Bryant Ridge to Glasgow

The days are getting longer and hotter, so I got an early start. Lots of climbs today according to AWOL's book(which is like the bible for all the hikers) The climbs were worse-on-paper, so I went quite a bit further than I had planned. The tiny town of Glasgow has a spot to pitch tents and shower. They did this to attract hikers to help stimulate the local economy. The sign in the shower reads...

What it actually should says, is,"Caution: water is heated...for the first 30 seconds to give you a false sense of security and then will become ice cold." :)

They also added this 'statue' to bring in the tourists. Maybe it's just me, but I'm thinking they could use a some help in the marketing department.

After three days of hiking in the heat, I was feeling pretty grimy. Got in to town, met up with some others at Scottos Pizza, took a COLD shower and crashed.

Wilson Creek Shelter to Bryant ridge Shelter

Kind of caught up with another bubble of hikers. Lots of people I did not know that I think may be section hikers and several that Ive been leapfrogging with over the last several weeks. The trail is so pretty in parts where things are starting to flower.

Hiked 16 miles over pretty good terrain and came to an awesome swimming hole. Water cool enough to be refreshing and good for soaking tired feet. 

As we were soaking, the shuttle for a nearby campground stopped to see if anyone wanted a ride to the snack shop. Quick exodus from the water and we all piled into the car. We loaded up on some super foods (burgers, fries and milkshakes)

Pictured are Chops, Boot Burner, Naked Ninja, Gray Ghost, Rob and Thirsty.

then got back on the trail for one last climb into the next shelter. Pretty cool shelter with a wrap around porch. No flat spots for tents, so I am opting for a spot on the porch.

Lamberts Mountain to Wilson Creek Shelter

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! Especially mine. Had a good day. Got to talk to my mom and all my kids! Good hiking today with a really nice trail. Not too rocky! Got up early and hiked in to Daleville, where we ate at the Three Little Pigs BBQ. Half Slab of ribs and it was great plus about a gallon of diet coke. We left our packs sitting out in front of the restaurant because they are big and smelly. When we walked out, this is what we saw.

Our packs with a grocery sack sitting beside them. Opened it up and it was a bunch of groceries. Fruit, cookies and candy, and this note....

It was very touching. We didn't see who left it, but wow.... the good vibe around the trail continues. Random acts of kindness. That is something I want to take home with me after this. Doesn't have to be anything big, but doing a little good for others when they don't expect it. So cool.

Got back on the trail for another few hours (powered by some tasty BBQ)

I need to make good miles over the next few days because my siblings are coming on Wednesday! Yeeha!

Four Pines Hostel to Lamberts Meadow Campground

So, the day started like any other. Herding  alpacas in to the barn for sheering day. :)

They were a little nervous needless to say. 

Then the sheering began. No wonder they were nervous! It was tough to watch. I watched the first one get sheered but when they started on the second one and it started screaming (no joke! You do not want to hear an alpaca screaming) I had to leave the barn. Here is the 'after'....

Left Four Pines in a drizzle and it rained a little off and on most of the day. Passed the 700 mile mark...aaaauugh! It's going too fast!

And did the photo op at McAfee knob. Probably the most photographed spot on the AT. Nice trail today, not too rocky and we hiked along Tinker Cliffs which was really spectacular.

It's weird how you get in bubbles of people and then there are times when you are between bubbles. Haven't seen some of the hikers that we have been seeing for weeks. We've heard rumors of some injuries and sickness so we hope they are all back on the trail soon!

 Quote from a hiker in '08. Red Beard.

"The AT. The most fun you'll ever have.... Interrupted by long walks in the woods."

Roadside campground to Four Pines Hostel

Packed up, told Karl good luck with his goal and on the trail by 8. 15 miles to Four Pines Hostel. Seemed easy enough, but there were several tough climbs and lots of rocks. At the top of the first climb was a cooler of cold sodas!!! Wow. What a welcome surprise!! 

Walked a little further to the Audie Murphy Memorial. He was the most decorated American soldier of World War II and he died in a plane crash at the top of this mountain. The memorial was really touching with lots of mementos left by visitors and each rock placed there by people showing their respects.

Hiked on through lots of rocks and landed at the Four Pines Hostel at about 3:50. Just in time as they were loading the van to head to the Home  Place restaurant. A cool old home where they serve all you can eat home cooking.

Good conversation until the food arrived and then it was down to business.

Ate myself sick! It was great!

Four Pines is a unique spot. A big guy named Joe Mitchell who has the hostel in a three bay garage. Not fancy, but shower, laundry and good people. Basically a big room with lots of couches and cots.

Joe stayed out and played Cornhole with everyone. Quite a character.

Quiet campsite to super cool roadside camping spot

Today was hot and rocky!! Tiring day with lots of climbing across steep rocks.  We had originally planned to do a long climb at the end of the day to get it out of the way, but instead stopped just short at random roadside camping spot. 

We passed the biggest tree on the southern section of the AT. 18 feet in diameter.

And I saw my second snake of the trip. A big black snake. Apparently it did not get the memo that I had already seen one snake on this trip and that was plenty.

Pretty uneventful day, until.... 

So, I was setting up my tent and there was a guy there camping with his car. He was by himself. I kind of wondered what his story was but just left him to himself. He started up a conversation and offered me a beer. I didn't want to seem unneighborly, so I accepted his offer:) He had a map of the AT and said he was doing some 'recon' on the trail. Turns out he is attempting to break the record for the fastest assisted thru-hike of the AT. The record is currently held by Jennifer Pharr Davis. 46 days and 10 hours. Cool guy, very laid back. Introduced himself as Karl Meltzer. One of the top ultramarathoners in the country! (He didn't mention that. Al recognized his name) He will have to average over 50 miles a day to make it happen. Yowsa!! Pretty darn cool and very random! We all sat and chatted while we cooked our dinner and when it started to get dark, we retired to our tents and he retired to the back end of his car. You just never know what is going to happen out here! If things go as planned for all, we should see him heading south from Maine in late July.

Mountain top to Quiet campsite

First woke up to this beautiful sunrise as seen from my sleeping bag...

We were doing big miles today so got moving early because we knew there was cool stuff ahead!! At about mile 10 we stopped at a place called ' the captains'. (So named because of his uncanny resemblance to Captain Kangaroo. Mr. Green Jeans was no where to be seen) anyway, he lets hikers camp or hang out by his house and has a fridge full of cold sodas. But the best part..... You take a zip line over the creek from the trail to his place. 

That's the Captain himself pulling me across! Too cool. We ate lunch, laid all our wet sleeping bags, tents etc out to dry and just hung out for a bit. Soaked our feet in the creek and then we loaded up for another 12 miles. Got into our destination just before dark, ate a quick dinner and hit the hay.