This is Luke typing from Dragon's Rest Cabins in Robbinsville, NC.
From Thursday in Franklin, Caleb and I have hiked 56 miles to Fontana Dam, NC (which is 163.7 miles up the trail). We met my dad there, who drove us to Robbinsville (about 30 minutes away). He has put us up in this cool cabin, bought our groceries, taken us to a Mexican Restaurant, and cooked us breakfast this morning. He has been awesome.
The trail has been pretty great, too. In these past few days, we have hiked with some cool people. We've met a Harvard student taking the semester off, a singer/keyboardist/guitarist whose semi-famous band just broke up (March to May?), and a guy who lost most of his family in a homicide. The people that the trail attracts is definitely an interesting crowd and it's been fun getting to know them a little better each mile.
Today, we set back off on the trail and will begin the Smokies. We are going to hike for about a week straight and will end up in Hot Springs, NC in about a week. Right now, I know my cousin, Stephen, is planning on meeting us Thursday and if anyone else from the Asheville area would like to meet us, then please let us know! Max Patch is an amazing part of the trail and there is parking right there next to the summit...
The weather has been awesome and we see amazing views everyday. Although we're in the woods everyday, I haven't forgotten how awesome the landscape is around us. It's awesome, and early signs of Spring are showing.
Caleb encountered a mountain he couldn't climb! Well he climbed it, but not in one swoop like he has done every other mountain. During uphill stretches, Caleb leads because he's quicker and I always follow behind. Late in the day, we came to a mountain that wasn't listed in our guidebooks (it was just north of Stecoah Gap) and Caleb died with about a quarter mile to go up the hill. This was huge news to us. No mountain had forced us to take a break up to that date, but this one did the trick. I told Caleb while we were resting that this was definitely news and was going up on the blog, so here it is...
Caleb needs to get on to put on some pictures and check e-mail so here he is...
We'll post again in a week from Hot Springs, NC...
Take it easy,
NoseHose
Monday, March 23, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
107.6 miles down the trail...
This is Luke (NoseHose if you're thru-hikin') typing from the Macon County Public Library in Franklin, NC.
It's been 70 miles on the trail since we last posted. What a 70 miles! 3 days of straight rain, along with some of the most beautiful days ever! There is so much to fill you all in on...
First night out on Friday, we got wet. The condensation on the inside of my tent soaked my sleeping bag and Caleb struggled with the rain in the bivy. We hiked 17.8 miles (our most to date) on Saturday in the rain and reached the shelter on Albert Mountain where we were drinched and hoping for a miracle -- two open spots in the shelter. The other nights the shelters had reached sleeping capacity around 3 PM and Caleb and I wanted to hike later, so we've been camping on our own. But with the rain, we were dreading setting up camp. We approached the shelter and tents were set up everywhere -- a sure sign that the shelter was full. There was a campfire in front of the shelter so we tried to gain some warmth before taking off down the trail and searching for a nice, dry campsite before it got dark. Once I began talking to the people at the campfire, it turned out that the tents were from a troop of Boy Scouts that had hiked a mile up the mountain to spend the night and that there were 3 or 4 open spots in the shelter! A miracle! Caleb (aka HillRaiser to thru-hikers) and I darted into our sleeping bags and grabbed a spot in the shelter to thaw/dry out. What was better, is that the Boy Scouts made too much food and we had all-you-can-eat chicken pasta! AND, another hiker offered to put up our bear bag! What a great night! To bring us back to reality, the wind was terrible and blew rain into the shelter that night and we still got wet, but we had full bellies to deal with the wetness in the morning. We were also in a lot better shape than the other hikers (both mentally and physically)in the shelter which gave Caleb and I some much needed confidence.
Meeting the people involved with the trail has been awesome! Right now, I give thru-hikers and section-hikers about the same amount of credit. The only difference between the two is what they say they are going to do, not what they are actually doing. People that have been on the trail in this weather are dedicated and interesting people. From college students on Spring Break, to out of shape middle-aged men, to Boy Scouts, to thru-hikers, they are all awesome!
The trail magic has been great! Some people who care about thru-hikers will do favors for them during this time of year. One hiker, travelling south, asked if I was thru-hiking and when I told him that was the plan, he handed me a ten-pack of kit kats. A man who has always wanted to thru-hike but who could never find the time found Caleb and I at Dick's Creek (the road into Hiawasee, GA from the trail) and asked us if we were thru-hikers. We told him we were and he said he had some magic to give us. He walked us over to the trunk of his car and told us to help ourselves to what we wanted. He had enough food there that I resupplied out of his trunk for Franklin, NC, saving us a trip into Hiawasee. He could not have been more generous. This morning, as we were waiting for GMA Beth, my mom, and blakeley's mom to pick us up in Franklin, a church group had a table set up at the trailhead with hot coffee, hot cocoa, and all-you-could-eat snacks. They were great company while we waited on our ride. Not to mention all the effort my family has put in for me while I've been on the trail. Thank you so much, family.
The good news for me today is that I got into law school at UNC-CH! I'm pretty pumped. Now I just need to make sure I graduate in May...
Check out the pictures and videos Caleb has added. He's done a great job documenting the trip. I'm definitely glad he has come along. We hiked separate one rainy day and it made me appreciate how much more fun hiking is with caleb to joke/freestyle/talk with.
We'll update this in another week or so. We are moving at close to 15 miles/day now and are planning to be at Fontana Dam, NC on Sunday to begin hiking the Smokies. Hot Springs will follow a week after that! We are excited to dry out tonight and get a good nights rest, but are itching being indoors on a beautiful day like today.
I have so much more I could type, but need to go. Thank you all for following us on this adventure!
Don't work too hard out there in the real world,
NoseHose
p.s. - We miss you, Chris.
It's been 70 miles on the trail since we last posted. What a 70 miles! 3 days of straight rain, along with some of the most beautiful days ever! There is so much to fill you all in on...
First night out on Friday, we got wet. The condensation on the inside of my tent soaked my sleeping bag and Caleb struggled with the rain in the bivy. We hiked 17.8 miles (our most to date) on Saturday in the rain and reached the shelter on Albert Mountain where we were drinched and hoping for a miracle -- two open spots in the shelter. The other nights the shelters had reached sleeping capacity around 3 PM and Caleb and I wanted to hike later, so we've been camping on our own. But with the rain, we were dreading setting up camp. We approached the shelter and tents were set up everywhere -- a sure sign that the shelter was full. There was a campfire in front of the shelter so we tried to gain some warmth before taking off down the trail and searching for a nice, dry campsite before it got dark. Once I began talking to the people at the campfire, it turned out that the tents were from a troop of Boy Scouts that had hiked a mile up the mountain to spend the night and that there were 3 or 4 open spots in the shelter! A miracle! Caleb (aka HillRaiser to thru-hikers) and I darted into our sleeping bags and grabbed a spot in the shelter to thaw/dry out. What was better, is that the Boy Scouts made too much food and we had all-you-can-eat chicken pasta! AND, another hiker offered to put up our bear bag! What a great night! To bring us back to reality, the wind was terrible and blew rain into the shelter that night and we still got wet, but we had full bellies to deal with the wetness in the morning. We were also in a lot better shape than the other hikers (both mentally and physically)in the shelter which gave Caleb and I some much needed confidence.
Meeting the people involved with the trail has been awesome! Right now, I give thru-hikers and section-hikers about the same amount of credit. The only difference between the two is what they say they are going to do, not what they are actually doing. People that have been on the trail in this weather are dedicated and interesting people. From college students on Spring Break, to out of shape middle-aged men, to Boy Scouts, to thru-hikers, they are all awesome!
The trail magic has been great! Some people who care about thru-hikers will do favors for them during this time of year. One hiker, travelling south, asked if I was thru-hiking and when I told him that was the plan, he handed me a ten-pack of kit kats. A man who has always wanted to thru-hike but who could never find the time found Caleb and I at Dick's Creek (the road into Hiawasee, GA from the trail) and asked us if we were thru-hikers. We told him we were and he said he had some magic to give us. He walked us over to the trunk of his car and told us to help ourselves to what we wanted. He had enough food there that I resupplied out of his trunk for Franklin, NC, saving us a trip into Hiawasee. He could not have been more generous. This morning, as we were waiting for GMA Beth, my mom, and blakeley's mom to pick us up in Franklin, a church group had a table set up at the trailhead with hot coffee, hot cocoa, and all-you-could-eat snacks. They were great company while we waited on our ride. Not to mention all the effort my family has put in for me while I've been on the trail. Thank you so much, family.
The good news for me today is that I got into law school at UNC-CH! I'm pretty pumped. Now I just need to make sure I graduate in May...
Check out the pictures and videos Caleb has added. He's done a great job documenting the trip. I'm definitely glad he has come along. We hiked separate one rainy day and it made me appreciate how much more fun hiking is with caleb to joke/freestyle/talk with.
We'll update this in another week or so. We are moving at close to 15 miles/day now and are planning to be at Fontana Dam, NC on Sunday to begin hiking the Smokies. Hot Springs will follow a week after that! We are excited to dry out tonight and get a good nights rest, but are itching being indoors on a beautiful day like today.
I have so much more I could type, but need to go. Thank you all for following us on this adventure!
Don't work too hard out there in the real world,
NoseHose
p.s. - We miss you, Chris.
Caleb's Hike
Its weird how unimpeded by convention the trail is. People lose their names, and are known by their laughes. Best friends are made over night and then forgotten based upon walking pace. I've never been more grateful for a word of encouragement. Strangers become parenting figures who offer and supply food, water, shelter, assistance, or guidence. Dates are lost, and weather is remembered. Personification becomes reality and you start to not just hear but listen to nature's voice. Dreams accompany my steps during the day while my nights have grown dreamless. Everyone you meet could be anyone, but everyone is themselves. Lies don't exist.
-Caleb
-Caleb
The rain rolls in...
Still in high spirits
Crazy mushrooms
Spooky stuff bear during night hiking
Awesome newt
NC GA line
Amazing tree right in the middle of the trail
Ocean of fog
SUN
The view before the nap
Crazy tower on some crazy mountain (Albert)
view from crazy tower
Other side of the view
100 mile mushroom!
100 mile high five!
second oldest poplar in the world.
Caleb and the second oldest poplar
Luke and second oldest poplar in the world.
peaceful little waterfallFriday, March 13, 2009
Caleb's Hike
Thus far the trail has been amazing. amazing weather. amazing hikes. amazing views. amazing friends. Its hard to describe the attitude out on the trail. life is transformed. the trail becomes a society. its own social scene. miles become a product that you hope to acquire by bargaining water, food, feet, and moral. encouragement is found in the little things between sunrise and sunset. inspiration is acquired in a new color of a leaf, a cloud, or a flower. time is measured by drifting ideas or a completely blank mind. I'm not sure, I haven't figured our the difference yet.
Spring Mountain Ga. (Summit). This was about the time Caleb remembered that he forgot his coat.
'Justice the Snake'
Panorama of 'Sunny Rock' A Great View, a Great Nap
Blood Mountain Shelter, built in 1939
View from Blood Mountain, the highest peak on the Ga. part of the trail. Caleb's favorite hike thus far.
These are our friends "Seattle" and "Alaska" they were on spring break from UAB. Despite their fifty pound packs there were in good spirits.
"The-Can-Do-Man" this guy has hiked the trail twice once with two hip replacements, and now with a broken something ankle. He was filled with many fun filled stories, like his pet squirrel.
Neel's Gap, trail ran right through this store.
This environment is amazing.
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