Virginny!

Crossing into Virginia means 3 states down and only 11 more to go! It also means easier terrain and the onset of spring. Three cheers for Ol' Virginny!

Fences II

Occasionally we cross some spectacular fields. This fence seemed to stretch on forever...

Kincora!

The Kincora hiker hostel (near Hampton, TN) was our next off-trail stop. The owner, Bob Peoples, built this treehouse-for-two in his spare time and we got to sleep in it!

Home Sweet Home

Kind of what I imagine gypsy life might be like - a new home every night, but the routine remains pretty much the same. This is a typical evening for us around dinner time.

Here Comes the Sun

Finally the storms passed! The sun came out and we crossed over Hump Mountain under blue skies.

More Storms

We returned to the AT to find more bad weather! We climbed Roan Mountain in a hailstorm which evolved into a thunderstorm! It never let up until we reached overmountain shelter, which is actually a converted barn. We were cold, wet, muddy, and miserable; the scene was eerie, but beautiful.

A Nice Visit

After several wintry days, it was good to hop off the trail for a night to visit family. Matt's folks treated us to a cabin night of homecooked food! Thanks Dwight and Jewell (aka Dad and Mom)!!!

Snowbound III

This is Matt's favorite shot of Anitra.

Snowbound II

The snow never let up, so we decided to stay put another day in our tent-in-the-shelter. We did snap some great pictures of a snow-covered trail, though. We took a short walk up the trail and had to duck low under rhododendron and other branches heavily loaded with snow.

Snowbound I

The day we left Erwin we walked right into a storm! We hiked 4 miles uphill in the rain with the temperature dropping by the minute and decided to pitch our tent in this shelter. 3 hours later it looked like this.

Erwin, TN

Erwin, TN, is a great trail town! We spent one night here at Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel right beside the Nolichucky river. (note: A circus elephant was once charged with murder and put to death by hanging in Erwin. True story.)

Big Bald

The AT also crosses treeless hilltops like these, known as "balds". This one is called "Big Bald" for obvious reasons. We both fell down on "ol' baldy", as Matt likes to call it. It was a muddy, windy day.

Fences

The AT skirts lots of private property, most of which is farmland. We frequently have to climb over fences like this to stay on the trail!

The Best Trail Magic Ever

Two days after leaving Hot Springs we had our best trail magic ever. Two former thru-hikers (John and Jodi Nelson ) invited us into their log cabin for waffles, chili, and dessert! There we are sharing a world-class banana split. Check out the tree-person from their driveway!

A good day off

We got to Hot Springs and grabbed the last room in town. All hikers came off the trail in the bitterly cold weather, so town was crawling with us smelly hiker types. Last night we got a great room here at the Sunnybank Inn, a warm, welcoming hostel for hikers where they prepare fabulous vegetarian meals from their own organic farm!

Snow on Walnut Mtn.

We wouldn't have a true thru-hiking experience without some snow. It began snowing about 7 PM and kept going all night. Those are our boots beneath all that snow!

Goodbye Smokies!

This was our last stop in the smokies...

Charlie's Bunion

A father / son duo from Lexington, KY snapped this photo of us at Charlie's Bunion, a rock outcropping which provides an incredible view. This was our last day in the smokies and we were sad to leave.

Sunrise at Icewater Spring

A spectacular sunrise at Icewater Spring.

Back on the trail

We said goodbye to Donna and headed back to the trail. Here's Anitra Representin' for Fido on her way through the smokies!

Gatlinburg!

Our friend Donna picked us up at Newfound Gap and we spent the weekend in a luxurious cabin. It was a much needed getaway for all of us.

Here are some folks we hiked with for several days, a real good crew. That's Bucket, Ohm, and Quarter Moon at the top left. Trashbag and Rodeo Clown, another couple from Nashville, are on the top right, and down left are Spyder and the Dude, enjoying some cold fried chicken as only a thru-hiker or otherwise semi-starved individual truly can. We left them all here at Newfound Gap and hope someday to catch up to them. We wish them well.

Shelter Sharin'

Thru-Hikers must stay in the shelters in the Smokies, so we had our first shelter sharin' experience this week. (we generally prefer to sleep in our tent.) It's pretty close quarters, as you can see. This group, however, was very cool to share with.

Anitra's B-Day

Anitra's Birthday was overcast and chilly, which made the mountain terrain very spooky. We stayed at Derrick Knob shelter, and the fog soon had the entire mountain socked in. Fortunately, all the shelters in the Smokies have fireplaces, so we all pitched in to build a cheery fire.

Entering the Smokies

Matt was particularly enthusiastic about the Smokies (you can tell this by the height of his socks). The Smokies are deep, dark, and mysterious. Who knows what lies beyond...?

Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam is both the southern gateway to the Smoky Mtns. Natl. Park, and a massive source of hydroelectric power for the region. It is also the site of the "Fontana Hilton", one of the most luxurious shelters on the AT: (showers, flush toilets, and running water!!!)

NOC

The Nantahala Outdoor Center was a lovely spot. The AT passes right through this resort area and offers plenty of kayaking / whitewater rafting adventure. Many thru-hikers stayed here for the night, but we passed through. We'll come back for a mini-vacation sometime, though.