Blessings tenfold! This morning there was no rain. Just a low mist overhung our camping spot. It was, as if, I woke up inside a cloud. It was cool, a bit damp but the rain has pushed on. Praise the Lord! You have no idea how jubilant I am. Blue slept in a bit and I hit the trail eager to bust through spider webs! The first one on the trail gets to fight the entangled mess of webs that string across the trail. Nothing but Action Hero stuff as I kicked and karate chopped my way north this morning.

Within a few minutes, I made it to the first of three shelters that Blue and I would pass. Most the crew were still sleeping but Markee-Mark was awake. Wow GiGi you’re up early! I really wanted to get some miles in before noon, when my feet are happy and I have a song in my heart. I asked him to tell Blue I was pushing on to the next shelter, another seven miles up trail.

It was a peaceful morning. Outside of the hikers in the shelter, I saw no one else on the trail for a couple of hours. I continued to walk through the clouds on a high Ridgeline which gave me no views. The clouds encased me so nothing but the trees directly ahead or behind were visible. It is what makes the Appalachian Trail the ecosystem that it is. It’s either raining, about to rain or shrouded in clouds. Blue and I have it all figured out. Only when we go to town, does the sun comes out. Maybe we just need to stay in town more often?

Blue met me at Iron Mountain Shelter just in time for our morning tea. McGeiver was there eating breakfast and before long Siesta and Rushee arrived. We sat and shared stories and talked about town. That’s always a big topic on trail. Where are you staying in town and what are you going to eat? It’s funny but it always comes full circle to food. Our choices are so limited out here and all you really want is a big fat cheeseburger and fries! Well Blue probably is thinking something more Keto Friendly like a Salad with Pine Nuts. But I’m all about something good and juicy that is full of flavor and drips all over me!

Our plan today was to make up some miles so we could hike into Damascus tomorrow. We moved out and headed north to the next shelter for lunch. Before long, we were trekking through rich and lush forests with frogs jumping all around. The ground was wet, squishy and muddy. My shoes were soaked from the last days storms all the way through to my socks. My feet are starting to grow webs or at least fungus. It’s not pretty so I promise not to include a photo of my feet!

Blue stopped at Cross Mountain Hwy TN-91. There was a split rail wood fence, perfect for hanging our dew-soaked tents on. We ate lunch, dried our gear and met up with Siesta and Rushee. Siesta looks just like my son Brian. He is dark and handsome and has a smile that is so endearing. I sent Brian a picture of Siesta and he immediately said how good looking he was! That’s Brian for you! He doesn’t mince words at all.

After eating lunch and our drying event was complete, Blue and I were back at it again. The terrain was drastically different. It reminded me of something on The Camino de Santiago in France where you walk through fields of sunflowers and farmlands. It was so inviting from what we have been seeing of late. On my Knees caught up and we all walked together for a bit of time. He too was commenting on the ever changing environments we have experienced. Now we were hiking over fences and walking with cattle. And then, just like that, we were back in the wet forest again.

Blue and I pushed on and made it fairly close to our goal. Today, Blue tapped out first. Her feet were tired and I too, was ready to take my shoes off. We nestled into some tall trees that were surrounded by low lying ground cover with two idyllic spots for our tents. The most wonderful thing happened as we pitched our tents. The sky cleared and we saw this big yellow ball in the sky. I think they call it Sun. Oh, how it feels so good right now to have sunshine on my tent! And so our day came to a close. No rain in the forecast and town in the horizon. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

There are prayers I pray, that I know, may not be of Gods will. But without asking and praying, we never know. I have been praying for a change in the weather. It seems like a big ask, but the Lord hears our cry’s, our pleas for change and just sometimes, I think He understands my limitations. I have to understand that where I physically am, is what it is, because of this constant rain. I want to be more accepting of it and need to learn what he is teaching me. Patience, perseverance, character, tolerance, maybe all of that and even more. But today, my Father in Heaven gave me a pass and I was able to bask in glorious sunshine. At the end of the day, my prayer was answered. I loved every single moment of it and thank you Jesus for hearing my prayer. What a marvelous God I serve!

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬