Feb. 27 (Mon.) - Crossed the GA/NC border [78.5 mi.].
Camped in Bly Gap (NC) [78.6 mi.].
Mar. 1 (Thu.) - Hitched a ride into Franklin (NC) and back to the trail the same night [109.8 mi.].
Mar. 13 (Tue.) - Finished hiking through Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC/TN) [238.1 mi.].
Mar. 13 (Tue.) - Hiked 18 miles and stayed at Standing Bear Farm bunkhouse (TN) [240.8 mi.]
Mar. 17 (Sat.) - Stayed at Elmers Sunnybank Inn (old Victorian home) in Hot Springs (NC) [273.9 mi.].
Mar. 18 (Sun.) - Picked up in Hot Springs (NC) to meet up with the family for Spring Break [273.9 mi.].
Mar. 24 (Sat.) - Started back on the trail in Hot Springs (NC) after a week of Zero's with the family in Gatlinburg (TN) [274.3 mi.].
Mar. 29 (Thu.) - Stayed in hostel (Uncle Johnny's?) in Erwin (TN) [341.5 mi.].
Apr. 1 (Sun.) - Stayed at Overmountain Shelter (TN) [382.7 mi.].
Apr. 2 (Mon.) - Hiked about 8 miles and stayed at Mountain Harbour B&B/Hostel in Roan Mountain (TN) [391.9 mi.].
Apr. 7 (Sat.) - Crossed TN/VA border [463.2 mi.].
Showing posts with label NC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NC. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
(3/14/12) Great Smoky Mountains N.P., NC - Phone Update From Brett
Apparently, I have had a hard time keeping up with everything. Let me assure you that Brett is doing very well. He just made it out of Great Smoky Mountain National Park (NC). He had his longest day yesterday, hiking 18 miles before stopping at the hostel at Standing Bear Farm. They had planned on taking a "zero day" today, but were feeling good and decided to get back on the trail.
I was able to send my first box to him last week. I sent him everything he requested, only to have about a quarter of it come back to me. Apparently those ten pounds were a little more than he had expected. It does make me worry about him getting enough to eat. He also sent back his first filled journal, which arrived today. I am looking forward to reading it and will try to share some of his writing with you when I get a chance after Spring Break.
The families will be meeting up with the guys this weekend. I am not sure that Brett will be able to make a week of zero days after being on the trail for a month. I am also not sure how he is going to handle sharing living quarters with five kids, even if those living quarters are a spacious four-bedroom cabin. Brett has been away from the loud noises of a family for a while, and I worry that it may be an adjustment.
Brett has had some cold nights and some wet days, but I think he has been able to stay warm enough. He gets cold at the end of the day, after he stops hiking. But after he changes into his dry clothes and gets into his sleeping bag, his little "apartment" keeps him cozy at night.
Brett said that Spring is creeping into the mountains. The trees are just starting to bud. Brett has had his fair share of rain, but really hasn't had to endure much in the way of snow. He has had some beautiful days as well, including some beautiful days when it counted--at the top of a mountain with panoramic views. I can't wait to see the photos. I promise to post some of those when I get them.
Brett's trail name has morphed again. He was named "Big B" by Ed. But other hikers have separately named him "The Dude" and Brett said he just can't seem to get away from it.
It's hard to type up the main points from our phone conversations. We have so little time to talk that we end up bouncing around from topic to topic trying to catch up on things at home, where Brett has been, where is heading, how he feels about the trail, what I need to gather up to send him, plans for meeting with him, what the weather has been like, etc. I look forward to sitting with him for a while hearing about all of the little things that get overlooked on the phone.
I am grateful for modern technology. It is so nice to be able to talk with him every few days. He has been able to make his phone battery last between charging sessions by keeping it off all day, turning it on in the evening just long enough to check for messages (assuming he has a signal), and maybe make a quick phone call home.
I was able to send my first box to him last week. I sent him everything he requested, only to have about a quarter of it come back to me. Apparently those ten pounds were a little more than he had expected. It does make me worry about him getting enough to eat. He also sent back his first filled journal, which arrived today. I am looking forward to reading it and will try to share some of his writing with you when I get a chance after Spring Break.
The families will be meeting up with the guys this weekend. I am not sure that Brett will be able to make a week of zero days after being on the trail for a month. I am also not sure how he is going to handle sharing living quarters with five kids, even if those living quarters are a spacious four-bedroom cabin. Brett has been away from the loud noises of a family for a while, and I worry that it may be an adjustment.
Brett has had some cold nights and some wet days, but I think he has been able to stay warm enough. He gets cold at the end of the day, after he stops hiking. But after he changes into his dry clothes and gets into his sleeping bag, his little "apartment" keeps him cozy at night.
Brett said that Spring is creeping into the mountains. The trees are just starting to bud. Brett has had his fair share of rain, but really hasn't had to endure much in the way of snow. He has had some beautiful days as well, including some beautiful days when it counted--at the top of a mountain with panoramic views. I can't wait to see the photos. I promise to post some of those when I get them.
Brett's trail name has morphed again. He was named "Big B" by Ed. But other hikers have separately named him "The Dude" and Brett said he just can't seem to get away from it.
It's hard to type up the main points from our phone conversations. We have so little time to talk that we end up bouncing around from topic to topic trying to catch up on things at home, where Brett has been, where is heading, how he feels about the trail, what I need to gather up to send him, plans for meeting with him, what the weather has been like, etc. I look forward to sitting with him for a while hearing about all of the little things that get overlooked on the phone.
I am grateful for modern technology. It is so nice to be able to talk with him every few days. He has been able to make his phone battery last between charging sessions by keeping it off all day, turning it on in the evening just long enough to check for messages (assuming he has a signal), and maybe make a quick phone call home.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
(3/1/12) Franklin, NC - Phone Update From Brett
Brett called me this afternoon from Franklin, North Carolina (another quick phone call). They hitched a ride into town this morning to do some resupply. Someone agreed to take them back to the trail tonight where they will camp.
Brett had been expecting that some bad weather might slow down their progress to Franklin. It did storm hard all night, but Brett said today was perfect. However, it is supposed to storm tonight and all day tomorrow. That storm will bring the temperatures down into the 20's (brrrrrrr!).
In about three days Brett expects to do some resupplying at Nantahala Outdoor Center. A few days after that he should be at a hostel near Fontana Dam where we hope to get a package from home to him. Brett game me a list of supplies to start putting together (toilet paper, a new journal, a golf pencil, nutella, homemade trail mix and a few dinners).
Brett had been expecting that some bad weather might slow down their progress to Franklin. It did storm hard all night, but Brett said today was perfect. However, it is supposed to storm tonight and all day tomorrow. That storm will bring the temperatures down into the 20's (brrrrrrr!).
In about three days Brett expects to do some resupplying at Nantahala Outdoor Center. A few days after that he should be at a hostel near Fontana Dam where we hope to get a package from home to him. Brett game me a list of supplies to start putting together (toilet paper, a new journal, a golf pencil, nutella, homemade trail mix and a few dinners).
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
(2/27/12) Bly Gap, NC - Phone Update From Brett
I missed a call from Brett on Saturday. I hadn't been expecting to hear from him so soon. Just the sound of his voice on the answering machine was nice. I was happy to hear from him again yesterday, though we were only able to talk for a few minutes.
Brett made it past his first state border on Monday (2/27/12), from Georgia into North Carolina. They set up camp (not by a shelter) about 0.1 mi past the border in Bly Gap, NC.
They planned a visit into town (Hiawassee, Georgia) at the end of last week. When they got to the road there was a "creepy guy" offering rides into town for $5. Brett and Ed opted to walk the 4 miles to Blueberry Patch Hostel instead, where they planned to stay. They were disappointed to see a sign telling them that the hostel was closed do to a family medical emergency. Luckily another hiker, one who had managed to score a ride with a "real, nice guy," showed up at the same time. This nice fellow gave all three hikers a ride to the Budget Inn in Hiawassee, another 7 miles down the road, even though it was out of his way.
Brett said that he hadn't had any blisters with all of the walking he has done on the trail. However, walking the four miles on the asphalt road was a different story.
They resupplied and ate in town, stayed at the hotel, and took a shuttle from the hotel back to the trail the next morning. Brett expects that in another 3-4 days they will be able to make it to Franklin, NC. The weather today was supposed to be good, however tomorrow's weather is supposed to be horrible. Brett is not sure how much that will slow them down.
Brett has been journaling quite a bit and is almost finished with his first notebook (single-sided handwritten pages). I have more here that I will have to send to him when we are able to coordinate a mail drop. So far Brett has been resupplying in town. It has been difficult to get the timing and the location right for the mail drops.
I had heard Brett mention that about 25% of the people don't even make it out of the first state. I'm proud of Brett, and I'm sure he also feels good about the milestone he reached today.
Brett made it past his first state border on Monday (2/27/12), from Georgia into North Carolina. They set up camp (not by a shelter) about 0.1 mi past the border in Bly Gap, NC.
They planned a visit into town (Hiawassee, Georgia) at the end of last week. When they got to the road there was a "creepy guy" offering rides into town for $5. Brett and Ed opted to walk the 4 miles to Blueberry Patch Hostel instead, where they planned to stay. They were disappointed to see a sign telling them that the hostel was closed do to a family medical emergency. Luckily another hiker, one who had managed to score a ride with a "real, nice guy," showed up at the same time. This nice fellow gave all three hikers a ride to the Budget Inn in Hiawassee, another 7 miles down the road, even though it was out of his way.
Brett said that he hadn't had any blisters with all of the walking he has done on the trail. However, walking the four miles on the asphalt road was a different story.
They resupplied and ate in town, stayed at the hotel, and took a shuttle from the hotel back to the trail the next morning. Brett expects that in another 3-4 days they will be able to make it to Franklin, NC. The weather today was supposed to be good, however tomorrow's weather is supposed to be horrible. Brett is not sure how much that will slow them down.
Brett has been journaling quite a bit and is almost finished with his first notebook (single-sided handwritten pages). I have more here that I will have to send to him when we are able to coordinate a mail drop. So far Brett has been resupplying in town. It has been difficult to get the timing and the location right for the mail drops.
I had heard Brett mention that about 25% of the people don't even make it out of the first state. I'm proud of Brett, and I'm sure he also feels good about the milestone he reached today.
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