5/01/08 Smokies to Hot Springs

Hello from Hot Springs, NC. So much has happened since my last correspondence! On Sunday, we walked the 20 miles from Max Patch into Hot Springs with the wettest weather to date pouring down on us. I woke in the morning and actually had water in my boot all the way to the top. That was a first.

The Smokies were AMAZING. It felt like i was hiking through so many different worlds all confined in one small area on the border of NC/TN. One mile felt like the Northwoods of the Maine, the next the moss covered forests of Oregon, then into an area that felt like where the Ewoks live (very California redwoods-like). Truly an experience and a beautiful hike. The Smokies have more types of trees than all of Europe and over 500+ types of wildflowers. I saw so many I cant even begin to count them. We had an amazing hike on Earth Day that actually corresponded with the beginning of the Smokies Wildflower Pilgrimage Program.We hiked the 70 miles through the park from end to end, with one quick trip into the lovely town of Gatlinburg. Sorry, not enough time for Dollywood this trip.

So, I set two goals for this trip. 1. get to hot springs in a month and 2. get to Katahdin before it closes. I hiked into hot springs one month to the day. Ryan and my friend Kelly joined us for the wet hike and I have spent the last two 'zero' days relaxing, boating the French Broad, soaking in the hot springs spa and consuming much town food. I'm continuing to meet lots of people. Actually, two of my hiker friends that Kris and I have been hiking with practically since the beginning, Johnny Thunder and Orion, spent the two days off in Hot Springs/ Asheville area. My friends did an awesome job showing these boys from New York what North Carolina is all about. (Orion had never had biscuits and gravy!) This morning we begin the hike to Erwin, TN and then onto Damascus, VA (the friendliest hiker town on the trail and the upcoming TRAIL DAYS festival).

280 miles down, just under 1,900 to go. I haven't wanted to quit yet, but definitely am over it sometimes at the end of the day. I wake with the sun (what we call bright-thirty) and usually are retired to the tent by dark-thirty. I love when we leave a town or pass a town and everyone has the updated weather report to discuss. I don't even bother. If it rains, I hike. If its cold, I hike.

Thanks everyone we have seen in the last few days for all the hospitality and soft places to sleep. I miss everyone and think about you all the time....