Ferry to the VA/WV border. We hike from Virginia, into West Virginia, through Maryland, and into the Pennsylvania within 24 hours!! I believe its around 44 miles in 24 hours! It will be intense if we do it, and we're certainly going to try our best! We'll be starting this Sunday at midnight (06/27) and go until monday at midnight. Then I'm sure we'll crash and burn for a day :)

Overall we're doing very good! We are a little worried about finances sometimes... this trail has proved to be much more expensive than we planned. Actually, the trail isn't so bad... but a hotel when we're in towns and gear replacement, and laundry, and food certainly adds up very quickly! We might end up begging for some extra money before the trail is over!! Well, that's all for now! We miss everyone and can't wait to update everyone again!

From Daleville, VA to Luray, VA

Welll, its been a while since an update, so I will do my best to remember the important things! After I'm done with the trail, I think I will go back and insert dates and details that I may not have written about. I've been keeping a journal and have written every day that we've been out here! We've had a few people tag along with us, but for the most part we've stuck with our little group. Its so nice to be doing this with people that we get along so well with. We have encountered ALL types of people out here, some good and some not so good. A lot of people talk about having the "Virginia Blues". This is a very long state (there's almost 500 miles of the trail in this one state), but we haven't really experienced it. We hiked along side the blue ridge parkway for almost 100 miles and then Skyline Dr up until now. The views have still been incredible, but being so close to the roads mean that the trail has been rather crowded with day hikers and section hikers. You'll feel like you're out in the middle of no where and then a motorcycle group will pass 100 feet away on a road you can't see but can hear. Its kind of bizare. I'm ready to be back in the middle of no where :)

There's been some great trail magic though! There is a bed and breakfast somewhere between Buena Vista and Waynesboro called the Dutch House which picked up hikers and fed us an amazing lunch! (I can see how people would get stuck there-- their hospitality was up there!) Then, we met a couple who were just out for the weekend and they gave us their number for when we got into Waynesboro in case we needed a ride. We called, and they actually came and picked us up! Not only that, but they then drove us all around (to the outfitter, the grocery store, they even ate chinese with us for lunch). They then offered us to stay at their house and do laundry and shower and what not. Alan and Janet were very kind to open their home to 5 stinky hikers :) It was actually one of the more relaxing stops for us because we weren't frantically running around trying to get all of our "town erronds" done.

Shenandoah National Park has been nice so far (minus being close to Skyline Rd). We've seen all kinds of wildlife-- a couple rattlesnakes, lots of deer (even a bnuck), and there's been lots of bear sitings, though none for us while we're hiking. We did however have our camp get circled by a big bear for a couple hours in the middle of the night. That was pretty nerve-racking. There's been a lot of campgrounds and stores the trail skirts, so we've been able to eat a couple of real meals lately! Now that we're in Luray, we start our canoe trip for the next 6 days! We're very excited and Hotsauce is even back!! (Though just for the canoe trip) We've really missed him so the group is back together and about to be on the water! I'm excited for the change of pace!! That's all for now but I'll update again in Harper's Ferry, WV and let everyone know how the aqua blazing went!

From Pearisburg, VA to Daleville, VA

Wow! So this section of the trail is probably my favorite so far! (Even though I said the same thing when I was surrounded by mini ponies in Grayson Highlands, hehe). The views lately have been absolutely spectacular!! Of course... the hiking to get to these views has been very intense, but at least its rewarding when you get to the top! Our group is still going strong! We really miss Hotsauce but we'll see him soon in Harper's Ferry :) We're planning on doing a little rafting trip in a couple weeks, to change the pace a little. I finally got a new pair of shoes! My original ones lasted for 700 miles, which is awesome, but I was in some serious need of new shoes and socks. My heels got rubbed raw on the way into town a yesterday, so it was just in time! Eric's family has been really supportive and we wanted to thank them for that, along with my family, and all our friends. Its been so great to get e-mails and messages from people. It really keeps us motivated! That's all for now! We'll be back in a town in the next week or so and we'll update again as soon as we get to another computer!

Love and miss everyone!

From Trail Days to Pearisburg, VA

Wow! So much has happened since Damascus. Our group (aka Chicken Pot Pie) has been doing great. There's six of us total, including Eric and I. There's Hotsauce, Speakeasy, Left It, and Mr. Tea. We've done really good about sticking together. We hiked a little bit of the Virginia Creeper Trail, which was absolutely beautiful! Once we got to Adkins, The two girls had to get off the trail for Left It's brother's high school graduation. It was kinda a bummer to see them go for a week, but we knew we were getting them back! Plus, Left It's feet were pretty bad, so she needed to get off them for a couple days. We had some pretty nice campsites lately- we camped on an island one night! Anyways, as we were hiking into Bland, VA we got picked up by a chuch for some trail magic. Hotsauce cut on his phone and found out that his brother had been hurt while in Afghanistan, so he has left the trail to spend time with him and help with his recovery. His brother lost a leg, but we all hope that his recovery will go well. We will see Hotsauce again once we get to Harper's Ferry, but it was certainly a sad day to see him go. From Bland to Pearsiburg it was just us and Mr. Tea and we've been hiking with some different people which has been nice. The girls came back on the trail yesterday, so Chicken Pot Pie has been reunited :)

Well, that's all for now. I have to let other people use the computer so I'm signing off! Until next time...

Trail Days

Wow! What a blast Trail Days was! I still think that Hot Springs was a better time overall, but Damascus definitely was a good time. We stayed in "Tent City", which was packed of both current and former thru hikers/section hikers. Saturday was the big parade... which was basically just a giant water balloon fight between the hikers and the townies. It was a blast! There were vendors there (and eric and I bought kilts for the rest of the trail), along with free gear repair. There were bon fires and drum circles and dancing and food! Everyone got a chance to rest up and heal the feet, which was crucial! The town is pretty cool for letting so many hikers just come in and pretty much take over their town for a weekend. Good times indeed!

From Erwin, TN to Damascus, VA

YAY!! We made it to Trail Days!! This is a 3 day festival for hikers here in Damascus, VA. There's a bunch of vendors selling gear and they also have tents set up for free gear repair along with a bunch of other services for hikers (like showers and foot massages and food). The hike from Erwin to here was hard. There were some beast of mountains, but the scenery was breathtaking! I wish I could figure out how to get pictures on the blog instead of just facebook. I'm sure I'll eventually figure it out.

I only have 15 minutes at a time at this particular internet cafe... so its really hard to recollect everything on a time limit! We saw a rattlesnake... in fact, Eric about stepped on it! I saw a bear cub and hauled because I didn't want to see mamma bear! That's really about all the "scary" wildlife we've encountered so far though. We have an amazing hiking group right now. There's 6 of us and we call ourselves Chicken Pot Pie (long story from Hot Springs).

Anyways, we're doing well! I about had a mental breakdown one day after going uphill for 3 days (or close to it), but I managed to get over it (literally). Physically, we're both doing well. Our feet are good and my ringworm is about gone :)

We hiked 26 miles to get to Damascus yesterday (its friday the 14th today) so I'm still a little tired from that. Anyways, I'll hop back online before we take off on Sunday and update again. We've really apprecaited all the support and all the people that are sending us messages! Keep the love coming people! We'll continue to need it!

Hot Springs, NC to Erwin, TN

Hey there!! Well, here we are in Erwin, TN. We crossed our 300 mile mark and still expect to be in Damascus, VA in time for Trail Days (May 14-16). We had an absolute blast in Hot Springs!! The Springs were amazing and there was a cool music festival there that we got into. It was good times all around! We've got a group of 7 that we've been hiking with for a couple weeks now. Its a good group- we have way too much fun out here!

I tried to get pictures on this blog but was unsuccessful, but I do have pictures on facebook, so check those out! Eric got a mohawk here in Erwin, and it actually looks good! I got ringworm on the trail :( Its not really a worm, but it is a fungus... and its kinda creepy! Woof!

The trail has been absolutely beautiful lately! Plants are blooming and we're finally seeing some green instead of brown. We've been crossing small waterfalls and the trail has been going over ridgelines so we get some killer 360 views! We'll have some more pictures posted on facebook later and we'll be sure to check in soon! If nothing else, we'll update everyone in Damascus.

Gatlinburg, TN to Hot Springs, NC

We're done with the Smokies!!! YAY!! They were brutal! It was cold and wet every day but one since Fontana. We got sleeted on, saw snow on the ground, and had to deal with all the rules of the national park. We couldn't set up our hammocks, we had to stay in shelters which was awful being packed into a wooden box like sardines. We're here in Hot Springs now though and I definitely soaked for about 45 minutes as soon as we got here! It was pretty darn amazing :) There's also some music festival going on right now. Its expensive but you can also hear the tunes on the other side of the fence anyways! haha

Mom and Bill are here this weekend so it's nice to hang out with some familiar faces. We've been averaging about 15 miles a day lately so we're making up some time and it looks like we should still be in Damascus, VA for Trail Days (May 14-16). Eric got a new backpack as well... I'm currently going back and forth with Kelty about returning their awful backpacks. We'll see if they're willing to work with me though. (woof)

We're still very motivated and our spirits are still high. Of course, getting all the e-mails and messages certainly helps. We love all the support and think its really cool that people are keeping up with where we are. I'm trying to get some pictures posted but it might be the next stop before that happens.

Fontana Dam, NC to Gatlinburg, TN

Alright! We've made it into our 3rd state and we've also broken 200 miles on the trail!! We're about half way done with the smokies but had to get out and come to town to resupply. It also was an awful day weather wise so that really doesn't help us run back out to the trail! Its becoming more and more awkward to stay in a town over night. It always feels a lot longer than a night or day. We've really been motivated to stay on path. We're still behind schedule a little bit but we're catching up with ourselves. We should be in Hot Springs on the 30th instead of the 28th but we're figuring that out tonight :)

I also realized that sometimes I make this sound a little too glamerous, so just so ya know... I had some crazy blisters about the 2nd week, tho I have manage to go without them since. Eric's feet have been good this whole time. We stink something awful, haha! My new pack fits amazing so no more complaints in the back department. We're having to redo our food plans because neither of us are getting enough calories or fat or protein... so I tend to get cranky late in the day :(

Of course there's some bad, but it certainly hasn't outweighed our good! We continuously meet new people who are almost always worth meeting. The scenery has been incredible and one of these days I'll figure out how to load pictures to this thing! The Smokies (while incredibly hard) have by far been some of the most breath-taking views yet. Those long climbs are worth it!

Well, its time to do some laundry and lay in a bed!! I'll try to update again in Hot Springs if not before!

From Hiawassee, GA to Fontana Dam, NC

YAY!!! We've made it into North Carolina and we're a little over 150 miles into the trail! This will be a quick post because I'm borrowing someone's computer. Our initial hiking group has gotten a little broken up (due to paces). Jesse is about a day ahead of us and Yum Yum and Clint are about a day behind us. We've met a ton more people and we've had some fun nights for sure!! In Buringtown Gap, NC there was some amazing trail magic from some kids that work at the REI in Atlanta. They had food and a keg of beer and glow in the dark botchiball for night play :) We've pushed really hard the past 2 days and we're trying to make up for some time. We're still about 2 days behind our original schedule. We're about to go thru the smokies (starting tomorrow) and once we get to Gatlinburg we'll be able to judge how far ahead/behind we are.

Hope everyone is doing well! We'll certainly continue to update our blog as much as possible! Love you!
-Tiny Dancer (michelle) and Salty (eric)

From Springer Mountain, GA to Hiawassee, GA

Wow! What an adventure these first 70 miles have been! My Dad dropped us off at Amicola Falls and we've been on the trail for a week now and we've met some really cool people. We've been hiking with a small group for the past couple days and we all have a good pace so this might be the beginning of a really solid hiking group. We have Yum Yum (a girl with the same birthday as me!) and a guy named Herro and another guy named Tea Bag. Haha, he wanted his trail name to be Sun Tea but that didn't stick :) My trail name is still Tiny Dancer and Eric started out as Batman but is now known as Salty.

We ran into some nasty weather going up Blood Mountain (right before Neels Gap, GA) but it only lasted the day. We've been blessed with some nice blue skies the rest of the time. The temperature definitely dropped but its still not that cold.

We've had some incredible Trail Magic as well. There was a boyscout group at Tray Gap that were giving thru hikers all you can eat hotdogs hamburgers fruit chips cookies... I could go on! I sat and ate for about 2 hours, hehe! The best trail magic so far though has got to me my mom!!! My backpack does not fit me at all... it is WAY too big and it digs into my back and tailbone. Needless to say, I can't hike much further with it. So, mom is actually going to The Backpacker today at 10 and then driving up to Hiawassee to meet me and switch out my packs. She's an incredible woman and probably just saved me on this trek! :)

Its really hard to put into words how we feel. Its still a little surreal being out here, and even more so to think that this is only the beginning of a very long adventure. I think that with the crowd we have, we can really keep each other motivated in the hard parts and really live up the fun in the good parts!

As for now, that's all I have. Our next stop is the Nantahala Outdoor Center in NC but I doubt I'll be able to get online. We'll be in there another 5 to 7 days and then we stop in Fontana, NC and then Hot Springs, NC. We're about a solid day behind our itinerary and considering we won't be able to hike today until mom gets here we'll probably be a little more behind. However, with a new pack and being well fed and showered here in Hiawassee we might be able to make up some of that time. We'll keep you posted as we figure it out!

Love you all!!!

First Stop

Yay!! We made it to Neels Gap, GA! I'm gonna make this quick cuz I'm using someone's phone. We had our first day of nasty weather so we got a cabin with 2 other guys. We're having a great time and I can't wait till our next stop so I can update with more details!

Ok, quick update on the mailing info... we will not be picking up mail at Delaware Water Gap (at the Edge of the woods outfitters). Instead we will pick up at:
Michelle Shealy
c/o Ye Olde Backpacker
45 Penn St.
Port Clinton, PA 19549
Please hold for AT Hiker
ETA 07/08/10

That's all for now... Its our last day before the hike and I am definitely in freak out mode... There's still plenty to do!

Yay!! I think I finally figured out how to post both our itinerary and mailing information... Let's see if this works

AT Itinerary: http://www.mediafire.com/file/zmindeammyy/AT Itinerary.xlsx Itinerary.xlsx

AT Mailing Information: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ygmmtdyt1er/AT Mail Drops.docx Mail Drops.docx

If you decide to send a care package or letter, please be sure to read that first page about how to address it. Thanks!!

Getting Ready

Well, I think its safe to say that the countdown is on. We start our hike Sunday, April 4th. I'll have an itinerary posted some time tonight or tomorrow along with information about mailing packages and what towns we'll be updating this blog and whatnot.

We finally have all our gear (actually, we're still waiting a two packages in the mail but should be here in the next two days). We were struggling to find everything and it was looking like we were going to have to buy some gear online and other stuff here and other stuff there... it was getting overwhelming. A friend of ours told us to stop by The Backpacker, which is a locally owned business in Columbia. It turned out to be our gear heaven! Rieppe helped us rummage through the store, and with the one stop we were able to get pretty much everything (minus the two boxes of stuff already in route in the mail). Check them out at www.backpackerqualitygear.com

So, needless to say, we owe a HUGE thank you to The Backpacker for having everything we needed and to Rieppe for all of his help!

Trial Post/Intro

Hmmm... ok where to start...

Well, Eric and I live in St. Thomas (the US Virgin Islands). We met down here in June/July of 2008 and are currently engaged. We got interested in hiking the Appalachian Trail through a series of events and have been planning for this for almost a year and a half now. We've been trying to figure out the best way to keep in touch with all our friends and family, and so far blogger seems to be the best option so we're trying it out now. :)

As we hike and stop in towns to restock, we'll also be looking for internet access in order to post blogs for everyone. That being said, we're not sure how often we'll be able to update our status and share pictures and stories and so forth... but hopefully those that are interested will be able to have a pretty good idea of where we are and how we're doing.

So we'll go from here...