3 weeks on the trail so far. Half spent with great weather and half spent in the rain. This past week week has been 50/50 so far and today was the worst for rain lately. I hiked 8 miles in the rain and mud mostly down hill slipping and sliding a lot. But I haven`t fallen yet thankfully. I started this week out in Franklin NC where I left off with my last posting then headed to NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center) and arrived in time for a miniature trail days event. Osprey gave me two new water proof stuff sacks for my down quilts so I don`t need to use a trash bag anymore to keep them dry 🙂 . Now I am at Fontana Dam. It took me a day and a half to get here from the NOC. Will head to Gatlinburg tomorrow which is 43 miles from here and I expect it to take me 4-5 days. It is mostly a slow up hill. So with any luck Friday afternoon April 28th.

I took 78 pictures for you all to enjoy. They start with the Gooder Grove hostel looking at my bunk. Then hey roll through the trail to the NOC and on to Fontana Dam. I will get pics of the dam hopefully tomorrow and post them on my next blog. I c