85.7 miles
Happy St. Patty's Day! (wish I had a guinness to celebrate)
I love North Carolina! The sun came out this morning, and it was a gorgeous day in the mountains. We're up at 5,500 feet sleeping at the summit of Standing Indian Mountain. We didn't intend to stay, since it's only nine miles from where we were last night, but it's just too pretty to leave.
We had a long lunch break at a beautiful creek this afternoon where we washed our clothes and dried out all our sopping gear -even got a much needed bath in the creek. It was a great day -amazing what a little sunshine will do for you. We're happy as clams, and I'm loving this trail life. I can't wait to watch the sun set over the waves of blue mountains before us.
Yesterday in the rain (the fourth day of it) we came up with a reward system to try and make up for the blow to morale that each slip and slide on the trail can be. Goes like this:
Frequent Faller Rewards
Slip or trip (a good one that throws you off balance and makes your heart pound): one donut.
Spill (going down on your butt, knees, pack, or face): any meal you want from any restaurant along the way.
Ankel turner: a Guinness
Knee slope (a long, steep descent that makes your knee -or hips, or ankles, or toes- beg for mercy): a stop at Starbucks -or more likely a gas station coffee
Just coming down Powell Mountain yesterday I earned a donut, a cup of coffee, and a meal. All in all, I've got seven donuts, three cups of coffee, and an all you can eat breakfast buffet at Shoneys. Can't wait!
We'll stop in Franklin in a few days -our first time off the trail- where we'll get a shower and our fill of good eatin. Yippeee!
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