The Appalachian Trail- (D.33, 16.9 mi)

Day 33 (Bald Mtn Shelter -> Erwin, TN (NOC Hostel)) (342.0 mi total)

We had a very long, drawn out hike today.  It sucks sometimes when you get it in your head that you are making really good time (approx 3 mi/hr) and then you do the math and realize that all that effort has left you at around 2 mi/hr.  It can really take a toll on the ol' noggin.   However, we realized around a week ago that Erwin, TN was the first place that had a movie theater.....which means The Dark Knight Rises....which means Jax and I talked in Batman (Christian Bale) voices all day to other hikers and each other.  This definitely gained us some interesting looks (not anymore than hiking in our briefs (first defense against chafing issues is the avoidance of pants)), but the personal hilarity proved worth it.  The shuttle for the hostel doesn't run into town past 8 p.m. but they were courteous enough to let us have our luck at the bike collection.  We stumbled upon two working bikes (barely) amongst a graveyard of bikes and took to the 4 mile journey into town.  Batman was great, I had service to call the madre and the boo (Leigh) which was nice..... Lee Wallace expect a call tonight!  I am writing this on D. 34 (it's storming so we are stuck here......miserable (not)).

Shuttle schedule....notice the 10 a.m beer run.  Turns out hikers drink a little.

Jax and the Batmobile's.

Abby Normal and the Batmobile's.

Wish I could figure out how to flip these dang things.... Jax and Abby Normal outside the theater. 

Unique, old-time theater.  They were nice enough to let us park our bike's inside.

My cheeze-it's bring all the girls to the yard. 

The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan (The Path of Daggers book 8).....one of my favorites.  Jax was impressed that I had read this, and I was impressed the Hostel had it.  (small rant) If your into fantasy/sci-fi novel's.....get on The Wheel of Time series, my Dad showed it to me and it left me seriously obsessed for a while. 

Ha, the local protector of the bunk room's......thats his sword and he isn't afraid to give you a pop or two with it.

 

The Appalachian Trail- (D.32, 7.7mi)

Day 32 (Sam's Gap -> Bald Mtn Shelter) (325.1 total)

We had a pretty easy day set up so despite the "reluctance" as we now call it to leave Jim & Margie's we thought it was high time to let them get back in their routine, and for us....ours.  We had a big elevation gain which always stinks but it did have a payoff (view, cool terrain, etc.) once we reached the summit.  So after an overall enjoyable hike we hit the hay with BlackJack (frequent south end section hiker) and a father and son from Atlanta.  The son Drew is about to be a freshman at Georgia Tech so we had plenty to talk about in terms of how sweet college life is, frat life (ha), and gettin' that ed-u-maction.  It wasn't all nonsense, Jax and I gave him a pretty serious warning on how easy to get sidetracked that first year.....I told him it was from personal experience (5th year till the day I D.I.E.)  We set up a nice fire and stayed up late for us (10:00 ha).

Tough Hike, around 2,000 ft elevation gain.  ;)  The payoff.

Had to get a pic of Jax about to kick the day's Ass.

Bald's are quickly becoming my favorite thing on the trail.

The Trail (mud path in foreground), and you can still see it in the hill in the back.  It was an amazing walk today.

I have this idea of a bunch of white blaze post's lined up, just can't capture it yet.

The Appalachian Trail- (D.29, 17.1 mi) (D 30, 0)

Day 29 (Jerry Cabin Shelter -> Sams Gap (Jim & Margie's)(Savior's)) (317.4 mi total)
Day 30 (Jim & Margie's Refuge) (0 mi)

We had a long day today and spirits were at an all time low.  Brasky was feeling under the weather and despite an injury to his foot pushed on like the Bad Ass (B.A.) he is and we got 17.4 miles on tough terrain.  Jax had received an e-mail from his cousins (Jim & Margie) before we took the trip about us stopping by for some R & R, so we knew the end of the day would be spent in good company which always helps on a rough day.  What we didn't expect is the burden we would place on Jim & Margie and how despite our stop being more than they probably bargained for (Ha, under statement) they never showed anything but generosity in its purest form.  The help we received from them (Margie (Nurse) and Jim (Doctor)) was beyond anything we could have hoped for.  Besides feeding us, giving up their house for all of us to be able to have a bed, and providing us with endless medical assistance....they were also outdoor activist and took us on a tandem bike ride (little harder then it looks, they kick ass at it), let us fish in their pond, and watch their TV.  We honestly cannot say "THANK YOU" enough, you guys helped us beyond anything we could have imagined.  We will keep you in our prayers, and in September on your trip to Memphis we will definitely have to do a little dinner reunion so we can thank you again in person. 

Great water source.....we felt a little off afterwards though.

Cool section of the trail, in between crops I guess.

I was obsessed with this YouTube video of this guy and his dog on the A.T. and it just so happened that he stopped by this same spot.....so I had to do the same photo.

Margie with Jax &Brasky, she made a delicious tortilla soup (?) and some guacamole/salsa.  Great stuff!

Yeah, we tandem.....and yes I'm wearing a kayaking helmet ha.  I'm special.

Jim & Margie.... talk about rhythmic tandem cyclist.  Thanks again for taking us out, we had a blast!

Abby Normal & Jax at a local diner before we hit the trail for the day.

Margie and Jax, cousins for life!  Thanks again!

They had great musical taste, so we had a Beatles stretch session in the mornin'.....on vinyl. 

The Appalachian Trail- (D.28, 15.4 mi)

Day 28 (Spring Mtn Shelter -> Jerry Cabin Shelter) (300.3 mi total)

Whoop Whoop, finally got to 300 miles and a little bit before 30 days.  We are pretty pumped!  We busted tail today and tried to push on despite some really tough climbs and some physical injuries that surely didn't help.  Made it to Jerry's Cabin finally, ha which came equipped with a circuit that doesn't work, a light bulb w/ fixture (didn't work) and used to have a telephone in it.....jokes on us I guess. 

Ha, the first time in a while where all we saw was flat......terrifying.

Steep hikes take on a new meaning when it becomes "feet over hand."

Brasky wasn't feeling well so he hit it early, luckily I had company for a couple of hours.  We shared dinner.....and stories.

Boredom left me taking plenty of pictures.....

The Appalachian Trail- (D. 27, 11mi)

Day 27 (Hot Springs, NC -> Spring Mtn Shelter) (284.9 mi total)

Not too much happening today, besides a natural reluctance to leave society and return to the woods ha.  Here's some photo's.

Intense hike up after town, but the view was nice. (Hot Springs, NC)

Cool pond we found in the woods.  Snake city......

Dem Racquet Boys cuttin' up after building a fire.... trying to get my timer down.  Jax likes to burn his shoes after a good day of hiking.

The Appalachian Trail- (D.26, 13.1mi)

Day 26 (Walnut Mtn Shelter -> Hot Springs, NC) (273.9 mi total)

Today we had an easy hike because we knew it would end in us getting to Hot Springs, NC which is a cool little kayak/rafting town.  So, we went to the local motel where we were told that it had no vacancy by a very kind older man......fortunately for us we were tracked down on our way out by a lady who informed us that the older man has dementia and in fact they had plenty of vacancy.  So, that was a good thing ha.  Remember the couple of elder ladies we were hiking with earlier in the week.....well as luck and fortune would have it William and I decided to randomly get out of bed and go get our laundry.  Along the short walk we were stopped at a four-way stop where we had to wait for cars to move out of the way.  One of them somehow happened to be the ladies on their way back to their homes.  They flagged us over to say, "This is the mother in me, but I just want you boys to be safe.....please take this little bit of money and buy some ice cream, ha or beer I guess."  I looked at the $17 dollars and tried my hardest to kindly reject it but she and her friends weren't having it.  So, that was really cool and left us feeling pretty watched over for the rest of the day.  I feel terrible since I didn't get a name or picture of any of them....but mystery trail magic helpers.....THANK YOU!  After that we watched The 5th Element.....(I just love that movie) and drank some refreshments and hit the hay.

Ha, NOBO's this is pretty discouraging.....for SOBO's however I bet this is an amazing feeling.  Only 1914 miles left till Maine.

Deer Park Shelter.  My Uncle Rick actually stayed here 26 years ago...(I got plenty more pictures of it for you).

Motel city baby, cool place for sure.

About as close to my Momma's cookin' as it can get.....still no comparison though.

Brooks showin' off his gluteus maximus in the motel room.

The Appalachian Trail- (D.25, 13.1 mi)

Day 25 (Groundhog Creek Shelter -> Walnut Mtn Shelter) (260.8 mi total)

Damn Right.

Max Patch, huge field (bald) on top of a 4600 ft mountain.......insane.  Jax in the bottom right gives you a frame of reference.

We awoke today......very late.  The combination of our last two days left our bodies physically distraught and we decided to sleep in (our alarm clock (brasky) didn't wake up as usual).  We felt lucky to find an assortment of food (trail magic) from our newly accquired friends from last night.  A couple of string cheeses, a clif bar, ramen, knorr pasta side, 3 oatmeals......all except the the ramen was eaten right then for breakfast, mainly by Brasky (fella puts down some food).  Max Patch was on the schedule for today and even though we knew it was going to be a tough hike we had heard so many positive remarks about the patch that we couldn't wait.  It wasn't any form of exageration at all, Max Patch quickly became our favorite spot so far on the trail.  If you are ever around Max Patch Rd; NC 1182 .....take it.  Parking is right around the corner and it is truly amazing place to relax and catch some great views. 

"FAA" tower on top of a mountain....we aren't supposed to say anymore.

Supposed to keep intellectual folk like Jax and I out of unwanted areas.

Wild Blackberries.....they were great and everywhere.

Much needed relaxation time on top of Max Patch.

Max Patch with the White Blazes.

Brooks beating the day's ass.

Max Patch....wish my photo's could display how cool this place was.

Another storm left us cramped in a 6 person shelter ha.

The Appalachian Trail- (D.24, 17.6 mi)

Day 24 (Cosby Knob Shelter -> Groundhog Creek Shelter) (247.7 mi total)

Today was another day of some gruesome hiking with little relaxation time included.  We wanted to make up some big miles and basically get out of the Smokey's (too rainy and foggy).  We left the GSMNP about 8 miles into the hike and went into the North Carolina & Tennessee border section.  The I-40 crossing was in today's schedule and that was very interesting.....a little too tempting as an escape perhaps.  We got to see normal people enjoying their day white water rafting as we walked by to our next trail head.  The plan was to stop at Green Corner Rd. which is a little farmhouse/hostel for hikers that provides food/laundry/etc.  The directions are as follows: after walking under I-40, continue north on the A.T. beyond the stone stairs to the gravel road, turn left, walk 200 yards to white farmhouse.  (.........) I don't know how we botched these such descriptive directions but regardless we missed it.  So, now our motivation to get to our next stop (Hot Springs, NC) had a little more fuel.  We finally made it to our destination and met up with Rocket (ha, one of the operators of the Green Corner Rd.) and Baseline and a group of elder women on a couple day hike at Groundhog Creek Shelter.  Some very interesting conversation was exchanged (wish I had a photo of ol' Rocket and Baseline) and then we hit the sack. 

(Sideways) View of the path we walked all day.....a little wet, but water for drinking was not an issue.

Jax doing what he does best, raising morale via fire for night's (usually cold) sleep. 

They look like they're having fun..... ha

Jax outraged.

......Please?

Frederick the wise, he set us straight and pushed us on our way.  We owe ya one freddy.