Erwin and before...

Here we (Croft and I) sit and relax after some tough hiking. It feels good to put my feet up and "heal" a bit. Croft's knee is bothering her and my feet are always hurting...as with any hiker on the trail, I am not at all alone with this! We have done 59 miles in 4 days with some slack packing opportunities, a little much our bodies tell us! On the trail yesterday I was daydreaming about a veggie sub. They say the trail gives you what you need and we all know that trail magic and trail karma is real, it happens all the time. I was hopeful that a veggie sub and iced tea would be sitting on the trail just for me to shove in my face, but that seemed completely unrealistic right?! While pumping water and discussing her knee, a guy runs by us in Chaco sandals and a daypack saying hello. We said some "fuck you's" under our breath as his speed and light pack made us envious, but we did manage a friendly hello first. As it turns out, him and his wife and dog Mollie were waiting for us at the gap's parking lot and asked if we needed a ride into town for anything?! We said yes, and gratefully loaded our stinky selves and packs in their car. They had family hiking the trail which is why they were so generous...I mean we stink!! It takes special people to help hikers out, trust me. They took us to Subway first and offered to take us anywhere else, we just had them bring us to the hostel. Trail magic IS real people (veggie sub in my face)!!! They actually offered to pick us up the next day and drive us back to the trail!!!! They are Matthew and Sarah, our latest trail Angels. Thanks guys, we are so thankful for you. So, we rest and will hit the trail tomorrow. I need to be in Damascus by July 3rd to meet my man and head home for some work. I'm so excited!! I miss my life but know I will also miss the trail, it becomes part of you and you become part of it...forever! Breathing in the clouds in the morning, you can taste and smell them! I hope I never forget how they taste! Big rock, white AT symbol. White blaze through the rocks. This trail is amazing😊 Subs on the trail with a blaze in the background. Yep, that's lettuce in my teeth...and I love it😉 River, mountains, trail, and my veggie sub. Trail magic is real. This proves it for sure!❤️😊 Today's mountains. I'll just move this thing off the trail, doing my part! Mountains, clouds, white blazed bald, and my face😊. Good morning! Ashley's fall...she has now tied me with 4 trail falls. This is not a contest, but a healthy competition never hurt anyone. Um, I think I am going to win!😉

Hot Springs...Ahhhhhh

Lovely place here at Laughing Heart Hostel, such a relaxed atmosphere. A soak in a mineral bath hot tub for an hour at the spa and an organic smoothie, heavenly! We ate at a local Tavern and had social beers, we watched game 7 of the NBA Finals and Cleveland won!! I made new freinds and even got to play with a Bassett hound puppy...so sweet. Slept in my tent with my peeps around me and enjoyed the tranquility of the mountains even though we were in a town, just skirting them. Croft and I are slack packing for a couple days to get to Damascus faster, I have work and have to leave the trail the first week of July. It will be a sad day but I'm stoked to have work. Enjoy your journeys! The group... Elvis, the Bassett puppy😊❤️ The spa and the mineral bath... The river bath...Some new freinds. The NBA Finals at the Tavern. Great times here and sad to say goodbye but the mountains are calling...again!😉😊❤️☀️

Gatlinburg, oh my

Made it to Clingmans Dome NP, which is where I decided I wanted to hike the AT several years ago. It was a sweet morning hike UP to the highest point on the trail. I teared up when I got close to the spot where I took "the" picture that hangs on my wall...the one where the dream was born! We got some trail magic on our way up, biscotti and goldfish crackers! Oh yeah, the others shared a single Mountain Dew. With the approach trail mileage this puts Croft and I over 200 miles!!! We took some pics and then needed to get a ride to re-up our food. Cranium gladly helped us hitch hike and scored us a ride to Gatlinburg to pick up our packages. Thankfully we got a room and met up with Trail Budz and Sleepy. So there we were, all 5 of us sharing a small living space just like in the shelters. It was awesome! So...Croft, Santa (aka crusty bits), Trail Budz, Sleepy, and me (now Curlz) did what hikers do and soaked our feet together in epsom salt. 3 of us shared the tub and the other two had the sinks, it was hysterical!! Then we played a gross jelly bean game and thankfully drank beer...I got a skunk jelly...EWWW!! Lots of people here and we definitely had a sensory overload, thanks to the wine and moonshine tasting we seemed to get through it okay. The fellas left this morning leaving Santa, Croft, and I to take a zero day in Fatlinburg! We've done it all here and are so ready for the trail. The mountains are calling us home!  Santa, Curlz, and Croft!  Trail magic! Clingmans dome! Croft, Curlz, Crusty Bits, and Cranium. The spot where the dream was born... Cranium and his hitching magic leg trick! The jelly bean game in the guys room😜 The trolley ride when Croft had enough...that's not a high five she's looking for! Tourist suck and we need to get back on the trail. Bye Gatlinburg, it's been fun! I couldn't forget Sleepy!! He took a few pics for us and missed out...so here he is on the dome.😉 Soaking the feet in Epsom salt...hiker life

In the clouds

It's been so cloudy and rainy the last 3 days of hiking, I haven't even taken any pictures. The raft trip on Saturday was great but rained at the end and the sky opened up again later. Sunday was awful!!! Rained hard all day as we hiked 13 miles, even slack pacing hurt in that weather. Cold and wet on that kind of terrain...not a good time. My feet are dying from being wet for days in my boots but bought some balm today, hoping it solves my problems. I have never had raw feet to hike with...and I can't trade them in anywhere! Starting up into the Smokies tomorrow so I need them to feel better. Hoping for a great day yet I'm quite aware of how hard it's going to be. So, fire last night at the shelter (tent city) was great and the blue skies and water today was a welcome sight as we approached Fontana Dam. A cool orange salamader on the trail and a lovely butterfly too out enjoying the nice day. So glad to be out of the clouds and canopy and in the beautiful sunshine!!!☀️😀Tent city fire...  Blue sky and blue water!! Salamander  View from my bed in the shelter...   The Dam...the trail!❤️👍

Nantahala...enough said

Nantahala...awesome place!!! Love it here. Ashley and I went whitewater rafting today and it was a blast! Slack packing tomorrow up the big mountain out of here and making up some miles from our play day. Said goodbye (for now) to Gazelle, our Danish princess. Sad but it was time. She has her own journey and time constraints, so off she goes on her own. Funny how you find people to hike with only to figure out how different your paths and even interests are. It's been great and I wish her the best! Now it's time for an IPA and some river solice so I can write in my journal. Good times with T-bag! I may need some attention... Bye Gazelle. I am doing fish lips more than sad face🙁, I tried but apparently I need practice! Until next time... The Nantahala River and the smile😉 Just the river as the sun goes down.😊❤️😀