Gnats

OK gnats I'm ready! What do you call a group of gnats: flock? Grouping? Gathering? Pride? I just call them annoying. Why or is it the same bunch that follow me for miles or do they have some sort of gnat relay?

Rattler

Do you see the rattlesnake ? I did after strolling right past it. Thing is I'm looking for them just not good at it, could be my downfall. I now wonder how many I pass over or by unnoticed.HillBillyBart

1,000 Steps craziness

The 1,000 steps was the heaviest traveled attraction we have seen on the trail. We sat and ate lunch before our ascent up and the people just kept coming and coming it never stopped. I can see why this was a hot spot or must do climb for anyone. We will finish our trek through SST tomorrow and have enjoyed every step. Thank you SST volunteers! HillBillyBart & SomedayJo

3 Springs

Today was the kind of day that just makes a person happy to be alive. Great trail, healthy forests, one porcupine butt, blue skies, great food, and new friends. 18 miles to get here in Three Springs, PA.

Wildlife in town

My days wildlife experience came when a robin went dumpster diving for maggots.

April 17th

Hello from Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory! No picture can do this place justice - 360 degree views of what seems like all of Virginia and West Virginia! Today we left the Appalachian Trail and headed out onto the Allegheny Trail. 16 miles later, we have the best supper spot ever. Today on the ALT, Bart saw a mama bear and 2 cubs. Yesterday on the AT, I saw a red-spotted purple. I think we were equally excited. Huge thanks to the West Virginia Scenic Trails Association volunteers for the excellent blazing - I felt like we were following the yellow brick road to the Emerald City!

Hinton, WV

We didn't get a picture of both of us here, because Jo was melting into a puddle when we took this photo.

Hinton, WV is the last trail-town we hiked through in southern West Virginia.  It did not disappoint!  What a beautiful part of the world this is.  

 When we got to the dam, we knew we were close to town.  It was about 900 degrees outside, and so we stopped at the best Dairy Queen I've ever been to.  The view from there is spectacular.

While there, we met a local who shared stories with us and whose son we'd once met while we were on a TuGuNu Hiking Club mission. . . it's a very small world.  Mr. Maddy, it was nice to meet you!

Hinton from Zion Mountain Road

We spent the night with Bart's cousins Christy and Lee, who prepared steak dinner and a bacon-drippin'-with-gravy biscuit feasts for us, which powered us up the mountain.  Thank you for your kind hospitality, and it couldn't have been on a more perfect night - the crazy rain lasted most of the night, turning the Bluestone brown and raising water levels quite a bit.  It was so nice to be inside.

The next morning we awoke and went to a reception held in the Belle Point park.  Mayor Blankenship was there and presented us with a certificate, and everyone who came was excited for us and eager to hear stories.  Thanks to everyone who braved the blustery weather to come out and say hi to us.  Bart was especially happy to see his cousin Kenna and her husband Jimmy - Kenna has been a fixture in Bart's life for a long time and it was nice for me to finally meet them.  Special thanks to Rick Moorefield who helped arrange the event, and to Jessica Lilly, who continues to follow our story (and who I also finally got to meet in person!).

Hinton, it was a wonderful time.  Thanks for being a Great Eastern Trail town!

This guy watched over us as we got water later in the day.

Sula

Sula after our hike into Mullens. My oh my! 13 miles tomorrow will bring more of this down time.

Bigfoot!

Thanks to TuGuNu prez Tim for a lesson on Wyoming County wildlife. 

Reflections on a beautiful state

Tonight is our last night in Tennessee. It has been an adventure in itself: Alabama and Georgia feel like a world away.

Along the Cumberland Trail, we had our first significant climbs, the coldest weather yet, and complete solitude at times. We linked sections of stunning trail with roads that were beautiful and surprisingly enjoyable.

We each got lost once and we got lost together once, but we got found. We saw wild boars for the first time! We rock-hopped and ridge-walked and none of our oxen died when we forded rivers. Oh, and we saw elk scat. Bart hoarded ditch treasures and mailed them home.

The Cumberland Trail was even more diverse, scenic, and challenging than I'd hoped. It is obvious that a lot of people have poured their hearts into it! These are the people who made this part of the GET truly unforgettable. The kindness and generosity of those we've met still astound us. Thank you for a grand adventure! We look forward to crossing paths again.

A beautiful day to hike

Today was our best and longest day. We would have hit 20 miles this afternoon but we ran into German Tourist and spent a long lunch break discussing adventure past, present, and hypothetical. It was really nice to meet her!

We went 17 miles today through canyons and by waterfalls. The weather is glorious - cool but not cold, breezy but not windy, sunny but not hot. Ideal.

We are camped under some giant loblollies. Coyotes were going crazy a few minutes ago and the owls are singing too. Best day I could wish for.

tomorrow: resupply in Heflin! in & out.