I woke up with the sun, as I layed in my beautiful bunk bed. Standing Bear Hostel was pleasantly delightful. As I checked out, I talked with Jarrod about the history of this place. He said originally the property was used for growing Tobacco. As time went on, they built the Bunkhouse which housed the employees that were constructing Highway 40. And there was always a handful of good ole southerners, that made Moonshine. In fact the galvanized drums (pictured below) caused drinkers to become crazy and blind. It had nothing to do with the liquor, we’ll maybe a little, but the galvanized steel that was the so-called culprit.

Blue and I had a later start than usual. Of course, we had to make up the 4500’ of descent we lost yesterday so up, up and more up today. As we took our typical morning break, I met a 16 year old boy named Winston. He was all smiles as he was backpacking with his Mom. I had to stop him and ask if he was having fun? He said he loves backpacking. He enjoys setting up his tent and cooking at night, and he just likes being outside! Way to go Mom in getting your son away from the computer and exploring the great outdoors. He was adorable and actually allowed me to videotape him about his escapades. Super cool teen.

We had such an epic day. Once our first climb was done, we were atop Snowbird Peak. It had a communication tower on top of the mountain which explained the best cellular service on the AT to this point. And the views were pretty darn spectacular too. Ricky Bobby and Mark caught up with us and we all awed at the views of the Smokey’s. This was the best view of the National Park I’ve had. The sky was clear, and the wind blew out any haze that we have had in the past. It was pristine!

The men took off leaving Blue and I in the dust. This happens fairly regularly as we are a bit slower in our daily journeys. I tend to talk to everyone I meet while others are in such a hurry to get to the same place we are all going. Today as we were walking, I timed our miles. After climbing over 1000’ and hiking one hour, we covered 2.25 miles. In my calculations that equates to 3.25 miles because of the 1000’ climb. Seems like we are doing just fine!

Today brought me to tears. As I was hiking, the trail was lined with flowers for pretty much the entire day. I was talking with God and said this must be what heaven is going to look like. He laughed and said, “You haven’t seen anything yet. Just wait!” Honestly, I have walked in many incredibly beautiful places in my lifetime. I’ve seen incredible sights from mountains, to valleys, to deserts to peaks. But I don’t think I have ever seen a more intense display of flowers. It never ends. Since we were in the Smokey’s, the vast amount of color just boggles my mind! There is something magical about this stretch of trail. It just makes me appreciate how creative of God is!

Blue and I hiked as far as we could today. We stopped short of Max Patch. The day was perfect in so many ways. The weather was nice, warm but not hot. The breeze was light enough to cool you down on the climbs. The shade was welcoming and the flowers were on full display. I can only surmise that the Garden of Eden was what I walked through today. If I could bring you here, if you could see the beauty, hear the birds, smell the earth, then you would understand the tears I had today. I haven’t been so moved by a place since I was in Nepal. And that says a lot if you truly know me. What a garden I saw!

Yes, that’s a lot of downhill, my friend. And indeed it was. If I had knees, they would be talking! Good for me I lost them days ago. I packed up my condensation soaked tent, worldly belongings and waddled down the trail.

And what a waddle it was. The sun was shining and nothing was going to get in her way! Everything about this morning was glorious. The greens are more green than a crayola box of crayons. There’s forest green, fern and pine colored green, Mountain Laurel and more. It’s so hard to paint a picture of the trail. There’s layers upon layers of trees, ferns, moss and everything in between. I made it a mile or so when Bodhe caught up with me. She had slept in the shelter so it’s always hard to get out super early. We talked about the sunrise, the superior day ahead with mostly downhill, when she stopped dead in her tracks. Oh s$&t, she said, I left my rain jacket in the shelter! And that’s another reason to Not sleep in a shelter. Your stuff is everywhere and hard to keep it together. Bodhe dropped her pack and proceeded to hike back, round trip an extra three bonus miles.

Blue and I continued on as we slept in tents and had all our stuff securely stuffed in our packs. We climbed our one and only climb of the day over Mt Guyot and cruised downward. We could catch glimpses of the rolling mountains of Tennessee and suddenly, I saw Blue standing upon a huge rock! Here’s the vista. No towns, no roadways just endless trees as far as the eye could see. It was breathtaking. And those colors of green that never ended.

I had heard all sorts of stories, myths and legends regarding the AT. It’s wet and rainy, yes true. It’s muddy, rocky and craggy, quite true. It’s the green tunnel! Yes and no. I’ve seen places that Mountain Laurel grow like an arbor and capsulate the trail. I’ve seen trees that reach to the heavens but I can tell you, it is incredibly beautiful. Green tunnel, maybe but I wouldn’t want anything less!

The Smokey’s were so much different than what I had walked through in Georgia. Maybe because spring is here, trees are leafed out and flowers are blooming on every pathway, hillside and beyond. The rain, fog and mist made the trail quite muddy, slippery at times but today it was just nice soft muck. I love walking in muck as long as my shoes don’t completely submerge! That’s only happened a time or two but the muck, as I call it, is so nice to hike over. I know, I’m a bit odd when you think about muck being a good thing.

Finally I found a creek. It was actually a full on river with pools, cascading waterfalls and more. I was finally able to soak my feet. So glorious and luxurious, all I needed was a little epson salts. Many hikers passed by and commented on how nice to stop and sit but they continued down the trail. What a shame to miss a prime stopping locale on the trail. The creek followed the trail for a bit until it abruptly ended near Hwy 40. So odd to hear and see a freeway. We walked on the road for a bit, crossed beneath the highway and made it back to the woods.

Our destination today is Standing Bear Hostel. This is one of the places you have to stop and visit. Even if you don’t stay, it’s been a legend of the trail since the trail became part of the landscape. It’s a quirky place with a shared bunkhouse, tic infested grasses to pitch your tent (no thank you) and a couple of private oasis’s near the creek. Blue and I waltz in and Isabelle, the owners daughter asks us where we would like to stay? Do we have a choice of a private cabin? Yes, indeed. That’ll work. It is a rustic addition that was built and jettisons over the babbling creek. It’s quaint, nothing more than a bunk bed and comes with the resident cat! Perfect, we’ll take it.

Our resupply box arrived but the string cheese I packed, well it didn’t fair very well. It must have melted in transit as USPO had wrapped my box with plastic. Lesson learned. I organized my provisions as Blue scoped out the showers. I followed suit and then we headed to the laundry. The laundry room is no more than a scrub board, a large sink, some detergent and a dryer that ever-so-slowly dries your garments. Great! Clean socks, underwear, shirt, skirt and shorts. Well, relatively clean. As I waited for laundry, I was talking to Bodhe. She had a hole in her shorts that was causing some issues. I have a needle and thread, so I started mending her shorts. Before long, Quilted Cowboy comes over with his pile jacket. Any chance you can help me with this jacket? Surely, now I am mending all broken items on the trail. I had to say a hard NO to darning socks though.

We had a splendid evening hanging with all the “hiker trash“ as we call ourselves. We really aren’t trash at all but a mixture of eclectic people that find common ground on a trail that happens to meander from Georgia to Maine. I love our family of friends, one’s that are young and old, fit and not, weary and tired but glad to be sitting around a campfire sharing stories, myths and legends. What a place we have found, and what great company we are around.

God, bless each and everyone who passes through this place. The owners and family who care so well for the wary hikers are such a blessing. May you shine your love upon this hidden gem in the woods and forever keep it safe. I so love this journey you are taking me on. May I have eyes to see, ears to hear and an open heart so that your will, not mine, will be done. Amen.

Let’s just say, Zero in Gatlinburg. Ron & Elisa were my tour guides. Early morning was devoted to laundry at Well Wishing, not to be confused with Wishing Well. Done by 10am and off to Bootleggers for Whiskey Tasting 101. Yes, I did some sipping last night but evidently that wasn’t really whiskey, but flavored water.

Bootleggers is a 16 Generation Distillery which dates back to the Pilgrim’s. Who would’ve thought that the Quakers were brewing whiskey on the Mayflower? But then, why not? Our Pourer, Derek explained that there are only four distillery”s in Tennessee who actually concoct their own secret recipe of moonshine and distribute it. Most distributors use others to make the moonshine, then they add flavors and such to make it their own. We tasted flavored whiskeys that had the fruit in the mason jars, cherries, pineapples, berries and more. What a difference! It wasn’t terribly sweet but just enough natural sugar to smooth the moonshine heat. After ten swigs of incredibly good-tasting whiskey’s, we stocked up and walked out with a variety pack of Apple Pie, Coffee and Salted Caramel Whiskeys.

We stopped at a few more distillery’s just to get the stamps on the Whiskey Tour Passport. I had them stamp my AT Passport, as well. What a fabulous way to spend a Zero Day! We had lunch and met up with Cheesecake and MopHandle, AT Hikers that I was introduced to by my Mentee Kim at Bayside Church.

Kim and I have been meeting for close to a year every Friday and sharing our love for Christ. We would read a chapter in “Flourish” then meet and talk about how God spoke to us. It was a beautiful growth period for both of us. Ends up that Kim’s cousin is a hiker too. Cheesecake and MopHandle had just left the trail and wanted to meet up. We had lunch together, shared our experiences on the trail and had a great time. As we left, they had a ton of trail food they shared with Blue and I. What a score! Freeze dried meals galore, Propel, Peanut M&M’s, Nuts and Bars. Saved us a ton of time shopping at endless places looking for food. Thank you Cheesecake and MopHandle.We are eating the Chicken and Dumplings tonight. Yummy!

Saturday at 9am, Ron and Elisa shuttled us back to the trail. Light rain and drizzle made for a wet and cold day. But it is the AT, so thats expected and fair game. As soon as I arrived at the Trailhead, I ran into Rappunzle and Potatoes. I hadn’t seen them since “Around the Bend” Hostel, a couple of weeks ago. They were headed into Gatlinburg to dry out and restock.

The day was fine but unfortunately we missed out on some incredible views of the Smokey’s. With all the ridge walks, we should’ve seen mountains on all sides. We were walking in clouds, sometimes above, sometimes below us, yet always damp and cool. The mist was all about, so hence, no views to share.

I met a new hiker today from Idaho. He just started and has plans to hike for the next three days. His wife is staying in town checking out genealogy while he’s hiking the Smokey’s. Let’s call him Randy. He’s a father of 8 children, 2 adopted and LDS-Mormon Faith. Oh Lord, you are something else. I ask him the loaded question, why are you hiking? He shares how he loved hiking as a kid, did a lot with the Boy Scouts and the one time he went with his father, he got lost. Randy, his brother and father spent the night in the woods without any provisions. He said after that, his Dad decided he would be better off hiking with his peers who knew better. When he became a father, he had taken his kids out quite a few times. Now they’re all grown and have no desire to hike or backpack. So he decided to hike solo. Welcome Randy to the fold. He asked me for my why? I smiled and shared with him my blog, spreading Gods love on the trail. He says, you’re inspiring me to do more. That was heartfelt and opened the door to share my faith. We walked and talked for a good hour. I just love how God knows what I don’t know. It’s always a surprise!

Tonight is my first time staying in a Shelter. I have always intended to be a no-way never-ever sleep in a shelter girl! But here I am, It’s raining outside, ground saturated to the depths of you know where, and I am laying flat on a shelter platform. The place is packed. No one is tenting. We are in a shelter that sleeps 12 and there’s more than 20 of us. As they say on the AT, there’s always room for one more. The fire is roaring, there is jazz music playing and people laughing. Maybe sleeping in a shelter isn’t so bad after all. As long as the mice stay away, I’ll keep an open mind.

Well Lord, I want to thank you for this incredible experience that only you could’ve planned. The love that you have shown me through the people I have met in this past few weeks is more than I could’ve ever imagined. The relationships that you are building, the friends that I am making, the paths that you are forging will last a lifetime. What a lovely way to hike to Maine!

Rain, sleet, thunderstorm nor hail can never stop the miraculous love of the Lord. Amen

After spending the night in the shelter, I must say it’s an experience. I enjoyed the camaraderie, the roaring fire but I’m not a convert. There is something magical about my four walls of nylon, my private little cocoon that I look forward to at the end of a day. Packing up was a challenge as others are still trying to sleep. I felt a bit off today as I walked and came to the conclusion that even though I slept, the deep quality rest was missing. It’s just hard to sleep with 20 other perfect strangers. Both Blue and I decided it was “one and done.” Back to our tents.

The morning was stunning, blue skies and mist burning off the trees. We hit the trail at 8am and had incredible rays of light shining through the trees. The views we missed yesterday showed up today. Well at least for the first part of the morning. The weather in the Smokey’s has been, let’s just say challenging. We have one, maybe two days of sunshine then it turns 180 degrees. More about that later. My friend Randy that I met yesterday, caught up with us and asked what we typically do on Sundays while we are hiking the trail? That was a great question. I acknowledge the fact that I can’t do Sabbath always on Sundays as the mileage and towns are not typically aligned with Holy Days. But I do enjoy Sabbath weekly. And I pray often. He asked if it would be okay for him to sing some hymns as we walked. By all means and he serenaded us for close to an hour. How delightful it was to hear old hymns in the middle of the forest. And what a voice! Ends up that Randy has his Doctorate in Music, and we were blessed with his God-given talent.

We stopped at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter which was midway, ate some food and filled our water bottles. Some of the Shelter hikers had beat us and were drying out their things from the past days storm. There was a couple I had talked with and asked them how long they had been in the shelter? They appeared so cozy, almost as if they had moved in. They both laughed and said they’d been there since the storm started, three days ago! Oh, I was a bit surprised but not. The biggest issue is when you stay in a shelter, waiting out the weather, you still eat. So they must have carried in an enormous amounts of rations to carry them through the storm. They did state that they were leaving today and going to put some miles in. No judgement here. I have taken a Zero on the trail before, but not three!

Blue and I carried on. Yesterday, Blue missed a crucial turn in the trail but I was on her heels and redirected her without too much time lost. Today as we left the shelter, she said that when we get to the trail junction she would turn right. Yep, that would be north. I’m not behind her and what does she do? Blue goes south. Hey, wanna go to Maine? She turns around and looks at me and starts laughing. I did it again! She turns herself around and off we go. Ends up my Engineer Friends, Justin and David missed the same turn Blue missed yesterday. The only difference was that they walked three miles before they realized their error. Arg, that was six extra credit bonus miles in the rain. No bueno.

Early afternoon the clouds came back, and out came our umbrellas. We walked the rest of the way to camp with a light rain, mixed with an occasional big rain drop here and there. As we were headed towards camp near Cosby, we met a day hiker. I talked to him for a bit and told me that Cosby was known for Moonshiners, legal and illegal, back in the day. He mentioned that we might see evidence as there are still 50 gallon drums in the forest from bootleggers making their product. Sure enough, a half mile down the trail, I ended up seeing an old drum. Unfortunately there was no moonshine in the keg, as we could’ve used a little nightcap!

I had mentioned to Blue that we may want to keep our eyes peeled for a tenting site that’s a bit off trail. We are mandated to stay near or in the shelters. However, there is some flexibility if the shelters are packed and you are a thru-hiker. Sure enough, .1 mile prior to the designated shelter we found our private utopia in the woods. It had a small stream with a few relatively flat tent sites. Yeah, we had arrived.

We set up camp, fetched water and promptly started dinner. We both were hungry as with the weather, we didn’t stop for our typical afternoon snack break. Also being we were in a shelter last night, we also missed our daily wipe down. Another reason I love my tent. It’s amazing what you can do to freshen up with a few wet wipes and Oil of Olay towelettes.

Today was a tough day. Being Mothers Day, I am missing my children, grandchildren and especially my Mom. I had a good cry today as I was sharing my Mom’s incredible life with another hiker. She was such an influence on me, and helped to shape who I am. Mom was a class act, true adventurer herself and loved well. She was the life of the party, had countless friends and never minced words. You knew what was on her mind! . She always told me to make sure you have many friends of all ages. They will enrich your life more than you’ll ever know. Mom was right. Love, Friendships and families are truly our lifeblood. Once you add Jesus to that equation, you are richer than any. Thanks Mom for teaching me to focus on what’s important, to love well and to follow my dreams! I sure do miss you but know we will be together again. What a promise that is.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a wonderful morning. We only had five miles to hike out, so sleeping in was on the agenda. The issue is my body clock is up and rearing at 5:45am. So I laid in my tent, listening to everyone else getting up, packing and leaving. What a concept. Since Day One, I have nearly always been the first one up and out of camp.

I made coffee in the tent, cleaned up all my gear, wiped down the dirt, mud and muck off my tent and then, just milled around, with nothing much to do. I told Blue I was wearing my Town Clothes. She was a bit shocked as she really didn’t have town clothes but pulled something together. She wore her leggings, sports bra and pile shirt. I wore my leggings, a tank top and wind jacket. We looked smashing. So good that even a day hiker commented on how stylish we appeared for nasty thru-hikers! What a compliment for the two of us that smelled to high heaven.

The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and the temperature was ideal for hiking. Not too hot and not too cool. We saw a few other hikers heading to town. Everyone was in high spirits and ready to enjoy town food, town beds and town laundry. Gatlinburg was our next stopping place.

My friends from Tennessee, Ron and Elisa were headed our way to whisk us off trail and take us to the local whiskey bars. Before all that, I had a splendid idea. Let’s head up to Clingmans Dome, while it’s a mostly clear day and see what we missed yesterday. While we were waiting at Newfound Gap, I reminisced of the time my Mom and Grandma-Mom passed through 40 years ago. They stopped and took a picture at Newfound Gap with the Appalachian Trail sign behind them. 2000 miles from Maine to Georgia. Oh how I wish they were here to see me now! In spirit.

We met a couple of trail angels from Maine while we were waiting, Navigator and Ole Man. They own the AT Lodge in Millinocket and were passing out trail magic to all the hikers. PBR, Seltzer Water, Fruit and M&M’s. We sat and talked with them for a spell until my true Trail Angels arrived. On the roadside, we stopped and saw this beautiful creature, Mr. Bear. Not to be confused with Mr. Black Bear on the Wanted Poster. This Mr. Bear was forging grass, weeds, and dandelions. Not Twinkie’s, Moon-pies or Top Ramen!

Ron and Elisa took us away and we were off to Clingmans Dome for Round Two. This time we could see all the way to Georgia or at least it seemed that way. There were so many tourists there. I ran into a bunch of thru-hikers I knew from weeks ago. It was great catching up with everyone. It seems we are never too far ahead or behind our trail family’s.

Once we captured all the videos and pictures I could obtain, we headed to Gatlinburg. We checked into the first hotel we found, Days Inn and received a complimentary upgrade to a poolside room. None of us had bathing suits but appreciated the nice location. Honestly all I was looking for was a shower, flush toilets and pillows. I had all three and a room with a view!

We showered, then headed to the Steak House across the street. I asked the waiter for his recommendation and he said, Rib-Eye and that’s what I had. Along with all-you-can-eat Salad Bar, Baked Potato with all the fixings and a Mojito! I was in heaven. After eating half of what my eyes thought I could, I waddled out with a mighty full and content belly.

Ron and Elisa were ready for the true business of Gatlinburg, Whisky Tasting. They are connoisseurs of fine things like Whiskey and Bourbon. We headed to Ole Smokey, known for all things whiskey and more. We bellied up to the bar and Shysti was our pourer. What a cutie. She starts with Whiskey-Soaked Pickles in our shot glasses. That was a kickstart. We tasted all sorts of flavored whiskeys from Strawberry-Amoretto to Rootbeer to Manjo-Jalapeño, you name it, we tried it. Poor Blue was ready to fall on her face as she’s not a drinker and would’ve never thought of going to a Whiskey Bar. Don’t tell Alan as he will never let me take his wife on a so-called hike again!

After our tastings, I was ready to head back to our room with a bed and fluffy pillows. Blue and I walked back as it was a good way to sober up. We ran into a few trail friends who were quite surprised being we had town clothes on, clean smelling and did not look like the gals of the trail. One kid I ran into Custom, asked where he knew me from? I’m Geisha Girl. We just talked last night and this morning on the trail. He couldn’t believe what a shower and a pair of jeans can do to one stinky hiker. Now I really know what I must smell like and look like while I’m hiking out in the woods.

We’ve decided to hang out in Gatlinburg for a couple of days being a severe storm warning has been predicted. Rain, hail, wind with a possible tornado! What??? I did not sign up for tornados! So Blue and I will suffer through a day of laundry, more whiskey tasting and lounging by the covered pool. Life is tough for wannabe thru-hikers…

The weather phenomenon occurred. This morning shortly after midnight, the sky erupted in thunder, lightning and mega rain! Our campsite was full with hikers and we all expected rain. Our tents were primed for relentless precipitation. The most beautiful fact was that when I woke up this morning, there was a window of opportunity to pack up without the downpour. My tent and everything else was wet, but I was dryish while packing up. Big win.

Blue and I had an early start as we knew today was going to be our biggest miles yet, and highest elevation gains. We were headed to Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the AT. We had our umbrellas ready for deployment and off we went. There was no one else on the trail when we took off. We planned to stop at the first shelter, regroup, dry our tents and carryon. We made good time and covered over five miles before 10am. With rain, muddy paths and hill climbing, that was a respectable time. We stopped at the shelter, pulled out our soggy dirty tents and relaxed for a bit.

Both Blue and I commented on the fact that the AT scenery has been pretty much the same for the past few days. However, that all changed within a mile or two. As we started climbing above 5000’ the trees grew taller with spruce-firs, pines and large sycamores. The ferns, moss and ground covering was thick with red squirrels scampering around. We even saw a red salamander that was notorious for these parts. The trees had the deepest brick red color that was out of this world. It was truly the prettiest part of the trail that I have seen to date.

We stopped briefly for lunch, but it started raining on us so that was short lived. We packed up and headed for Clingmans Dome. The highest point on the Appalachian Trail (and the third highest peak east of the Mississippi River) is covered in a spruce-fir forest, but a large observation tower provides fine views to the huge number of visitors to the peak. The tower was built in the late 1950s, and provides a handicap-accessible ramp to the highest view on the Appalachian Trail. The issue for us is with the rain, and cloud cover, we got skunked from the views. But I did pass the 200 mile marker. Clingmans Dome is exactly 200 miles north of Springer Mountain! Blue and I walked the ramp, took some pics and then beat feet back to the trail. We still had over four miles to go to get to camp.

With the exception of the Dome, we really didn’t see too many people on the trail today. I can only imagine it had something to do with the rain and the fair-weather hikers. We don’t really get a choice as to hike or not in the rain. We only have so much food and if we sit and wait the rain out, then we are short on food. So rather than starve, we hike. We made it to our new home around 5pm. It was a long day but I was feeling pretty good considering all that we did today. 13 plus miles, almost 4000’ elevation and only two slides down a slippery rock. I call that success!

We found a couple of bare spots to pitch our tents and planned to start dinner. Before that, we had to get water and it turned out to be a .3 mile hike down a rocky trail. If I could’ve cooked with dirt and not water, I would’ve but no such luck. We both fetched water, made dinner and hit the hay by 7pm. We are definitely not the party animals of the campsite. And honestly, I think everyone else was feeling the pain of a long, wet day. Camp was shutdown by Hiker Midnight 9pm sharp!

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This climbing can stop anytime! I was talking with a kid today. His trail name is Bright Eyes as everything is new to him. This is his first time backpacking for more than a night or two. Anyhow, the point is, he has talked to several Triple Crowners. These are hikers who hiked all three long distant trails in the US. The PCT, CDT and AT. His people confirmed that the AT is by far the training ground for any thru-hiker. If you can conquer this trail, you are well on your way to completed the others. Just as I suspected. The AT is one tough trail and it’s teaching me much humility.

Today was all about the wind. Not a breeze or a slight wind, but a gale force that typically precedes some sort of weather event. I can handle a little wind from time to time, but this was a bit much. Even Blue was wondering where we would hunker down for our required snack breaks! We found a pile of rocks and sat down basically on the trail. My right foot was giving me a bit of trouble so off came the socks and shoes. The Duke as I call him stopped by and ask if all was good? He saw my cushioned bandaid on my big toe and gave me a piece of KT. This stuff is gold on the trail but I’ve never seen KT cut and trimmed for blister protection. Ingenious, so I graciously accepted. I have this big old callous that was rubbing on my shoe but once the tape went one and my socks over it, all was good in my world. I could finish this day without pain.

We headed up to Rock Top Mountain and met the sweetest family. The Shepard’s had hiked eight miles one-way so they could check out the view of the Smokey’s. Dad was overjoyed as Mom was home with the younger two boys. I could just see Dad’s excitement in having his five kids with him, climbing this mountain. It was quite a sight and to think they still had to hike eight miles back to the car. That’s youth and stamina for you!

Once we bided farewell to the Shepards, one of the hikers I met last week showed up, Ricky Bobby. He’s been struggling with tendinitis and walks a bit slower. Hmm, sounds like a perfect person to finish the day with. Blue and I walked with him to our designated camp site. I asked Ricky Bobby why he was hiking the trail? He had several reasons but mostly to decide what he wanted to do with the remainder of his life. He is a French Canadian Nurse who has been evaluating Drug Addictive Patients for the past ten years. He was at a point where he needed a break, looking to shed a few pounds, and decided to hike the AT. I shared with him my reason for hiking, sharing Gods love on the trail and being right where God intended me to be. He told me he was religious when he was younger but is a realist and agnostic. I’m thinking to myself, perfect! Now I know where to head this conversation.

We had a couple of hours to share our life journeys and I talked of how I had strayed from following the Lord when I was younger. But as I had children and truly felt something was missing in my life, I returned to the church. It allowed me to have purpose, fulfillment in knowing who I am in Christ and gave me direction. Ricky Bobby was intrigued and I knew this was the reason the Lord had me throw away my planned schedule. I shared with him how I truly believe that God knew we would be here on this trail together and it was not a coincidence. My faith in the Lord allows the Holy Spirit to direct me and be right where he needs me. We had a great conversation and when we got to camp, I offered him my Arnica Gel for his tendinitis and my Psalm 91 Bookmark. He accepted them both. He told me later he already read the Psalms and would keep it with him for the remainder of his hike. The end to a perfect day.

So my day was definitely ordained by the Lord. I was sharing with Blue how we have so many opportunities to share Gods love. Blue said she is listening more and talking less, hearing Gods direction. I think that’s exactly where we need to be. Be good listeners so we can hear God speaking to us, and listen to others, rather than constantly dominating the conversation. We all want to be heard, and by silencing our constant chatter, we have so many more chances to walk with others, right where they are. Thank you Lord Jesus for directing my ways and helping me share your love with others.

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15 NIV‬‬

First things first. Today is my baby sister Kari’s birthday. Happy Birthday sister. She is one of the reasons I am on this trail. It takes a lot of family to takeover commitments when you hike for five months. My husband George and my sister Kari are the two major players that allowed this to happen. I’m totally blessed to have my one and only Sister-in-Christ who is an Angel in disguise. She has been my best friend as long as she’s been alive. I love you Kari and hope you celebrate big! You’re the best little sister ever.

Blue and I woke up to the smell of sausage, eggs, potatoes and peach ad blueberry pancakes! We were still hanging out at the Bed and Breakfast and had our last meal before walking back to the trail. Jeff gave us a ride to Fontana Dam and we were off to the Smokies.

One of the coolest and recognizable parts of the AT is the walk across the Fontana Dam. The road was closed as they are doing some work on the Dam but hikers can still navigate the trail. We walked the length of the Dam Road and just before we entered the Smokey’s National Park.

This section of the trail was extremely difficult for me. My pack was loaded with five days of food and five pounds of water! I was hurting going up the trail. Natalya was a bit slower but I was the slowest. We took lots of breaks and by lunch, we made it to the abandoned Fire Tower. We took at 0.1 mile side trail which leads to the summit of Shuckstack, home of a fire lookout tower and the ruins of a fire warden’s cabin. This is the first major view in the Smokeys for northbound AT hikers, and one of the best in the park. The tower is a bit sketchy to climb but it was worth the magnificent views of Fontana Lake, the Smokeys and the surrounding mountains.

After the tower, we still had another 6-7 miles to hike to get to our designated camp. In the Smokey’s, you must camp at designated spots as the Bears are a serious threat in these parts. It seemed to take all day to get to camp. Blue was getting a bit delirious and every fallen tree, she would say, “I can see the shelter!” It was pretty hilarious as she was certain that we had arrived. Around 5:30pm, we crawled into camp. We found a couple of flat spots to pitch our tents, which was all we were praying for this evening. God answered our prayers and we have a perfect pitched home for the evening.

Today, we didn’t see any bears but there’s no doubt that we heard one or two. As we were walking a Ridgeline, we heard something careening through the brush below. If it wasn’t a bear, it would’ve been a moose. It was large and in-charge! We talked to a few hikers, one day hiker that stayed with us quite awhile, and other thru-hikers. With the exception of two to three, we met new people. It was a day of reflection on the miles I’ve covered and Blue is becoming a wannabe thru-hiker. She has all the attributes of a great hiker. She is strong, in both mind and body, she doesn’t complain when things get tough, she is an excellent student and she is a joy to be with.

The devotional that I listened to was so appropriate for the day. I stated earlier it was a hard day. Maybe the hardest day I’ve had on the trail to this point. Today was both hot and humid, something I would’ve expected next month. I drank three liters of water before making it to camp and was a sweaty mess. I couldn’t wear my hat because my head and face were burning up so I tied my scarf around my head like a bandana. There were times that I really don’t know how I managed this climb. It was close to 4300’ with little relief. But in the end, I am sure that the mighty Lord was my strength. I definitely did not carry that pack of mine by myself. He was carrying it for me much of the way. Thank you Lord Jesus for being my Sherpa on days like today.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Can I say “Slack Pack?” Who ever came up with this idea was a genius! When we arrived at Creekside Paradise, Natalya, aka Blue had booked two nights. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings so I decided we should stay both nights. With two creeks flowing through the property, a jacuzzi that is beckoning us to soak in, a gourmet breakfast included, I felt I would just suffer through it. It truly is, a place I could stay for the rest of my time on trail.

Today we slack packed. Jeff and Cynthia who own this delightful place suggested we hike to Fontana Dam today. Without our packs on! Just a daypack that has some snacks, a rain jacket and a water pump. Nothing else required. I was so light on my feet and Natalya nearly fell over. Without her heavy pack, she flew down the trail.

We had a little rain for maybe an hour or so. It was just enough to make the earth come alive with earthen smells. The trees swayed, the leaves were glistening, and once again, the birds were singing ever so happily. We met a couple who were hiking called “Double D.” Their names are Derek and Dee. Derek had this app on his phone that when you take a picture of a plant or animal, it identifies it. I learned so much about the flowers that I have been seeing for the past couple of weeks. The May Apple actually has a flower that blooms under its leaves. Trillium, which is a three leafed wonder has flowers in all colors. Some yellow, white, pink and red. There were more spring flowers that were in bloom today than any other day on the trail. With the birds chirping, singing and whistling, it was as if I was walking through the Amazon Jungle.

We arrived at Fontana Marina and wanted to check out the Fontana Village. The Village, as I was told, has an Ice Cream shop and General Store. We were able to get a ride and when we arrived, it was a ghost town. The only thing that was open was the Pit Stop. A Gas Station and Convenient Store combined. We went in and as we were about to purchase our Elk Jerky and Soda Water, the power shuts down. Oh-no. The kid behind the counter asked if we had cash, which thankfully we did, and pulled out a piece of paper and tallied us up. Thank goodness for old fashion math and being able to improvise.

We went outside and sat on a picnic table when this truck pulls up with a huge ski boat. I’m thinking this is not gonna be his best day as there’s no way to pump gas. He sits down with us and we start talking about what we are doing. We tell a bit about the trail, hiking and all that. Then Robby shares with us how the Lord has blessed him with this non-profit business. He supports Military and First Responders by offering them opportunities to spend a week on the lake. He travels all over US and brings men and women together by meeting them right where they are. This camaraderie that military and first responders tend to have, is what allows these experiences to feel so organic. We rode back to Fontana Marina with Robby and he presented me with a Challenge Coin. I was so moved and promised to bring it with me to Mt Katahdin. Another God moment in the making.

When Blue and I left today, Jeff said it would take us a couple of hours to get to the Dam. I explained that we dilly dally along the way, talking to as many people as we can and it would be a full day trip. After seven hours, he picked us up at the Visitor Center. I had no idea what the Lord had planned for us today, but he sure did. We met new friends, saw some familiar faces and had a most wonderful day. When I stop to smell the roses, Jesus has many more chance appointments that come my way. I just need to be open and willing to feel his direction. Then I can truly live the life that he has destined for me.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another morning without rain! I’m thinking I must’ve brought the California sunshine with me. Blue and I were off hiking shortly after 7am. It was a perfect morning, birds chirping and woodpeckers pounding on trees. What in the world possesses a bird to pound its beak into a hardwood tree?

We had a bit of climbing and some downhill today. Surprise surprise. The climb in the morning was fairly easy with a nice grade to it. Nothing like yesterday! We made it to Mt Possible named after a hiker who, at first thought the climb was impossible, but made it to the top. It was a marker for us as this was the biggest climb of the day and it was only 9am. We were doing great!

I met some new hikers. One calls himself Mantra because he makes up sayings as he goes down the trail. Blue and I started our own Mantras and it passed the time away. As we reached a rock outcropping, Blue stopped and found a cross on the rock. How sweet that was to see that another believer left a symbol of our faith on a rock, knowing that many would stop and see it. Hi Later I was on a ridge line, I stopped and observed this beautiful cross that was illuminated by the sun. Jesus was at work today with his symbols of love along the way.

As we headed down to Yellow Gap, Natalya had reserved a Bed & Breakfast for us. I like hiking with her. She’s a strong hiker, does the miles without complaint but understands how to relax in style. Catherine picked us up and before we knew it, we were pulling into the most beautiful ten acres I’ve seen in some time. It has not one, but two creeks that run through the property. They have a stunning log cabin home that has bedrooms for guests downstairs and upstairs. We have full access to the kitchen, dining area and living room. And the best part, I was able to walk down to the creek and soak my feet. And if that’s not enough, after dinner, Natalya and I soaked in the Hot Tub. I know, this ain’t no backpacking adventure. This is pure unadulterated pleasure. Yep, it sure is.

Today was a day of blessings and unexpected joys. I had no idea that I’d be living the life of Riley! Yet, our incredible Jesus did. I’m thankful for all the extras that I have received in the past couple of weeks. Thank You Lord for bringing me my friend Natalya who knows how to work hard, but also enjoys a bit of indulgence too. What a great partner she is.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭133:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬