After yesterdays easy peasy day, anything was gonna be strenuous. We did the exact same miles both days but tacked on close to a 4500’ climb today. No wonder I was dragging into camp this afternoon. The hardest part was the last two miles that was a quasi stair climb. Nothing but endless brutality on this trail.

We hit the trail after 7am which was a bit late start for us. There’s some correlation between leaving town and the following day on trail. We never seem to have all of our facilities with us. Typically it takes a day or two to detox from the belly full of food and the consumption of alcohol. Blue and I do not drink on trail but in town, we might have one or two beers or a cocktail of sorts. So needless to say, it takes a bit of time for us to get back in our groove.

From the time we left camp, it was an uphill slog. We didn’t see another nobo hiker till lunch. We either have bolted ahead or the others are staying in Damascus for another day. The early morning climb was in the green tunnel. Tall Sycamores, Oaks and Chestnuts canopied over the trail with Mountain Laurel, Azalea and Ferns blanketed the forest floor. I never get tired of this combination as it provides sun protection and stays relatively cooler. By 11am, we reached Buzzard Rock and the landscape took a huge turn.

Buzzard Rock is a secondary summit to Whitetop Mountain. It is a grassy knoll that provides excellent views in all directions. We stopped and had our lunch on a grassy bench. It felt so good to kick off my shoes and socks and run my toes in the grass. Second best, only after soaking my feet in a creek! As I was sitting, I could see three buzzards heading our way. They were riding the wind currents and ca-ing as they approached. You could tell they were having a blast, playing in the wind, chasing each other and laughing at us as they flew overhead! What fun it would be to be a bird for a day.

We packed up and headed up towards the Grayson Highlands where the pony’s roam wild and free. This part of the AT is one of the favorites for many people. The pony’s were brought to this area in 1970’s to help keep the Balds clear and graze the lands. There are close to 100 pony’s and the mares breed once a year. They look like small Shetland pony, and are considered feral. The issue is these pony’s have been fed by hikers and many others, and now they are a bit of a nuisance. Many hikers say they’ll come up and nimble on you, trying to get a treat or two. I’ll let you know how it goes for us.

We saw our first pony this afternoon. There were about 5-6 pony’s, some mamma’s with their colts and other pony’s all by themselves. They are quite pretty and seemed to be content eating grasses and ferns. No handouts from us but there was one I petted. We continued up the hill, climbed many steps and finally arrived at our bluff.

Tonight will be a cold night as we are on top of this lovely bluff overlooking the hills below and mountains in the background. We have a bit of protection from the berry bushes, that unfortunately, are not ready to eat. Blue and I set up camp pronto, made dinner, curry rice with vegetables and no meat, arg! I need protein. My next resupply will be a Roasted Chicken from Costco. Gosh, wouldn’t that be the story of the trail. Hiker brings roasted chicken to AT and is chased down by hungry bear! Perfect. Honestly, I have everything I need. Thank you Lord for providing all the nourishment that I require and blessing me beyond measure.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This morning was very relaxing. Blue was up way before me. She was quite kind, spent her early morning with the Lord, reading the Word of God in the sitting room downstairs. I slept until my body was ready to wake-up and that was close to 7am. I could never do that on the trail!

We had to wait for the USPO to open so we were in no big rush. We walked slowly as I took a few pictures. Pirate and Stormy made it to town and were looking for a place to shower and do laundry. Blue squared them away and sent them both off to Crazy Larry’s place. He’s an older guy who hiked previously and now provides services to hikers. Good guy but just a bit crazy!

The PO wasn’t open so I headed over to the Old Mill. It’s a beautiful restored building that was the mill back in the day. The property is stunning, as it backs up to the river. The current property owner, Daniel Boone, not a trail name but his proper name. He invites me and Blue in to show us around. You can tell Daniel has a passion for this historical mill. He has put a lot of sweat equity into bringing it back to its original glory. He showed us the banquet room where weddings are performed. It overflows to the raised patio and the beautiful grounds outside. The Bar was constructed by using the old water wheel with a wooden countertop that was all hand-made by a local artist. Around the edges of the wooden top are animals, fish and wildlife native to the area. It was a stunning piece of craftsmen ship. Daniel talked about the pieces of artwork that were hanging in the dining area. They were replicas painted by starving hikers who needed a room/meal when they passed through. It was unexpected and interesting listening to this man share the love he has for this property. I hope and pray that God blesses and provides for his business. There was something truly special about his heart, and I am sure he is a man after God’s own heart.

The PO opened, we retrieved our resupply boxes, and ran into several other hikers doing the same thing. Blue and I headed to the Diner to get our last home-cooked meal before hitting the trail again.

Finally at 11am we headed back to, not the Appalachian Trail but the well-known Creeper Trail. It parallels the AT but follows the Laurel River and is absolutely FLAT! I know, I wasn’t sure if my body could hike on something without PUDS! Oh, it was incredibly wonderful and such a gorgeous stretch of trail.

The Virginia Creeper Trail is 34.3 miles long and began as a Native American footpath. Later, European pioneers and Daniel Boone used this trail. Around 1900, the railroad was constructed and extended from Abington, TN to Elkland, NC hauling lumber, iron ore, supplies and passengers. The Virginia Creeper was nicknamed due to the fact the steam locomotives would struggle as it creeped up the steep grades. After many years of not profiting, the train ran its last time March 31, 1977. Through the work of countless volunteers, the Creeper became a National Recreation Trail. Blue and I hiked this historic route today. It was like stepping back in time, and we truly appreciate the hard-work to keep this stretch of trail alive. Many state that this is one of the most beautiful trails on the continent and I must agree. I’m so glad to say I am not a purist! When there are opportunities to see something extraordinary, I’m willing to bypass the path and venture off trail. This was well worth it and honestly, I don’t think we are the only hikers taking the more scenic route!

Needless to say, we still hiked all day and ended up back on the AT. The Creeper Trail and the AT intersect and follow the same route much of the time. It’s quite similar to the PCT and JMT that become one trail for miles. We walked along the River most of the day, passed through Taylor’s Valley and stopped at Hellbender’s Cafe for Ice Cream and Iced Tea. This is not as tough as it appears. It was another incredibly wonderful day!

Blue and I were back on the AT by 4pm and came upon our campsite early on. Our home for the evening is nestled between the Laurel River and flanked by the 563’ Trestle that provides safe passage over the merging rivers. I am shocked that we are the only ones here as many were hiking out of town this morning. Anyhow, I will have a restful night with the sound of water nearby.

This is my last week with Blue. As we left Damascus today, I realized how much my hiking friend has meant to me. There is something special about meeting people on trail and being part of a trail-family. But honestly, nothing replaces a true friend who you have history with, who travels clear across the country, leaves her husband for six weeks and plans to hike with me on this unknown trail. Blue has never backpacked more than a couple of days before now. She is one of the strongest and toughest women I know. She has been through every change of weather, climbed the elevation of Everest at least once if not twice by now, and will have hiked close to 400 miles by the end of this week! Who does that? Blue, thank you for being my sidekick, for putting up with me, and considering a return trip to finish out this trail in Maine. I know we still have a few more days together but I just had to thank you ahead of time. You’re a great friend and one heck of a long distant hiker!

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another Zero Day on trail. This time Blue and I are in Damascus known as Trail Town USA. It is a small town of 800 residents or so, but has the biggest heart of any place I’ve visited. The people here love hikers and it shows everywhere you go.

The one thing I am noticing as I trek through the east is these people love church. For such a small place, it is littered with churches. Almost at every street corner you’ll find a place to worship the Lord. Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, just about any denomination, you’ll find your people! There is something special about a community that puts others first! They serve hikers who are grungy, typically low on cash, and smell pretty funky with such kindness. Blue and I stopped at virtually every shop in town and supported the economy.

Yesterday as we walked through town, Blue told our new friend Matt we would see him again. Will we really see him again? Well, when you are staying in a two-horse town, yep, you probably will run into each other again. As Blue and I were taking in the sights, Matt was with his friend Johanna at The Mill. I recognized him right away and we started chatting again. After a bit of time, Blue and I left and headed to Food City, the local grocery store. We bought some provisions for our upcoming week and walked to the park for a picnic. We soaked our feet in the icy cold river and headed back to our humble abode.

Before we made it back, we decided to stop at the Damascus Distillery. Of course we did! They distill Vodka, Gin, Bourbon and Rye Whiskey. Blue and I had a tough time deciding what alcohol we enjoyed most but I settled on Bourbon and Blue on Whiskey. Now we had to choose what drink we wanted??? Neither one of us are bonafide hardcore drinkers but I settled on Trail Magic and Blue on Whiskey Sour that had egg whites, blueberries and sour mix. It was all I could do to power down my drink. Ends up we both diluted it with more sour mix which made our alcoholic beverages more palatable We spent the afternoon sipping and laughing, and talking to the regulars. It was a great time.

We stopped and visited a few local vendors and made our way back to Dancing Bear. At this point, the Bear was dancing! I sat on the front porch and guess who rides past on his bicycle, Matt. I wave and he turns around.

Matt and I sat and talked for quite sometime. It was as if God intended us to share our beliefs with one another. Our conversation surrounded what the Lord had planned for our lives. Why we were doing what we were doing and where the Lord was leading us. It was quite thought provoking and I truly felt our conversation was led by the Holy Spirit. There are times when I have no idea what to say but I just start sharing my heart. And at times, I wonder, where did that come from? Now I understand fully what the Lord had planned for me on the road to Damascus. It wasn’t about me at all, but it was an Devine appointment that the Lord had with Matt. I just so happened to be the messenger. And once again, I am the last one who knew. Trusting in God to open doors, is what this journey is all about.

Thank you for showing me what you needed me for. At times, I may be clueless to your intentions Lord, but I am a vessel that you can mold into whatever you need at the moment. Damascus will be etched into my being and this is a place where Jesus will meet you right where you are! What a special place it is indeed.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:24-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

First things first. Happy Anniversary Blue. She arrived in US from Russia 20 years ago today. When you ask her where she’s from? She always says California but I was born in Russia. She is, most definitely, all American, red, white and blue!

It was a special morning as we were on the road to Damascus. All I could think about was Saul-Paul and his life-changing event that led him to be one of the most influential apostles in Christianity. I asked Jesus, how can you use me as I travel to Damascus?

The sun rose and the skies were blue. That was a first for over a week. I left shortly after 6pm with Blue right behind me. The morning was brisk and the sun was bright! We made it to Low Gap Highway before 7am which set us up for fast miles early in the morning. On His Knees was also at the roadway and walked with us for a stretch of time. The trail was graded perfectly with little ups and little downs. We passed several tents that were undisturbed as hikers were still fast asleep.

Our water supply was quite limited today. We dry camped last night and the only on-trail water was a slow flowing spring. I stopped to fill up as Blue continued. I called to her and explained this was the only water source for miles! She came back, smart woman, and we filled up our bladders. It was a scooping drill as the spring was underground and hard to capture. But it was cold, clear and our only source for the rest of the day. Well worth the extra effort.

After getting our daily supply of water, we stopped at McQueens Knob Lean-2 built in 1934. It is billed as an emergency shelter only and sleeps two. This was most likely, one of the shelters Grandma Gatewood would’ve used when she hiked the AT back in 1955. She was the first woman to thru-hike the AT northbound and was considered a pioneer of her day. She hiked with a homemade knapsack, shower curtain for rain protection, no sleeping bag, some clothing and Ked Sneakers. She was 67 years old!

I received a text from Census last night. She had somehow forgot her tent poles at The Ruins near mile 465 and asked if I could look for them. That’s a big deal as I have done this before when I was traveling with my daughter in Patagonia. Tents are of no use without poles! We headed down trail and arrived around noon. No poles were found. I called her and looked some more, to no avail. Bummer, I can’t imagine anyone would need her poles without the tent to go with them. Ended up Census found a similar used tent at an Outfitters in Damascus and is back on trail. Blue and I had lunch and carried on.

Just before arriving in Damascus, we crossed over into Virginia! Three states down and only eleven to go. How exciting is that? We took a celebratory photo and carried on. As we were getting into town, a Trail Runner stopped and talked with us. Matt loves to run and was training for a long distant run coming up. We hiked/ran all the way to town and were there in no time. He is a Christian and is looking for a change in scenery. Possibly Damascus is the town for him. He was thrilled to walk with us into town and pointed us to the trail.

Damascus is one of the few places that the AT continues through the middle of town. We walked to our home for the night, Dancing Bear B&B. Elizabeth, the owner, showed us around, did our laundry and pointed us to the finer places to Dine in town. I think we will like it in Demascus!

Today, I had expectations of something grand occurring. I’m on this journey with the Lord and we are hiking to Damascus. There are times that God is so subtle. He doesn’t always put the neon sign in front of me pointing me in one direction or the other. Sometimes I am directionless. But He always has a plan. I just need to be patient and wait. Blue and I were exhausted from our week of hiking. We had two of the biggest days of our hike to date and maybe I was just suppose to be refreshed. I am good with that. A shower, clean clothes, a fresh meal and a warm bed to sleep in is all I really needed. So here’s to Damascus! May we spend the next day getting to know you and reconnecting with trail friends we haven’t seen in awhile. No expectations required!

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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

Another wet and stormy night. The rain was relentless, pounding our tents all night long. We were across the trail from the Ridgeline so added insult to injury. The wind was terrifying as I heard a tree come crashing down around midnight. Our saving grace; the wind did not reach us as we were shelter by enormous and well rooted trees. Our tents were strategically placed on high ground so we didn’t water flowing inside them. And our tents are bombproof! Well at least mine is. Blue said she had droplets dripping on her head throughout the night. That’s no bueno! Around 7am, the rain let up long enough for us to pack up and head off this mountain.

We made it to the turnoff for Boots Off, a local hostel where most all the sane people stayed last night. We stopped, pulled out our soggy tents, rain gear and anything else that needed drying and used the glorious sunshine and a chain link fence to start the drying process. Another couple stopped and joined us. This little stop allowed us to carryon with about five pounds less water weight in our packs. Hallelujah! The little things that give me joy.

Our morning took us around Watauga Lake. It’s a pristine body of water that fisherman, jet skiers and boaters use alike. It was too cold, both outside temperature and water temp, for my liking to swim in, but I’m sure on a warm summer day, it is used by many. We followed the white blazes around the lake and through the forest. It was an easygoing walk and before we knew it, it was time for lunch.

We stopped just short of the Dam and ate our daily selection of Tuna, cheese-like crackers, sun-tea and a nutty bar. I think about the lack of calories I’m consuming for all the hardwork I’m doing. There’s no doubt I burning my excess blubber around my mid-section. Not all of it but enough to keep tightening my backpack waist belt. I wouldn’t choose hiking as a diet plan but if you thinking of loosing weight, this is a win-win. You get to see incredible places, eat pretty much whatever you want and get rained on regularly. What is there not to like?

After lunch, we walked across the Dam Road. It’s funny that no one seems to get all bent out of shape when you walk across Dam Roads around here. Back in California, they have armed guards and there’s no walking, hiking or boating within a few hundred yards! Here in Tennessee, no problem. The clouds started moving in and we all know what that means. Beat feet for suitable camping spots.

Blue and I started up our required climb and it felt like I had cement for legs. Yesterday, I was cruising up and down without any issues but today, no such thing was happening. I was beat tired. I figured that my lack of motivation was due to a sleepless night! The lack of rest did nothing for my recovery and my body was not having it. Our game plan was to make it to the Shelter for our final snack and carryon to the next tent site. But nope, nada, nilch, I wasn’t having it. I talked with Blue and explained my blight and she was feeling a bit sluggish too, but could push on if needed. We grabbed some water from the local watering spring and headed up towards the shelter. Just a mile up the trail, Blue found us a perfect little camp spot and we hunkered down. Thank goodness because as we were building our homes for the night, the wind kicked up and the skies poured down liquid water. And did it ever rain. I actually had to build a trench around my tent to keep the water at bay! When it rains around these parts, it is like Armageddon. There’s no tip toe through the raindrops, it’s all out war! We both made our homes and retreated for the night. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day full of rainbows and sunshine. I can only dream of such perfect conditions on this wet and ever-so rainy trail.

As I think about today and the beauty, the mountains, the water, and even the rain, I realize that our Creator, the Lord on Most High, Jehovah, our One and Only God created all of this for us. There are times when I curse the rain, and get all uptight when it’s hot and humid (what I would give for some of that right now), but in honesty, I am unappreciative! This environment that I have the pleasure to walk through is not because of anything I did, but what He did for me! It is heavenly designed, and is His masterpiece. I cannot begin to wonder what this world would be like if I created it?! What a mess! So today I want to be more appreciative of what our God has done for me. What a beautiful and lovely place I am in. Rain, Sun, Moon and Stars. It is all because of Him. So thank you my Heavenly Father. It is absolutely and utterly lovely!

“He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord God Almighty is his name.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We did it. Our highest mileage to date! We had a fairly early start at 6:30am and that made a huge difference! Sleeping next to the creek was nice, and no real condensation. I was pleasantly surprised.

The weather forecast is for rain the next few days. We wanted to get as many miles in before the impending doom was upon us. The morning was pretty easy. We stayed low and followed the creek most the morning. I’m not sure where everyone went, being we saw hardly no one on the trail. Maybe they all hunkered down in some unknown shelter or hostel. There were frogs and mushrooms, but outside of that, just Blue and I. We stopped briefly at Moreland Gap Shelter for hot tea and a morning snack. It was gonna be a cold day and it didn’t appear that the sun had any intentions of shining today.

We started our climb after the shelter. As per Far Out, our navigational app, we were going to have views of Hump & Little Hump Mountain along with previous places we’ve come from. Surprise, surprise, the clouds moved in and our views were blocked by the big nasty storm headed our way.

Around 1pm, I mandated a snack break. I was cranky and hungry. Blue obliged but had her heart set on another Shelter for lunch. I promised we could stop there but I needed to eat if we planned to hike 17 plus miles today. Shortly, we entered Pond Mountain Wilderness. It had these beautiful slot canyons and lots of rocks that were chiseled into odd shaped stepping stones. We followed the canyon walls for a bit up time, climbed up above the river and suddenly dropped back down. The reward was a Cascading Waterfall that must’ve been 80-100’ tall. It sounded thunderous as the water was rushing over several layers of boulders. The last two days, we’ve seen numerous waterfalls.

The trail was hard to follow and after dropping back into the canyon, it disappeared. No way, we didn’t go the wrong way again?? After checking our app, we were indeed, on track, but the trail was hidden on a rock wall. There was a narrow band of rocks that hug the canyon directly above the rushing river. At one point, I dropped my hiking pole and thought for sure it was going down river. I got down on my belly, and grabbed it before the pole floated downstream. I couldn’t imagine hiking this trail without my supersonic trekking poles!

We stopped for lunch, and planned to finish up the day by climbing 2000’ up to Ponds Flat. The rain started and it hasn’t stopped. We did our last four miles with our umbrellas up and our heads down. We found a campsite just passed the flowing springs. We grabbed some water, pitched our tents and called it a day.

I’m feeling good about our mileage and when I pulled up the elevation profile, I was shocked. I had no idea that we did what we did?!?! I suppose we finally got our trail legs and are destined for bigger miles. It’s been six weeks for me and four weeks for Blue. I’ve heard some hikers get in a grove within the first month while others it takes a couple of months. I am glad my feet have finally decided to get with the program and allowed me to do the miles without revolting! I know many times today I asked God if he could help me do these miles? It appears he answered my request and is giving me a nice foot massage while I get ready to sleep. With the faith that my sweet Lord has given me, I will continue on to the next destination. Thank you all for your continued prayers for health and safety, and for sharing God’s love along the way. They are being heard and are much appreciated.

Another yummy breakfast. The worst part was the fact that after eating all the amazing fat-laden food, I couldn’t just sit and be a “fat cat!” We had to leave our compound, our attic space and hit the trail! Around 10am, Blue and I reluctantly walked back to the AT.

Our game plan was to hike 15 miles a day for the next five days and that would get us to Damascus for dinner on Sunday. With the late start, our first day of 15’s fell short. So be it. It’ll all work out in the next few days. Our morning was nice. Good weather, perfect temperature of 70’s and no threatening rain. We jumped on the trail and went back into the forest.

Easy miles came as we headed north. We exited the forest and started walking through extremely tall grasses. As we continued, there was a hidden sign that boasted of a Hostel ahead. Hmm, didn’t know there was one so close by, but we needed to log some miles. Blue was leading as I followed right behind, and we both missed the turnoff to the AT. We kept climbing uphill until we reached the top of a plateau when Blue realized we were temporarily misplaced! In other words, we were off trail. I was busy taking pictures and was oblivious to Map Reading 101. Yep, looked on my app and sure enough we were way off trail. I immediately realized our error back at the Hostel signage. I headed back down the wrong trail and sure as can be, the AT made a distinct right turn. If only I could log the extra credit miles, I’d be in Maine by now!

Back on trail, we left the tall grasses and went back into the woods. We climbed another hill, but this time it was the right one, and headed right back down. At the bottom, was the Issac Cemetery. It was one of the nicest, picturesque plots of land for laying your family to rest. Ends up that it is part of the Issac’s Family Parcel. If you desire to bury your family, you must ask one of the Board Members, and once they agree, $100 deposit will allow you to start digging. There were maybe 50-75 gravestones dating back to the late 1800’s. It appears that families like The Campbell’s, Issac’s, Elliot’s and Gilbert’s (my Mothers Maiden Namesake) are prime users of this cemetery. I find it so fascinating all the historical mentions along this trail. We spent quite sometime walking around and reading the tombstones.

Once leaving the Cemetery, we headed to Jones Falls. It’s a side trail that’ll take you pass a spring. The Falls is 100’ or more. There’s a rope that dangles from above and if you feel brazen enough, have at it and climb to the upper ledge. I was quite content soaking my feet and relaxing. Blue wanted more and felt compelled to take the challenge to rope climb. She made it to the ledge and on her way down, said my view from down below were better. Oh, sometimes wisdom is greater than valor. But I commend her for taking it on.

Today was another milestone. I crossed over the 400 mile mark! I have so much further to go but every mile closer, sure keeps me motivated. Blue has done nearly all of those miles with me. She arrived on Mile 136.2 so she’s definitely a long distant hiker. And to think, Blue has never backpacked more than a couple of days prior to joining me. She’s a rockstar! And one heck of a backpacker too.

There were some new faces on the trail. I first met Lenny who plays the ukulele. He was sitting by a tree as we headed up the trail this morning. Then came On My Knees who prays a lot and at times, he says he’s crawling to camp. I can totally relate to that. And then Pirate and Stormy who are a couple hiking together. There were plenty of day hikers and a few slack packers that we recognized from the hostel. This section is relatively easy and has some nice vistas with plenty of water. By late afternoon, Blue and I tapped out and found a nice campsite on Laurel Creek. Perfectly suited for our two tents. We arrived shortly after 5:30pm and started our evening chores of building our houses, fetching water, bathing at the creek (that’s an added bonus) and making dinner. It appears that we will have a nice evening without any invasions of water droplets on our tents. Well maybe a bit of condensation, but I’ll take that. Tomorrow, more miles!

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I love Zero Days. Blue and I had no intentions of having a complete day of rest, but we sure enjoyed it. Funny thing is when you are hiking day in and day out, it’s easy to loose track of days, weeks and Holidays. This upcoming weekend is Memorial Day and Blue has her resupply box at the USPO. Problem is they are closed after 10am Saturday till Tuesday. So we need to slow down! Damascus is less than 75 miles and no point of running into town and sitting for days waiting for the post office to open. So here we stay on Our Zero Day at Roan, Virginia.

First things first, we had this incredibly delicious breakfast, that was literally, out of this world. It’s so beautifully presented that the designer of the meal talks about it as we are all salivating. We indeed, are hungry hikers! It’s all homemade from the biscuits and gravy, lemon tort, tomato basil pie, three different egg dishes including a soufflé, eggs with smoked bacon and sausage and cheesy eggs. There was the best French toast I’ve ever had with maple pecan crusted goodness, potatoes with you guessed it-more bacon, fresh fruit that was presented inside of a cored pineapple and the main course – smoked brisket that you can cut with a fork. There were pastries, muffins, and fried eggs that were actually candied. This breakfast deserves a Michelin Star! Oh my goodness, and you eat till it’s all gone. There were close to 30 of us there and we devoured it all.

No slack packing, no chores to do, just rest and relaxation. Blue and I had resupply boxes sent up the road to Station 19 and I was preparing to get us a ride. But Blue being Blue, she wants to walk. We grabbed our empty daypacks and walked the road to pick up our boxes. I don’t like road walking, especially roads where cars, trucks and Semi’s have no regard for hikers on the shoulders. It’s, like I’ve said before, one of the scariest parts of hiking. But we made it unscathed, and arrived at Station 19. Gosh, I am glad we listened to the rest of the trail gossip and chose to stay where we did. It was deplorable! Downright dingy and not my cup of tea. Evidently Dave the Owner was nowhere to be found and Lisa, his co-hart in crime was out and about! So we waited. The Beer Delivery Truck showed up and as he was unloading, Lisa arrived. Problem was that she had no keys to open up the bar or the place where our boxes were stored. But she did offer us water and we waited for Dave. About 1/2 hour later Grumpy, not so nice Dave arrived, the boxes were located and we were on our way. Lisa offered us a ride, which was unexpected and I jumped on it. Me and Blue rode in the back end of her open air Jeep as she drove us back to Mountain Harbour.

Afterwards, we hung out, soaked our feet in the river and spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing! It was a most perfect Zero Day. I think of the first 40 Days & 40 Nights on this trail and am overwhelmed with emotions. It has been an incredible journey to date, and hard to even think of what’s to come. Honestly there is something beautiful about not knowing. Not knowing, not worrying not even planning where I will lay my head down to sleep. On trail hikers always ask, “Where are you camping tonight?” And my standard answer is, I don’t know-when I get tired, I’ll stop. God has provided me with a flat piece of ground to rest on virtually every night. Sometimes it’s dry and sometimes it’s not. But I never need to consume my day with these small details. And that allows me opportunity to be open to the Lords leading and his destination. The spreadsheet is gone, but the hope for God’s grace and new mercy’s is always better than a planned day of PUDS!

“They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.””
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I love rain! Lots of rain. Downpours and freezing rain. Rain that causes rivers to flow down the trail. That’s the kind of rain I walked in today. Last night I fell asleep, a little after 8pm. Yep, you read that right! I was literally exhausted and with all the laughing and yakking at the shelter, it didn’t keep me from snoozing in my cozy little tent. I was out like a light.

What a day today was. I can say out of my thousands of miles underfoot, I have never ever hiked in such a torrential downpour like today! It didn’t start out that way. Last night around midnight, the light rain turned to heavy rain. Luckily my tent held up without any issues. The rain was off and on and when I woke up at 4:30am, the rain turned to a minimal drizzle. Yeah for me. I packed up, and Blue and I were on the trail by 6am.

We had two Balds to climb, Little Hump and Hump Mountain. Little Hump was fairly easy going, even with the rain. The trail was muddy and slick and I took my first of two falls. The first, no big deal. I slipped on the mucky mud and sat down on nice pillowy ferns. All good. Only Blue saw me and no real damage besides my pride. We headed up Little Hump, stopped for a morning snack under some thorny trees. Then finished up our climb before the crazy rain showed up.

Then as we were walking through the natural covered arbor, the rain really came. We exited the arbor and up, up we went. Hump Mountain is exposed. No trees to protect us, just grassy fields. There were a few other hikers that passed us as they were headed to town, hoping to beat the impending rain system that was coming our way. Unfortunately, Blue and I are not the fastest hikers on the trail and we were caught in the midst of this pounding storm.

As we were climbing Hump Mountain, I saw BLT coming up the trail. I turned and asked him how he was doing? He said, not good. What’s up? And that opened up a long conversation of what he thought the trail was going to provide for him and what it didn’t. We talked for quite awhile, listening to his expectations and unmet desires. Yet, he mentioned what he did gain from the trail and how he felt healed from some past hurts. All this occurred in the midst of a rainy day on a hill that still needed to climb! Before he left to catch his Greyhound Bus back to New York, we hugged and I shared with him Psalm 91 Bookmark. I’m not sure how he received it but he did take it, and continued on his way. It’s always sad to see friends leave the trail but I feel that the Lord led me to witness to him. Even if I planted a seed, I believe someone will water it, and before you know it, BLT will know Jesus Christ.

As we headed up and over Hump Mountain, the skies opened up like never before. The trail was a river and Blue, bless her heart, was trying to keep her shoes dry. I had to laugh because there’s no way she’s gonna keep those pretty blue shoes clean.

We both were hungry but still had a few miles to go. We stopped at the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Goodbye NC! Two states down and 12 to go. Blue found a campsite that she felt would serve perfectly for a picnic in the rain! She cracks me up. There we were, me heating water for tea, and Blue taking shelter under a tree. We ate quickly with umbrellas donned, drinking hot tea. It was like no other picnic I’ve ever had. We picked up our soaking wet packs and continued on the trail.

I think this rain was a tropical hurricane. It wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold. Well, at least it wasn’t cold to me. Blue wouldn’t agree as she doesn’t have the body insulation that I do! After seven hours of skipping through rain puddles, slipping on slimy rocks and making our way, Roan was a welcome sight. We arrived at Mountain Harbour B&B after a short road walk.

Mountain Harbour has been the talk of the trail for the past week. It has been voted the best breakfast on the Appalachian Trail for 13 years! Breakfast, here we come, tomorrow. Blue and I have a private room that was most likely an attic conversation. We have both bumped our heads on the rafters more times than I can count, but we are warm and dry, and that is all that matters. What a nice reprieve from rain soaked tents and our wet clothes. All is good in our world.

I never know how God is going to dictate my day. Today, I could’ve never dreamed that I would be saying goodbye to a trail friend in the middle of a downpour, on the way up Hump Mountain. But our sweet Lord sure knew. How I love the way Jesus puts someone in our life, even if it’s just for a week or two. All I can do is pray that BLT will remember that he was loved, he was heard and he always has a place to come back to. I will miss you, Brave Little Toaster. May you find your way back to your people in Harlem. Until we meet again, Godspeed.

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:6‬ NIV