Betty's Creek Gap to Winding Stair Gap

Good day. Got up early and hit the trail like a horse heading for the barn. Plans were to get to winding stair gap today and then go in to Franklin, NC  for a zero day on Friday. Beautiful day for hiking. We have been really lucky! A few good climbs. One on the way up Albert mountain was a rock scramble which was fun but tough. There's a fire tower up there where I took this photo and ate my pop tarts. (Brown sugar cinnamon of course)

As I came into Rock Gap, one of the last of the day, I saw a cardboard sign nailed on a tree that said, "Trail magic at rock gap on March 27th. Hot dogs, chips and salsa and beer and whiskey." Checked to be sure it was the 27th and practically ran down to the bottom of the gap. And sure enough, there they were. Sat in a real chair, ate a hot dog and drank a yeungling (seems to be the beer of choice here) a few good ol' boys on a day off decided to do some magic. We were happy campers. Opted out of the whiskey.

Finished out the last few miles and right as we came down into Winding Stair Gap, a big white van pulled in and honked. It was the much-heralded Miss Janet of Appalachian Trail lore. I'd read a lot about here before I came and was happy to get to meet her. She volunteers her time and van and takes care of people up and down the trail with shuttles, food and whatnot. We threw our packs in her van and she drove us into Franklin and dropped us at the (low) Budget Motel. 

Day off tomorrow, I'm in one of them fancy motels with a real bed, pillows and a TV.  Shucks. Life is good :)