The most important thing to report is I finally took a Zero. No miles, no work, no trail shoes just flip flops all day long! I woke up to no alarm, no instant coffee & no oatmeal! It was heavenly. We talked with our host at Gorgeous Stays Sparkle Mama and asked if we could get a ride to NOC at 10am. She obliged and off we went.

On Zero Days, the idea is to rest and not do much. We lounged around, I mailed some things home that I wasn’t using and had lunch at Rivers Edge, again. Afterwards we walked over to the Adventure Center and were convinced that river rafting would be good therapy. Before you knew it, we were floating down the Nantahala River. It’s Class I, II with one Class III at the end. Basically a float with a couple of boulders to bump off of. We had a great time, getting wet, soaking our feet and the guide even stopped for a tour of a remote cave. Not planned but a great extra excursion. Super relaxing way to spend a Zero!

Today I woke up at 5:30am ready to hit the trail. Sparkle Mama, our private chauffeur, drove us to the trailhead, and before long, Natalya was hiking. She was like a bull in a pen, ready to charge out and trample the trail. She already received her trail name “Blue.” She is dressed in many shades of blue from head to toe, has beautiful blue eyes and it seemed quite appropriate. She accepted the name from Turbo and has been Blue ever since.

Our mileage wasn’t the obstacle today. It was the climb. We were headed to Chawoah Bald with 3600’ of elevation. The first few miles were gorgeous, lush green forests, pine trees which I haven’t seen many of , and lots of colorful blooms. We climbed and climbed and climbed. Around 3pm, we finally reached the Bald, a grassy field that overlooks the valley, Nantahala River below and the mountains I’ve hiked through during the past two weeks.

Once on top, I met a gal named Mystical. She said her name was given to her because she prays and believes that angels are looking over her. I shared with her my blog I am writing and gave her Psalm 91 laminated bookmarks that I carry with me. I explained to her that this is what I pray daily and believe that the Lord protects me. She was grateful, and was anxious to read it. She prays Psalm 23 and we recited it together on top of the mountain. God is so good. She’s section-hiking southbound but completed the AT years ago. Such a wonderful woman she is. The Holy Spirit is alive and well on these mountain tops

Natalya and I had a few more miles to crank out but mostly downhill. We arrived at camp near 5pm and found ourselves a place to pitch our tents. There were quite a few that arrived shortly after us, so we were lucky to find a place to lay our heads. I think we were both done for the day!

As we were hiking today, we passed a south bounder who started the trail in Maine during the winter. He told us we were the 74th and 75th northbound hikers he had passed on the trail today. I honestly thought the majority of the thru-hikers were miles ahead but it appears we are catching up. The group I was hiking with last week are behind me so I’m meeting new people. It’s truly my joy to stop and talk with new hikers daily. Once again, I am hiking in the right place and at the right speed to share the good news. Another incredible day on the trail.

“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:9-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a hap-hap-happy day! My friend Natalya will be meeting me today. She will be my new trail partner for the next few weeks. Our mutual friends Steve and Judy moved to, you guessed it, Tennessee. There’s has been a max exodus of Californians leaving for Tennessee. So needless to say, I’m beating feet to meet up with my friends today.

Recon and I hit the trail after the most glorious sunrise this morning. We had to negotiate this molten lava rock face to get back to the trail. We both made it unscathed and headed north. Today was a crazy descent of over 4000’. Who thinks this is a good idea to torture us hikers with this absolutely ridiculously steep downhill trail? We had an easy first few miles, some ups that helped me to get ready for the brutally steep downs.

There were a couple of highlights on the trail today. We made it to Weser Bald this morning. There is a 100 foot side trail that leads from the AT to Wesser Bald. A massive observation tower with an open deck is maintained by the Forest Service. The views from this tower are outstanding in all directions. With the blue bird sky, we could see in every location. I believe I could actually saw Wayah Tower, which was due south. This was the tower we climbed yesterday in the rain. It was stunning.

Knowing we had a crazy 5-6 miles left of nothing but downhill, we left the tower. We walked down the steps, which are definitely not OSHA approved and made it back to the trail. We followed a ridge line for a bit of time and then the crazy downhill started. The AT is known for not having switchbacks. Their descents are handhold, butt sitting, knee throbbing, downhills grinds. It was touch and go as much of the trail was barely intact. Due to the steepness, the amount of rain eroding the trail away, much of what I was suppose to walk on was, let’s say, was not to my liking! Once again, there were many prayers as I slowly navigated the path.

Once I hit the somewhat more level section, oh my, the scenery was something out of “Lord of the Rings.” I saw my first red-headed woodpecker, very large and proud, pecking away at some poor defenseless tree. He was so beautiful with his big red crown and black and white bird body. Quite a sight. The forest was as lush as anything I have witnessed on the trail to date. There were ferns, dogwoods in bloom, springs flowing, and flowers blooming. It was a sight to see.

Finally after 4-5 hours of downhill slog, to my surprise I saw the most beautiful sight, my friends Natalya, Judy and Steve! I was pretty close to tears. There is something so special about seeing friends when you are so far away from home. We hugged, laughed and was absolutely thrilled to pieces. We hiked the last half mile together and before I knew it, we were at Natahala Outdoor Center NOC.

Recon went on his way and soon caught up with others he knew from the trail. Me and my friends stopped to eat lunch at the Rivers Edge Restaurant, the best place to eat in town, and the only place to eat. Their specialty is trout and French fries. I had both! Oh, how nice it was to sit and eat with silverware, napkins and plates. The food was scrumptious and I ate every last morsel.

Steve and Judy drove me and Natalya to our new accommodations at Gorgeous Stays. It’s a cute place that has individually decorated cabins with themes. Ours was New Orleans. Purple and Red with Louis Armstrong posters, light fixture made from a trombone and zebra stripped plush pillows. It was perfect.

After hiking close to ten miles, and over 13 days without a full day off, I broke the news to Natalya that I needed a zero. A Zero day is when you don’t hike any miles for a full day. Poor Natalya. She was so ready to hit the trail and I’m asking her to wait one more day. We slept good in our New Orleans decorated home. It is wonderful to have my friend with me and to have a full and complete day of rest.

Looking back on the past two weeks, I am assured that the Lord has kept me safe and protected. Some people that I have hiked with have left the trail already. Weather and injuries are the typical reasons for going home early. I believe when you decide to do something monumental like hiking the AT, you really need to have a why? What brings you out here, who are you doing it for or is there a greater purpose for your hike? I know why I am here. I truly believe that Jesus wants me here, to share his love and his life with others. I have planted some seeds, the good Lord will water them and we will watch them grow in the next few months. I am so grateful that he can use me, to be an ambassador, to those who find church in the mountains and along the trails.

“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

It’s the small things that bring joy to my heart. As I went to sleep, everyone was talking about rain. Well, I woke up and there was no rain. Yeah! I packed up my stuff & headed north. Today I have a new hiker who is traveling with me. He answers to Recon or Airborne, and he’s 75 years old.

As Recon and I start our uphill travel, he tells me a bit about his story. This is his first time backpacking besides what he did in the military. But as he says, that really wasn’t backpacking. He shared with his wife Sandy, of nearly 50 years, that for his 75th birthday he wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. She was thrilled that he wanted to take on such an adventure. I’ll meet you at the annual family reunion in Pennsylvania in July. And that’s how Recon started hiking. He is one tough bird. Just last week, he tripped and hit his head. One day later, after a hospital visit and eight stitches, he was back on the trail!

The rain did come and after about an hour on the trail, it was a downpour. We put on our rain jackets, rain covers over our packs, and I pulled out my handy dandy umbrella. What a lifesaver that is! We made it to Wayah Bald Tower. This is a spectacular viewing platform that you can climb and see for miles in all directions. Except today. It was rainy, foggy and misty so no views to be had. We hung out for a moment and then continued down the trail.

Recon and I trekked down to the closest shelter, Wayah Shelter. It was covered on three sides and had a large overhang that accommodated many wet and cold hikers. The Englishman had coffee brewing and offered my friend and I black coffee, the one and only option. Perfect, just the way I like it! It was hot, strong and hit the spot. We sat for a bit and all the other drowned rats, dirty filthy hikers, arrived. We enjoyed each other’s company, talked of woes and concerns of the trail, how long the rain would last and where would we camp?

The “Walking Wounded” arrived. They were the group Ricon had been hiking with since day two. They comprise of a younger couple, A Dad and his two adult sons. The entire group has been plagued with injuries. They have ankle, knee and back issues that keep them from hiking no more than 4-5 miles a day. Hence the reason Recon wanted to hike with me. He needed to get a few more miles in if he was gonna make it to the family reunion. As I was leaving, they wanted to make sure I would be taking care of Recon. They have quite an attachment with him. He’s quite capable but yes, I’ll be keeping a watchful eye on my newest hiking partner.

We headed out ahead of most of the others, hoping to get a few more miles in. There were several day hikers and section hikers going southbound. I’m impressed that the locals come out even when there’s a downpour. We met this gal who wasn’t happy with the lackluster performance of her rain jacket. She pulled out her emergency blanket and made it into a poncho. That’s trail ingenuity for you.

Recon and I started looking for a place to stop. The rain subsided and I was searching for a place with a view. We came around a bend and saw the sign for Rocky Bald. That sounds like a perfect spot with a view. We ventured off trail, climbed a precarious piece of molten rock, and made our way to the most spectacular view we’d seen all day. The clouds had lifted and I could see the valley floor below and all the distant peaks in the distance. It was truly heaven on earth.

The evening was cold but I was protected from the ever-so blowing wind. Recon and I spoke about the day and the perseverance it took to get through it. I spoke of Gods grace and how many times we are put through trials so that we can learn and grow. I think so many times I try to rush through the tough times and miss the point! When I am placed in valleys, instead of trying to crawl out immediately, maybe I should consider why I am there? Is there something I can do differently, is it out of my control or is the valley a resting place? Today, for me, was a time to persevere so when tougher times come, and they will, I will be much better prepared. Thank you sweet Jesus for helping me prepare for what’s to come.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After yesterdays forest hill march up Mt Albert, I was looking forward to an easy peasy day. I woke up to squirrels wrestling around gathering some type of nut on the ground. It almost seemed like hazelnuts because they were small and toasted brown. Even the chipmunks were out in force. It was a carefree easy walk out of the Shelter and onto the ridge line.

The group I’ve been hiking with are all going into Franklin for provisions and to hunker down for the next round of rain. I continue hiking as my friend Natalya will be meeting me in a couple of days. I’m so excited to have a hiking partner. She will definitely add a sense of fun and excitement to my days.

As I trekked down to the roadway, I ran into the Engineers, Kevin, David and Justin. They are all in their 30’s and tired of the woes of extreme work, projects abroad and have all decided to take a few months off. We had lunch, shared some trail stories and the boys left for town. I’m sure I’ll see them again as they are fast walkers, and we always meet up when I least expect it.

The afternoon climb to Siler Bald was a dousey. It started with a narrow bridge that was constructed to help cross the river. It could definitely use some help! Where are the Engineers when I need them? I climbed over a thousand feet, which honestly is mild for this trail before reaching the Bald. This is the first one that I’ve seen of it’s type. Usually I am hiking along ridge lines, climbing rocks to get to peaks or a knob, with little or no view to speak of. This was a grassy field that if I wanted to, which I didn’t, I could turn south and climb Siler Peak. No thank you. I took a photo and continued on.

The walk down to camp was mild, and had a small creek crossing the trail. This was my final stop. I filled my water bottles and made it to the decommissioned picnic area at Wayah Gap. There were a group of hikers, I’ve never seen before, who are hiking 5-7 miles a day. They are a father with his two grown sons, an older gentlemen and a younger couple. They have been traveling together for the past two weeks. There’s a saying Hike Your Own Hike HYOH and they are doing exactly that. They have to carry more food but they are happy taking it slower than most. Hopefully they will make it to Maine before winter.

I’ve been listening to John Eldridge “Wild at Heart.” He has me thinking about where my thoughts go. Am I thinking about the superficial scatter brain stuff, or am I thinking and worrying about all the people in my life or do I go deep and speak to Jesus? On the trail I bounce all around but there is something so incredibly beautiful about having this time and space to be with the Lord. Quite often I find myself asking him, who should I be talking to or where should I stop or what should we do today? Speaking to Jesus in my heart, deep down inside my inners is where he dwells. To tap into that, to really feel his presence takes complete focus, away from any distractions. Here in the woods, on the trail, is such a place to really feel Gods presence. He is right with me, ever so present and calling me to follow. All I need to do is seek him wholeheartedly.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13 ‭NIV‬‬

Woke up to a little rain this morning. Nothing much but just enough to get the tent wet and my sleeping bag damp. The worse part about that is stuffing the tent into my pack. My fingers and hands get filthy dirty, which yes, they already are. Now they’re just filthier and dirtier! That’s just part of the joys of living the life of a backpacking.

Starting off today was easy going. The trail was fairly level with some downhills. No big climb to start the morning with. The birds were happy from the rain. New worms were ready for the harvesting. I saw a baby bunny who I snuck up on, and as soon as it finally realized this big giant person was within a foot or two, it scurried away into its little rabbit hole.

Around 10am, the group I’ve been hiking with all stopped for breakfast. Nobody wanted to eat in the rain snd once the sky cleared and a shelter was available, we all stopped, ate snd hung out our wet gear. A new hiker showed up. His trail name is Walmart. Evidently all of his gear, he bought at Walmart. He said the longer he hikes, the more things other hikers bless him with. He now has a sleeping pad and a warm sleeping bag. Other hikers know what is a must have and I’d agree a lightweight and warm sleeping bag and a inflatable mat with a decent tent are vital equipment that Walmart probably doesn’t stock. He was pretty happy with his setup and was knocking out the miles.

Today was Albert Mountain. I really didn’t know a whole lot about this part of the hike but it seems like everyone else did. We had a good lunch before tackling this monstrosity! The trail started with a typical climb but the last 3-400’ were equivalent to something you would see climbers using rope to get over. The rocks were painted with the typical white blazes. The problem I had was I couldn’t climb with my hands if I was carrying poles. I finally ditched the poles and started pulling myself up and over the rocks. It was a trail a Mountain Goat or Bighorn Sheep would travel, not a thru-hiker with a backpack! There were some moments when I was about to loose my Wheaties. I have never been fond of heights and this was no exception. Once I made it on top, the few guys who were ahead of me started applauding. I felt like I definitely earned it and bowed as I arrived.

The top of Mount Albert is a decommissioned Lookout Tower. Back in the day, they had s caretaker who would alert the FIre or Emergency Services of impending doom. Now it’s all locked up and no one can access the Tower. That’s fine with me being I had no intentions of climbing it. I had done all the climbing I could handle.

A big highlight today was crossing over the 100 mile mark. It took me ten days to walk 100 miles, which is relatively slow in my opinion. On the PCT, I had walked 100 miles by day seven. What I’ve learned from this trail, it’s not the PCT. It is much harder, much steeper, more uneven and the weather is ever-changing. The trees, shrubs, animals and bugs are quite different too. I found a big large beetle in my tent this afternoon. I don’t know if I packed him up this morning or if he moved in when I was pitching my tent this afternoon. The only thing I do know, is that he is not in my sleeping area any longer! I found a wipe, grab it and flung it out the door. Good riddance beetle-juice.

With all the climbing, rain of last night and the beetle encounter, I had a pretty fine day. The weather was warm, the trees provided a good amount of shade and the company I had was outstanding. The Lord was my strength today. I told him there was no way I was making it up this rock without his help. I felt his presence all the way and throughout the day. I’m so grateful that I can tap into his glory and goodness whenever I call on him. The Holy Spirit is ours to have, all we need to is ask, seek and knock.

““Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

I slept so good last night that I didn’t hear the alarm. How does that happen? It’s quite loud and annoying and I’m thinking everyone else heard it since they were up and milling around. 6:15am I awoke. I packed up relatively quickly and had all intentions of going to Beech CS. There was one post of someone loosing their food but I felt it must have been operator error. Then there was another, and a sobo hiker confirmed all hikers lost their food. That’s one bad bear!

My first morning climb was a handhold of rocks and trees. It was fairly steep and hiking poles weren’t gonna help. Once I reached the summit, it was well worth the effort. The view was in all directions with green valleys below, what appeared to be body’s of water and farmhouse’s. This is quite a rural area with a spattering of homes here and there.

Today was quite different from days past. The climbs did not seem as bad, even-though I climbed over 3,000’. It seemed much more gradual and there were overwhelming views that made the climbs worthwhile. There is some type of ground covering with yellow and white flowers that emerged for the first time. It made the temperature seem much more reasonable, even if it was hotter than other days.

I had lunch with David, Sidekick and Stray-cat. I know the names are a bit odd but they help me to remember who they are. I always try to kick my shoes off during lunch breaks and soak them in a stream, but there really haven’t been any creeks, streams or rivers nearby. Today there were trickles of water with one creek that was a bit of a distance from the trail. After lunch, I headed up to find water when I met this cute couple out on a 13-mile loop. Robin and Gary Carney came by when I was eye-balling my water source a bit off trail. Being they were dayhikers, I assumed they must know where the water crosses the trail. They weren’t sure but Robin’s husband had lots of water and was eager to offload it to me! And it’s Spring Water she tells me. Her husband Gary said she always wanted to be a Trail Angel and today her wish came true. I didn’t have to trance off trail and she got to fill my water bottles. I say that’s a win-win for both of us. She blessed me and wished me a great hike and of course I shared with her my blog. She was quite excited and was following another hiker who was thru-hiking with two prosthetic feet. Wow, now that’s inspiring. The people you meet on this trail have stories. You just need to stop and talk with them.

I made it to Indian Rock, scored a perfect flat piece of dirt, pitched my tent and headed up to the lookout point. Oh my, what a glorious view it was. There were a few others admiring this spectacular place and I just sat and looked in awe! I have this sense of bewilderment regarding these huge expansive view points. Once I reach them, it’s hard to leave. I sat up there for an hour or so and just thanked God for this masterpiece of his great creation.

I returned to camp and had to walk a steep downgrade off trail to get water. That’s only obvious being I’m on top of a rock but darn it, it’s always more convenient when the water flows near camp. Too bad I couldn’t just smack a rock like Moses and out would pour water. Well, now that I think about it, maybe not. Moses got in a bit of trouble for that maneuver and never saw the Promise Land. Maybe I’ll just stick to walking down the hillside and filling my bottles after all.

The sunset. Oh my. There’s about 8-10 of us at Painted Rock and after dinner, we all made our way to the top of the rock. Trail Angels Robin and Gary told me that the most exquisite sunsets happen on top of the rock. Without hesitation, everyone meandered up as the sun was setting. I’ll just let the picture speak for itself!

Today was a fine day, except for the fact I found my first tic crawling on my leg! My biggest fear came true but that little booger never had a chance. He was smashed and flicked off the side of the mountain. I have to wonder why some things were created? What purpose do tics have anyway? Nothing good that I can think of but I’m sure there’s some crazy wonderful thing that they provide, or not. I’d rather just smack em. And as long as I’m hiking this trail, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Sorry Lord, I’m just not feeling any love for those itty bitty tiny “Spawn of Satan” tics! That’s a bit harsh, but so is Lyme Disease.

“And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:24-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a day this was! I woke up this morning in a bed for starters. That’s always a plus unless you actually like sleeping in a tent? I have to say, I like both. My tent is much more peaceful than sleeping in a room with three other women. But I was glad to have a shower, flush toilets, and a fully-stocked kitchen. Truly a great place to spend the night.

I was dropped off at the trailhead just after 10am and started climbing. Today my pack is loaded down with five days of food. My feet and back were feeling it. After hiking with little food the last day or two, it’s a shock to the body to have an extra ten pounds.

The first few miles were lovely. It seems that Spring has sprung and there is green on the trail. The trees are starting to leaf out, there are more shrub and brush in the low lying areas and it’s much prettier. The trail is still tough however. There were steep uphills and steeper downhills. At one point, as I was leaning to go uphill, I actually went down on my knees! I jumped up, making sure no one saw me, dusted myself off and carried on.

The group I’ve been hiking with made plans to meet at the Shelter for lunch. It’s a grand idea being there’s a picnic table and plenty of space to sit and take your shoes off. I ate the heaviest food I had: hard salami, Parmesan cheese and English Cucumber. Everyone else was doing the same thing. There were the two Irish gals and they actually packed out a can of garbanzo beans with avocado and spinach. That’s some serious weight.

Bittersweet was already at the Shelter and had spent the night trying to recover from an overuse injury. She’d been hiking with a couple of men and was trying to keep up with them. I met her a few days back, and yesterday talked to her about hiking her own hike instead of killing herself trying to keep up with these two guys. After a 12 mile day, her foot swelled up and she could barely walk at all. We all shared with her our stay at Around the Bend Hostel. She made a phone call and they plan to pick her up tomorrow on a forest service road only 1-1/2 miles north. She was thrilled. Hopefully I’ll see her again. Another hiker from Slovenia decided to end his hike today because he hurt his shoulder. His pack weighed in at 50 plus pounds and he couldn’t bare carrying this heavy load any longer. Several of the hikers I’ve been with for the past week are already going home.

Backpacking is not for the faint of heart. It is handwork strapping on a pack everyday, climbing up and down mountains and ridge lines, dealing with the ever changing weather and doing this day after day, week after week, month after month. But there is something that is so satisfying about doing the same thing daily, seeing incredible scenery that most people only hear about, and feeling like you are truly right where you are suppose to be. Don’t get me wrong, I was having a tough time of it today. It was hot, the sun was directly overhead, there was little relief, the water sources were fewer and farther away, but I still have to say, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

God and I had a moment today. When I was praying for his supernatural power to help me get through some of the tough climbs today, he had me right where he wanted me. I felt as if he is refining me, making silver into gold, knowing I have some areas that need addressing. I just let him lead me up and over these mountains, guiding and teaching me . And before I knew it, I was passing through Georgia and made it to North Carolina! One state down and only thirteen to go. What a hoot-hoot I let out when I passed into N.C. I kissed that sign, took my pic and headed to camp.

Thank you Lord for guiding me through the fire and into the furnace, refining me and giving me the wisdom that will carry me through this trail. It may be painful at times, but I am excited to learn the lessons who have planned for me and what you intend to teach this hiker.

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭8:10-11‬ ‭NIV‬

I so needed this day. A day of rest. Woke up before the alarm clock because the sound of clucking and gobbling was my morning wake-up. It has become a familiar sound as the sun begins to rise. So much better than the ding-a-ling-a-ding of my phone. I headed back onto the trail by 7am. My camping family were milling around, making breakfast and planning their town day. Oh, how much we all love Town Stops.

I was cruising down the trail when I entered the clouds. Yes, I climbed to the clouds today just as I crested Kelly Mountain. It was a beautiful ridge line that had low lying brush, spits of water falling from the sky above and enough mist to encourage me to break out my umbrella. Honestly it made for a great morning of hiking. Before long I met the Highway and for the first time, I road walked.

his is not my favorite thing to do. Road walking is when you have cars wising past you at 55-65 mph and you try your best to stay out of their way. Definitely this is the #2 scariest part of hiking next to hitchhiking. I made it the extra credit miles of .6 miles to Around the Bend hostel.

I haven’t been a big fan of hostels but then I’ve never been to Lisa and Gordon’s place. This couple know what a hiker needs. A clean shower, a place to do laundry and a communal area to sort your resupply box. On top of all that, they shuttle you to town and you have free run of the kitchen to make home cooked meals. Potato, Rapunzel and I made a feast of Ratatouille, Sausage, Acorn Squash and Gruyère Garlic Bread. What a feast it was. Even the Fat Cat indulged!

Much of the day was spent relaxing, using the massage gun on my aching calves, roller therapy and rest. Thank you Lord for giving me a day of pure unadulterated relaxation. What a treat. I love hiking but I also enjoy hanging out, without a 25 pound pack strapped to my back!

Better than all that was talking with my family. My father had open heart surgery last week and was released home on Monday. Just to be able to talk with my sister, as she is screening all his calls, was the best gift. Dad is recovering, starting to walk and doing a lot of sleeping. The best treatment for recovering is sleep, especially in your own bed! My sister Kari is taking care of Dad, and I’m so grateful for her servants heart. She is quite the earthly angel.

I was listening to Francis Chan this morning and he asked what’s the first thing you think about when you wake-up? So many things came to mind but truly, the most important is to thank Jesus for who he is and what he did for us. Nothing else matters if we don’t have an eternal home to go to. Without the Lord, when we come to the end of our life, how can we account for all our sin? The promise is that with Jesus, we are forgiven. We are cleansed of all the filth and messes that we conjure up, that we are made new by his mercies. What a gift that is! Thank you for loving me, and that I have the hope that I am enough. What an incredible Heavenly Father that we all have.

Our weather forecasting in these parts are a bit lacking. I was told to prepare for cold temps, down in the low 30”s . I took this into account when I selected my piece of real estate last night. I parked away from the bluff and found a sequestered spot tucked away in what I call mangroves. I’m not sure if they are but they look all gnarly with red twisted bark and waxy green leaves. Anyhow they protected me from foreign invasion, no mice, no bears, no tics and no freezing temperatures.

Feeding the Hungry

When I took off today, my original plan was to hike into “Around the Bend Hostel.” Unfortunately, there was no room at the inn. Instead of getting a motel room in Hiawassee, I decided to position myself to reach the Hostel early tomorrow. This will give me a Nero as we say, little miles on a town day. My only dilemma is I’m out of food. Actually I still have a package of miso soup, some summer sausage and coffee but not enough to sustain my belly for the next The Crusaders for Christ came to the rescue. On my way to Deep Gap Shelter, they left provisions for me. Two bags of Top Ramen and BBQ Chicken. A hikers dream dinner. I’m set for one more night in the woods.

Glorious Woman

Today the women came back to the trail. I met several gals, all thru hiking and camped at Deep Gap. I so enjoy the company of other females, especially ones that are filthy dirty and stinky like me. We all talked about our lives back home, our families and what we want to eat when we get to town. There were quite a few hikers that showed up as the day grew on. Close to 12-15 which is the biggest bubble I’ve been in. Most have been hiking 6-7 miles a day. Just taking it slow and working up to bigger miles as the weeks go on.

Mexicali Reach out

It was a fun evening and I had a chance to share my grandson’s Sid’s experience in Mexicali over Easter Break. He went down there with our church to help build homes, interact with the children and deepen their faith in the Lord. Sid came back a changed young man, became part of an accountability group, and made new friendships. At church last Sunday, they talked about the teens and their long days. They’d get up early in the morning when the sun came up and would be in evening worship late at night. They had a picture that showed up in Sunday morning worship of one of the teens sleeping through the service. The blonde with his eyes closed and mouth wide open is my grandson! We all need rest from time to time.

Sabbath

Today was my sixth day of hiking without rest. As I was walking today, I was listening to a Audio Book about Spirituality that a dear friend shared with me. It talked about rest, and how in the Ten Commandments, a day of rest is the longest verse. It shared a story of Pioneer’s who were moving across America and as the trip became longer, and winter was getting closer, they argued and quarreled about pushing through without their practiced Sabbath. Half of the group continued with honoring their day of rest, even though winter was quickly approaching. But the second group pushed through tired and weary, trying to beat the changing weather. The faithful group made it safely to Oregon, as they were able to travel longer during their work days because they had adequate rest weekly. The others did not fare as well.

I am going in for a Sabbath tomorrow. My body is ready to recoup, relax and praise the Lord for getting me this far. It was not my planned day off trail but it is well needed and God-honoring. There are many times I push myself to the point of exhaustion. What good is that and what does it serve? Only pride and dishonor of the Lords’ desire for us. Even God rested after he created the heavens and earth. And so shall I.

““Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:8-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In the words of my Grandson Quin “That was the best day ever!” I woke up to frost on my tent but the sky was crystal blue. I happened to be the only person on this ridgeline and it was glorious! I had missed the vistas yesterday because of the constant rain, sleet and mist, but today more than made up for it. When I opened my vestibule of my tent, I saw this magnificent sunrise.

I meandered down the trail in no big rush. It was such a whimsical day with green luscious plants, shrubs, bushes and pines. The trees without leaves were still in the foreground but greenery had taken over. Thank goodness. It appears winter is still alive and well as there were ice crystals on the ground and icicles hanging from the waterfalls. Did I say it was freezing last night?

Today was a sharp contrast from yesterday. There were so many day hikers and thru hikers near me. Maybe with the sunshine, people came out of their shelters and meandered back to the trail. I met the nicest people out and about. This sweet couple Lorraine and Marshall stopped to talk with me. Marshall asked if I wanted an apple? Of course I do, and to my chagrin, it was my most favorite Green Pippin Apple! What a blessing I thought. As Lorraine and I talked, she asked my name so she could pray for me and my safety on the trail. I shared with her my blog and my faith. God knew just what I needed today. While at Unicola Gap, a trail runner asked if he could take my trash. He was headed home and there were no trash receptacles for hikers. Wow, I was double-blessed in such a very short time. I thought I was suppose to be doing the blessing? Like I said earlier, it was the best day ever!

My only concern so far, is my mileage. I had anticipated that I’d be hiking more miles daily. I just can’t seem to get my rhythm or my trail legs. The constant ups and downs, which many call PUDS (Pointless Ups & Downs) are more than I anticipated. It seems you never really get to stretch your legs out or hit overdrive because there’s numerous rocks, roots and PUDS in the way. On many of the trails I’ve hiked in the past, the trail is groomed like a ski hill, all the bumps mowed down and easy graded cruising hills. I haven’t found this in Georgia. They say that Georgia and The Whites in Vermont are the hardest parts of the trail. I’m not sure if that’s gospel. I just think that Georgia is the first state and hikers are trying to find their way. Anyhow, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with my spreadsheet and schedule. I may consider throwing the spreadsheet to the wind and just doing what I can and knowing that God has me right where he needs me. Now that’s a thought!

Today I met a new group of hikers. All the people I was hiking with before have left the trail for the finer things in life like showers, laundry, flush toilets and running water. So I’m in a new bubble. Most of the guys, yes all men, have started a few days before me so I’m not that terribly slow. I caught up with Matt who is SpeedBumps #14 Walking Stick Recipient. He said he’s becoming quite fond of his new walking stick these days.

As I made it to camp tonight, I thanked the Lord for this incredible day. I had many interactions with hikers. Some Christians that recognized my cross on my pack and proclaimed their faith also. The Brothers who I have dubbed “Two Men in a Shed” are Crusaders for Christ. It seems that the good Lord is surrounding me with like-minded people and sprinkling in opportunities to speak the truth to others. I am just here for His purpose and to shower others with love. What a glorious God I serve.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬