Off trail

Day 32: April 29, 2022AT mile 416.0 to 420.1Hiked: 4.1 miles / 6.6 kmAT miles hiked to date: 19.1% Well, after much consideration overnight, having heard that Jo is not improving as quickly as hoped, we made the difficult decision to leave the trail and return home to support her…

Third Breakfast!

Day 31: April 28, 2022AT mile 395.3 to 416.0Hiked: 20.7 miles / 33.3 kmAT miles hiked to date: 19.0% We started hiking this morning with full bellies (the 3rd breakfast was as good as the previous 2) and full hearts (knowing that Jo was in good hands – good doctor,…

Second Breakfast

Well, the plan was to head out this morning but having heard news from home that one of our kids was sick, we decided to stay here an extra day and night to see how things were going at home. With really wonderful help from good friends, neighbours and of…

Nero at Mountain Harbour

Day 29: April 26, 2022AT mile 392.3 to 395.3Hiked: 3.0 miles / 4.8 kmAT miles hiked to date: 18.0% The forecast rain did not arrive until mid morning but by that time we had already walked the 3.2 miles from our camp-site to the Mountain Harbour B&B, which we had…

Farewell North Carolina

Day 28: April 25, 2022AT mile 377.1 to 392.3Hiked: 15.2 miles / 24.5 kmAT miles hiked to date: 17.9% We wake when the sky first lightens at around 6:30 and after a quick breakfast of either muesli or a Granola bar we pack up the tent and set off. This…

Into the Roan highlands

Day 27: April 24, 2022AT mile 358.0 to 377.1Hiked: 19.1 miles / 30.7 kmAT miles hiked to date: 17.2% Last night we were camped in a pine forest the floor a carpet of springy moss. It was cool but not cold and we woke refreshed. Initially the trail was a…

Beauty Spot

Day 26: April 23, 2022AT mile 344.3 to 358.0Hiked: 13.7 miles / 22.0 kmAT miles hiked to date: 16.3% As we said, the flowers are blooming and, with them and the warmer temperatures have come the bugs – flies and bees pollinating the flowers and following us along the trail.…

Resupply in Erwin

Day 25: April 22, 2022AT mile 327.7 to 344.3Hiked: 16.6 miles / 26.7 kmAT miles hiked to date: 15.7% Each day the trail we hike is becoming more beautiful. Clusters of purple, white, yellow and pink blooms appear more frequently beside the track and the leaf buds on trees are…

Big Bald Mountain

Day 24: April 21, 2022AT mile 311.0 to 327.7Hiked: 16.7 miles / 26.9 kmAT miles hiked to date: 14.9% 5400ft ups, 3440ft downs today but it felt like all up, mostly steep! First was up past a pretty waterfall and on up to a mountain top. We stopped at a…

Devil’s Fork Gap

Day 23: April 20, 2022AT mile 289.6 to 311.0Hiked: 21.4 miles / 34.4 kmAT miles hiked to date: 14.2% Although it was very cold last night, the condensation in our tent had not frozen so we know the temp was not below freezing. The wind, though, was very cold and…