Finish and Fires

Bubbles and Sprout summited Springer Mountain on November 19, finishing their 2198.7 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail.  Between the last blog that was received (November 5th) and their summit there was a fire on the trail.  The pictures below are from that time.

Getting ready to summit with Poppa Lip

Bubbles and Sprout sitting on the rock.  Nice photobomb Flying Dutchman!

Before and after pictures of Smudgy Cheeks, Kathleen, Bubbles, and Sprout
March 27 to November 20

Smoke on the trail

Fire at night

Fires at night

That is not clouds, it's smoke.

Smoke on the trail

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Sprout Day 223 (Saturday, November 5, 2016)

We woke up early but it was so cold and hard to get out of the sleeping bag! It was also really quiet at the shelter where we were staying. It's quiet tonight too, unless you're close to the shelter because there are a lot of weekend people staying there.

This is Icewater Spring Shelter and it's three miles from Newfound Gap. We hiked 19.8 miles today and it was a beautiful walk all day. I've been so happy to be in the Smoky Mountains. It's been nothing but great. We're lucky because a lot of the leaves have fallen and we can sneak views in every so often. Plus, there's some great views along the way.

We were going to leave early today but the sun started to come up and it was too beautiful to just leave. We sat and finished our breakfast and drank coffee. A couple we met at the 501 Shelter in Pennsylvania got ahold of Bubbles today and offered to pick us up tomorrow at Newfound Gap and drive us into Gatlinburg for a resupply. They live in Georgia and offered to drive up and meet us in the morning around 9:00. That helps us out so much because we were going to have to hitch to town and it's a 13 mile hitch. I can't wait to see them again. It's been a long time. I remember them saying they would get ahold of us when we were down here and do some trail magic!

It's cold again tonight but no snow. I can't wait to get into Gatlinburg tomorrow. I remember the last time I was here was when I was younger with my Uncle Matt and Aunt Abby. I'm sure back then I would have never guessed I would be walking all the way here someday! It'll be cool to see the town again and experience it now on my hike.

Day: 223
Miles hiked: 19.8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1984.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 1
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24

Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 221 (Friday, November 3, 2016)

Last night, when we were sleeping, all of us thought we might of heard a bear outside of our tents. Bubbles, Whiskers, Toad, and I are still hiking together. There was definitely something out there walking around and crunching on apples or nuts. It wasn't a squirrel, it was a lot bigger.   Regardless, nothing happened other than hearing something rustling around right outside the tent.

Not too long after we left camp this morning dogs started barking real close in the area and not too long after that we heard two gunshots echo close by.

We hiked 20.3 miles and we're staying at Standing Bear Hostel. We set our tent up outside along with Toad but Whiskers got a bunk inside. It's supposed to rain tonight but I'm not too worried about it. As soon as we got here we set up camp and got a pizza from the hostel. They have a small resupply store but we have plenty of food. They sell frozen pizza and drinks and after a long day of hiking both of those sounded fantastic. Splat, another hiker we've been hiking around the past few days was here and some other section hikers. Two of the section hikers were from Akron and Massillon area. It's a small world and we couldn’t believe we saw someone from back home tonight.

We are basically camping at the base of the climb up to the Smoky Mountains and it’s unbelievable. All day I was getting a little view here and there of the climb that waits for us in the morning. It looks a little intimidating but I know we will we be fine. There's nothing the trail can throw at us at this point that we can't handle and I'm actually excited to get into the Smokies. We're probably going to see a lot more bears since there's no hunting in the Smoky Mountains. I'm going to be sure to hang my food bag a little higher and a little further out for the next week.

We got up early and got out of camp around 6:30. It felt good to get up, get breakfast on, and get packed and ready before the sun came up. It was nice making cowboy coffee today too. It hit the spot before we had to start hiking for the day. When I make cowboy coffee it reminds me of being a kid and spending time at Nanny and Papaw’s house. Nanny would always make coffee in the morning for Papaw using a French press, or something similar, and make it on the stove. It would make the whole house smell more like coffee than a regular coffee pot would. When I get the water boiling, and dump the grounds in, a huge steam full of the smell of coffee hits me right in the face. It always reminds me of being younger and spending time at their house.

We crossed over Max Patch today. It was awesome to be there. I remember watching videos back home last winter of other thru hikers hiking over this section. It's a huge bald area right before the Smoky Mountains. The views are some of the finest on the Appalachian Trail. It was a little cloudy, and the wind was blowing, but it was a beautiful 360 degree view.

We're only about 51 miles from being a 2000 miler and it's just overwhelming to think about! I'm really proud of how far we've made it and couldn't imagine being here with anyone else other than my best friend, Bubbles. It's great how well we help each other out and help each other accomplish so much while being out here.

Tomorrow our plan is to wake up early and make some breakfast and get moving. The problem is it's already 1:00 a.m. and I need to get to sleep so I can get up early and not be so tired. If it's raining hard in the morning we might sleep a little longer to see if it passes. It's going to be a tough climb tomorrow but I'm just happy we start first thing and get it over with! We got to take a shower today here at Standing Bear and I'm ready to get back on the grind tomorrow. We're just trying to finish  strong! 

Day: 221
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1953.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 219-220 (Tuesday & Wednesday, November 1-2, 2016)

We hiked a little over 13 miles to get in to Hot Springs. It was a tough hike because it was hot and humid and the terrain was rough. Coming down into town was really rocky. It's crazy because the weather is unseasonably hot right now but it can change at anytime. One day it's hot and the next it's cold. We've heard from northbound hikers that there was snow in the Smokies last week.

We hiked out of Hot Springs today and went another 13 miles. We are staying at Walnut Mountain Shelter. We're staying up the hill from the shelter and can see the Smokies from here! It's amazing to see what we're about to climb. The climb into the smokies is ridiculous.

Hot Springs was a great trail town. As soon as we walked into town we stopped by the local pub, I think the name was Spring Creek Tavern, for burgers and a drink. It was really good. We had to go next door to the Outfitters to get our permit for the Smokies. You have to get online, pay $20, and print off a piece of paper and carry it with you to the Smokies. After that we went down to the Laughing Heart Hostel and paid $10 to tent outside. Then, we picked up our resupply package.

There's a really good local market that makes good subs so we each got a sub, ate half, and packed the other half out today for lunch. We were planning on leaving Laughing Heart early today but we forgot we had to send stuff home and had to wait on the post office to open. They didn't open until 9:00 a.m. After the post office one thing lead to another and we didn't get out of town until around 11:00.

It was a tough climb out of Hot Springs and the heat didn't help. Since it's November we saw a bunch of bear hunters out today with their dogs. We were sitting at the top of the first climb, eating the other half of that sub, and saw a dog walking down trail. He had a couple GPS collars on so we knew it was someone's hunting dog. Not too long after that we heard a bunch of dogs barking and howling and knew they were on a bear. About an hour later we saw two hunters walking up the trail and I stopped to talk to them for a minute. They said they've killed 7 bears in the past 2 days and that they'll get at least 45 this year. They're only allowed one bear per hunter but they hunt in big groups and everyone helps each other out. They said the dogs have been on two bears today. We will see a lot of bears in the smokies because they're protected there. No hunting in the Smokies. I bet all the bears around here are making a run for the Smoky Mountains!

Water has been so dry lately so we had Poppa Lip send us some Aquamira drops for when there's just stagnant water. If there's not too much flow, and the water looks nasty, I'd rather filter and chemically treat it. Plus there are two hikers about a day in front of us who had the norovirus. It doesn’t matter what filter you have it - won't filter out noro. It has to be chemically treated it too. I don't want either of us to get sick this late in the hike. We have to finish strong and to do that we need to be healthy.

Day: 219-220
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1933.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 218 (Monday, October 31, 2016)

We got up early, out of camp, and on trail at 6:30. It was a tough day because there were a lot of climbs and for some reason it was hot and humid.

First thing this morning we had to climb Big Butt Mountain. It held up to its name because it was a pain in the butt! We went 20 miles and have 13 miles to get to the Laughing Heart hostel in Hot Springs. There's a package waiting for us there and camping is only $10 so we are probably going to stay there tomorrow night.

The last climb of the day was a steep 1000 ft climb. It was a pain to do it at the end of a long day but I'm glad we did it tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow morning. I got stung by a ground bee within a couple miles of our day. It got down in my shoe and stung me right on top of my foot. It hurt but at least I'm not allergic.

My favorite part of the day was walking along the ridge line. We had great 360 degree views and the fall colors were amazing. We plan on waking up early and heading into Hot Springs to resupply. We have a resupply box there and need to organize our food, take a shower, and pick up a couple of things from town.

We hit 1900 miles today and have less than 300 until we are finished. That sounds crazy and I still can't believe it!

Day: 218
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1908.2
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 215-217 (Friday - Sunday, October 28-30, 2016)

We hiked into Uncle Johnny’s Place not knowing what to expect. It was a ten mile hike from where we stayed the previous night. From Beauty Spot Gap we could see the town of Erwin. All the city lights were shining in off in the distance.

The alarm went off at 5:00 and by 5:30 we were packing up and heading down the mountain. Bubbles and I were a little in front of Whiskers and Toad. As soon as we got packed we started heading down and it was cold. The wind was blowing and we needed to get moving to warm up.

Last night, about five minutes before camp, Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain. We were on high alert since it was still dark out. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel is right on the Appalachian Trail. When we got there we met Johnny and some of his helpers. Everyone seemed nice. I was impressed with his resupply store as there was anything a hiker could need.

It wasn't really just a resupply store it was an outfitters too. Whiskers and Toad were right behind us. They were definitely going to stay but Bubbles and I thought we should just keep moving on and try to make up a few miles.

Day: 215-217
Miles hiked: 11.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1888.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1

Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 213-214 (Wednesday & Thursday, October 26-27, 2016)

It was hard for us to get going on Wednesday morning. We just couldn't get in the groove and ended up hiking about 12-13 miles. We stopped at this old gravel road to try to figure out if we should make dinner there while it was still light out or keep going and just eat in the dark at camp. I had tried to get water from a piped spring half a mile back but it was completely dry. While we were sitting by the road, a car came up and asked if we wanted a ride to the hostel nearby. We told him no but then he asked if we wanted dinner and we said yes!

He lived not even a half a mile down the rode and told us to throw our packs in his car and jump in. We were excited and didn't know what to expect when we got to his house. To say the least, we ended up going to a zoo! It was a great opportunity to get out of the elements and eat dinner. Then he and his wife asked us to stay the night and told us they would drop us back off in the morning.

All of that sounds good, but the thing is there were so many animals at this place it was crazy. The lady, Denise, was basically Doctor Dolittle. She took in every abused or neglected animal she could. I’m going to try to remember everything ... two horses, a baby deer they were rehabilitating, some cats, eight-plus dogs, a different breed of chickens that looked like they had fur and were wearing shoes, a peacock, one guinea pig, maybe fifteen or more birds, a groundhog that was famous for predicting the weather, and fish. I’m not sure but I'm probably missing an animal or two. This lady took in so many different kinds of animals. Now, I love animals so I didn't really mind too much, but the cats have definitely peed on the bed and/or blanket I was using that night. We did take showers and do our laundry. They also made us dinner which was much appreciated and it was really good. If the smell of cat pee wasn't going to keep me awake, the rooster right out from where I was sleeping was definitely going to keep me awake. That thing started cock-a-doodle-doing at 3:00 a.m. and kept on going all morning long. I guess he was an early riser but man give it a rest!

We got back on trail today at 8:30 a.m. and ended up hiking 20 miles. We are camped at Beauty Spot and the name holds up to the expectations. This place is beautiful with a crazy 360 degree view of the mountains all around us. We got here just in time to see the sun right before it set over the mountains.

Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain about 5-10 minutes before she got to camp! The trees on the mountains around us all are changing and the colors are just crazy. We're 9.7 miles from Erwin, TN. We can't wait to get there and get our package and some town food. I can taste the cheeseburger already!

We passed a few apple trees on the way here. The apples were huge and delicious. Road spotted them and threw his poles and heavy sticks up to knock them down. It looked like fun so I got in on the action and we ended up with a nice amount of apples.

Day: 213-214
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1840.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4

Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 212 (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)

We had a great day! We woke up a little before 5:00 a.m. and started getting ready for the day. We got on trail after 6:00 and went 18.3 miles. We are staying at Overmountain Shelter.

The views up on Roan Highlands have been spectacular. The fall colors and mountains have been amazing. This is a perfect time of the year to hike through this area.

We made it over halfway before 11:00 and stopped down on Route 19 to try to hitchhike to the gas station. With no luck, we walked to a hostel .3 miles down the road to see what their general store had to offer. I ended up getting a couple of pops and energy drinks, candy, and some chips. Bubbles stayed back with the packs while Road, Bent, and I went down.

Overmountain Shelter is supposed to be in a spot with a great sunrise so we might stay here and leave right after the sun rises, or pack up and get moving a little down the trail.

The shelter is an old barn that was converted into a shelter with a lot of camping nearby. I made a fire tonight. We all sat around the fire and had dinner. Before we went to bed we heard two different packs of coyotes howling and yipping. It's such a cool sound hearing them off in the distance, although these ones sounded a little close. I heard them early this morning too as I was making breakfast. I'm going to make sounds like that when we finish the trail.

We crossed into North Carolina today, the AT rubs on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee before we get to Georgia.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day because we’re shooting for 20 plus miles and there's some significant incline changes throughout the day! We're trying to get big miles in so we can take a zero day in Hot Springs, NC and relax in a natural spring!

Day: 212

Miles hiked: 18
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1810.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 211 (Monday, October 24, 2016)

We tried to get up really early but stayed in our sleeping bags until 7:00. The first half of the day was slow moving and we weren’t sure if we were going to hit our miles today. We ended up picking up speed in the second half of the day and we hiked a little over 16 miles before 6.

We're tenting at Mountaineer Shelter. It was a perfect day for hiking because the weather was cold enough for a jacket when you stopped but as soon as you started hiking you warmed up to a perfect temperature.

We saw a few more people on trail. There are six people staying in the shelter tonight. We heard there's about 25 behind us. I'm sure the southbounders that are down this far are going to try to be done right before thanksgiving like we are planning. 

I hope it's easier to get up early tomorrow because we want to be ready to go early and plan on staying at Overmountain Shelter 18.4 miles away. We’ll see how that goes!

Day: 211
Miles hiked: 16.3
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1792.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6

Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 210 (Sunday, October 23, 2016)

It got really cold last night so I slept in my base layers, hiking pants, and puffy jacket. I was warm but it was one of the coldest nights in awhile. I didn't get the best sleep because the neighbors dog was outside barking from about 3 to 4 a.m. Once I was up I realized how cold it was.

Breakfast was good; we had an omelet, sausages, and hash browns. There was coffee, fruit, cereal, and doughnuts out too. By the time we ate and packed up we got a late start. It was around 11:00 when we got on trail.

We only hiked 8.8 miles today but we're making it up tomorrow with a 20 mile day. It's so much easier to get an early start when you're already comping on the trail. We just wake up really early and get going.

We probably would've went further today but towards the end of the day we stopped by Bob People's to meet him. He's a trail legend and has done so much for the trail. We've wanted to meet him since we started researching about the AT. He’s one of a kind. We hiked past Laurel Fork Falls right before Bob People's place. It was an awesome waterfall. The side trip went right to the bottom of the falls and there was a perfect spot to take little break. The climb out was super steep but there were stairs going up, probably stairs Bob Peoples put in.

Day: 210
Miles hiked: 8.8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1776.3
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 209 (Saturday, October 22, 2016)

It felt great getting into my warm camp clothes last night. I had on my base layers, an extra pair of pants, two pairs of socks, my base layer top, and my puffy jacket! Usually, I'm too hot to sleep in any of that but it was so cold last night. It was in 30’s and the wind was blowing. We woke up early but it was so cold there was no way we were getting out of our sleeping bags. We eventually got up and moving around 10:00!

I don't think we've ever started getting ready that late but it felt good to lay in the warm sleeping bag. Everyone else at the shelter was doing the same thing and thinking the same thing, it was too cold! We got up and had some breakfast and coffee and tried to stay warm. My boots were wet and I was waiting to put those on last. When I did put them on it felt like I was walking on needles because my feet were ice cold. We had to start moving to warm up.

We planned on going 16 miles to Boots Off Hostel to get dry and resupply enough to get to Erwin, Tennessee. We had to stop first thing in the morning for water and that took longer than usual because the water source was shAllow. It was so cold we were moving quick to stay warm. On the way down we saw a bunch of signs warning about a problem bear around the shelters in the area. We made great time getting to the hostel and had our fastest day yet. We made it the 16 miles before 6:00.

Boots Off Hostel is a new hostel and it's only .2 miles off the trail. It's nice, clean, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. All the bunks were taken so we paid the ten bucks to camp outside. Whiskers and Toad are camping outside too. It's not nearly as cold as last night and we are lower in elevation so it’s a lot warmer. We were able to wash and dry our clothes and had dinner as soon as we got here, a delicious chicken alfredo and eggplant parmesan. After dinner, the owner Jim took us to the Dollar General for a resupply. The inside was nice and toasty with a wood burning fireplace and there was a big TV with college football playing. I’m really glad we stopped here.

Day: 209
Miles hiked: 16
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1767.5
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20

Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 204 (Monday, October 17, 2016)

We started the day early. It was hard to get up and get going but we were still on the trail around 6:00 a.m. We hiked 16 miles today and we're staying at the Thomas Knob Shelter. 

It was a great day of hiking. We entered Grayson Highlands State Park and it's absolutely beautiful here. The views are amazing, especially with all the colors of the leaves changing. There's so many different reds, yellows, and oranges. It's such a great view looking over to the other mountains.

We were talking earlier about how we have been able to experience the AT in all the different seasons. When Bubbles and I did our shakedown hike it was March (still winter), really cold, and there was snow on the ground. We've hiked through spring, summer, and now fall.

We've been looking forward to this day for a long time. I remember watching YouTube videos of hikers going through the Grayson Highlands and thinking how great it looked and how I couldn't wait to be there seeing what they were hiking through. There are wild ponies up here! We've been waiting to see the ponies for awhile now. It was everything we expected and more. They come right up to you! We even saw a baby nursing off of it’s mom. It was awesome to see the horses with the mountains in the background.

Day: 204
Miles hiked: 16.1
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1697.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12

Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 203 (Sunday, October 16, 2016)

We hiked 19 miles today and we're staying at the campground near the Hurricane Mountain Shelter. It was a great day for us. We feel fine and are happy about that since we’ve been pushing big miles. We plan on getting up and trying to get on trail around 5:30 tomorrow and going another 19 to 20 mile day.

It's been great getting bigger miles and feeling good. Our feet hurt but that's to be expected and other than that everything else is fine. The colors have been changing as each day goes by and today especially we noticed the changing colors of the leaves, it's beautiful. There was a lot of different reds and yellows all day today.

Tomorrow is a big day for us as we will enter Grayson Highlands State Park. This park is an iconic part of the trail. Last year when we were researching the AT I remember coming across this state park and how excited we were. There's wild mini ponies that we will be waking past and word has it they are used to hikers and usually come right up to you.

We are 44.2 miles from Damascus! It's crazy were almost done with Virginia!

Day: 203
Miles hiked: 19
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1681.3
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3

Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 202 (Saturday, October 15, 2016)

Yesterday was a long day but a good day. Today we woke up early to get ready to go into town, get our resupply, and do our laundry.

We only hiked 5.4 miles to get to the road to get into Marion. On our way down we looked up the information for the bus that runs into town for 50 cents but found out it doesn't run on weekends! Luckily for us there was a guy leaving the parking area and offered us a ride into town! As soon as we got off the trail he offered to take us so it worked out perfect. His name was John and he dropped us off at the post office. Thanks John!!

We got our package and separated the food. We got a few more things from the grocery store and got some fast food before leaving town. I picked up some peppers from a farmers market right across from the post office. We got a ride from the post office to the laundromat and washed our clothes. On the way back to the trail Bubbles got us a ride from a lady in a truck.

We packed out Wendy's too. Toad met up with us and Kindling showed up at the Partnership Shelter. We were able to take a cold shower there.

Our plan is to try to get up early and hike around 20 miles. We are excited to get to Graceland Highlands and see the ponies. Fall is here the leaves are changing it is beautiful!

Day: 202
Miles hiked: 5.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1662.3
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4

Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 201 (Friday, October 14, 2016)

We woke up and started packing around 5:00 and were on the trail at 6:15. It was a cold morning but it felt good to get up and get going.

We had a big day and went 20.9 miles! It feels good to be walking big miles and still feeling ok the next day. We have to wake up and do 5.2 miles to the road to get to Marion. As long as we're on trail tomorrow around 6:30 we should make it in time for the first shuttle in the morning.

We read there's a public bus that passes by at 9:30 and it's a 50 cents ride to town. If we can't catch a ride that would be a great option. We need to go to town, wash a load of laundry, get our package from the post office, fuel from the outfitters, and pick up anything else we need from the grocery store. We're going to stop by a fast food restaurant on the way out of town and try to make it as far as we can down the trail.

There's a church 14 miles from Marion where we can take a shower and stay. It's all donation so we're heading there Sunday to charge everything and take a hot shower!

We passed an old school house at the bottom of this last climb. It was cool because you could go inside and there were old desks and a wood stove in the middle. There were old rules posted and different posters on the walls, it was cool. In the back of the school house were the old boys and girls privies. There was one teacher that taught there and she taught a class mixed with 1st-7th grade.
Day: 201
Miles hiked: 20.9
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1656.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 200 (Thursday, October 13, 2016)

We did 15.6 miles and we're staying at the Knot Maul Branch Shelter. We made pretty good time getting here seeing as how we got a little later start than normal.

Porterhouse was working in West Virginia and drove the extra 4 hours to come see us last night! It was awesome. He brought us some Wendy's, candy, and snacks from the gas station. He brought a few gallons of water too which was perfect because we needed it! We were so excited he came down and brought us a bunch of goodies! He spent the night and got up and left before 4 a.m. What a hero!

I got up at 3:30 to make sure he was getting ready but went back to sleep after he was up. We got on the trail around 8:30. It was cold, cloudy, and kind of rained (a little more of a mist) early in the day. Once it warmed up a little, it was the perfect temp for hiking.

Tomorrow, we plan on getting up early and trying to get as far as we can, hopefully around 20 miles. We're 26.2 miles from our next resupply in Marion. There's a gas station 15 miles into the day tomorrow, so it looks like I'll be getting a cold drink and something to eat!

Day: 200
Miles hiked: 9.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1636
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 198 (Tuesday, October 11, 2016)

We hiked 15 miles today and we're staying at the view around mile 1602. There was room for a couple of tents with an amazing view and a little fire pit.

We got to camp at 5:00 which gave us plenty of time to get set up before the sun went down.

We stopped at a church three miles back and asked for water. They let us fill our bags up with the hose. We lucked out because if they wouldn't of let us we would've had to go another 5 miles.

Day: 198

Miles hiked: 14.9

Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1607.6

Baby Bear: 1

Bald Eagle: 1

Bluegill: 2

Butterflies: 8

Chipmunks: 3

Cows: 24

Crawfish: 1

Deer: 20

Donkeys: 2

Grouse: 1

Horses: 15

Hummingbird: 1

Inchworm: 1

Really Big Dog: 1

Mice: 2

Moose: 2

Nest of bugs: 2

Newts: 2

Owl: 1

Rabbit: 1

Red Squirrel: 1

Skunk: 1

Snail: 1

Snake: 3

Squirrels: 12

Toads: 3

Trout: 2

Turkeys: 4

Turtles: 107

Vultures: 6

Woodpecker: 1

Bubbles Spotts Farm (Saturday, October 8 - Monday, October 10)

Murder Worm, a friend we met on trail in New Jersey, invited us to stay at her family's farmhouse. It was a wonderful experience and one of my favorite zero days. It was rainy and dreary so it was a great relief to see Worm. She picked us up in town and we scooted off to the farm. We made a pit stop at the Wendy's and ate a meal together. On the way out I told everyone to grab a handful of salt and pepper packets. Worm was the only one to do it and she got so many! It was awesome. A fellow customer saw her and she quickly responded "for camping" I was laughing pretty hard.

After that we went to the store and got groceries for dinner. Murder Worm made her Momma's famous mac and cheese, Whiskers made chicken wrapped in bacon - stuffed with spinach and I made a salad. Dinner was fantastic. It was so good that everyone was super quiet. It was almost awkward for a bit because it was so quiet. We went to bed happy and with full bellies

The next morning we planned on getting back on trail but the weather was beautiful and we wanted to spend more time with Worm. Worm and Whiskers made breakfast. After breakfast we got ready for the day.

Worm took us on a tour of the farm and it was awesome. We saw the guest house, the pond, and the area where they have peacocks! We collected feathers and I was so so so excited. The best part of the day was four wheeling. We laughed so much. Worm took me down a really steep hill. I laughed all day and felt like a real farm girl. We had a dinner of leftovers and delicious meatloaf that Worms mom had made. When we all settled down for bed I was sad to be leaving. I had so much fun with Worm and I didn't want the weekend to be over. Worm and I have the same first name, Margaret. So clearly she is the bees knees!! ;)

 

Whiskers cookin'

Sprout Day 193 - Day 195 (Thursday, October 6 - Sunday, October 9, 2016)

We got up Thursday morning and hiked a few miles to the road that takes you to Trent’s Grocery. We weren't sure if we were going to go when we first started the day off but when we got to the road we figured, why not? Might as well go down and get some breakfast!

We were already wet and the rest of the day was calling for rain too. We went to Trent’s and got breakfast and some coffee. It felt good to get inside - out of the rain - and to get dry. As we were sitting there a few other hikers showed up and said they were getting off the trail for the day. The cold rain wasn't something they wanted to deal with all day. As we sat eating our breakfast and getting warm with coffee we decided that we didn't really want to hike in the rain either!

Sam, who works at Trent’s, offered to give us a ride to Bland, Virginia and drop us off at the hotel. We took him up on his offer and split a hotel room with Whiskers. Murder Worm was picking us up the next morning and taking us to her family farm house for the night. The weather was supposed to be bad the next few days so it turned out to work perfectly. We were getting off trail and letting the rain pass.

The hotel was nice and there was a gas station close and a Dollar General close. I picked up some microwaveable snacks and we laid around and stayed dry watching tv. It rained all day and night and was cold and windy.

The next day Worm picked us up at 11:00 and took us to her family farmhouse 40 minutes away. Right off the highway before we got there was a Walmart. We stopped and picked up food for dinner and breakfast for the next morning. It was so nice of her to come pick us up for a night off trail. She had her dog Taylor with her too. She was a great dog, I love meeting new dogs.

We had a great dinner that night, a fresh salad, homemade mac and cheese, and stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon. Everything was so good and we had brownies and ice cream for dessert. The bed was so comfortable and we slept so good that night. We woke up the next day and Worm told us we needed to check out the farm.

We eventually decided to stay another night. I'm really glad we did because we had so much fun and the property was a beautiful piece of land. We rode four wheelers and a Kubota around the property it was a lot of fun.

Day: 193-195
Miles hiked: 1.8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1586.2
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2016)

Woke up early but it was cooooooold so it took a few extra minutes to get moving and to get the motivation to get out of the sleeping bag!  We were planning on getting up at 5:00 or earlier but I ended up deflating the air mattress at 5:30. The sun isn’t rising until around 7:30 so I needed my headlamp.  The usual routine took place, I got up and put in a lot of water for breakfast and started taking the food bags down.  We had a couple packs of oatmeal and a lot of cowboy coffee for breakfast.

We set up camp 0.6 miles before Doc Knob Shelter and we had to stop there for water.  We were out of water and the next water source after Doc Knob was nine miles down the trail.  It took a little longer than expected there because the water source was a puddle in between a couple of big rocks.  You could hear the water flowing under the rocks but with this dry season all we had was the pool.  It was cold and clear so no complaints from us.

We had a good day overall.  There were a few climbs but nothing we haven't seen before.  The last half of the day was down a big decline and then relatively flat after that.  We hiked 16.3 miles and are staying at Dismal Falls Campsite. We plan on doing a little over 18 miles tomorrow and staying at Helveys Mill Shelter tomorrow night.  We heard from a couple of Northbounders that it is supposed to start raining tonight at midnight, then stop at some point, and rain during the early morning and most of the day tomorrow.  It made sense to just enjoy today for what it was and stay at Dismal Falls instead of pushing any further. If it's going to rain tomorrow we're going to get wet and there's nothing we can do.  At least we know it's only for one day.  We're getting picked up Saturday morning and we're going to be pretty close after hiking tomorrow. 

I think on the way out of here we're going to go to this store down the road called Trents. Hopefully we can get something good to drink and maybe a little treat to get us through the day since it's going to be bad weather.  Not sure what time we're getting up tomorrow.  I guess it all depends on how hard and if it is raining in the morning.  Fingers crossed we get up and it's still dry.  I'd like to be able to put everything away and keep the tent dry!  We've been getting bigger miles in lately and it feels good.  After we go to Works farmhouse on Saturday we’re probably going to try to start getting as close to 20 a day as we can.  I love being on the AT but I think it's time we get home and spend some time with family right before the holidays.  It's been a crazy ride and we still have a lot of miles left.  I’m excited to see what the rest of Virginia is like and really excited for the Smoky Mountains!

Day: 192
Miles hiked: 16.5
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1584.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 191 (Tuesday, October 4, 2016)

We got back on trail after spending two nights in Pearlsburg. It felt good to lay in a hotel bed and watch TV. Whisker’s dad bought us the room our first night and it felt so good we decided to split the room for the next night! Haha. It was a good rest and we got everything from town we need to keep on going.

We picked up an awesome resupply box from Poppa Lip and I went to the food lion to grab a few more groceries. Right by the plaza motel was a Hardee's, Dairy Queen, and a Mexican restaurant. The lady who sort of ran the hotel was really nice. She washed our laundry for us as soon as we unpacked. The lady at the post office was kind too. She said this town loves their hikers. It's nice going to a town that likes hikers, it makes a big difference.

Tuesday was national taco day and the Mexican restaurant had 99 cent tacos. We went there for dinner and had a blizzard later that night for dessert.

We got back on trail a little later today, sometime around 10:30. We woke up and took one last shower and went to Hardee's for lunch. I stopped at the gas station and bought an energy drink and some Coca Cola for tomorrow.

We went 8 miles and are staying at the campsite right before Doc Knob Shelter. We're getting up early to get on the trail early and plan on hiking 18-20 miles tomorrow.

Day: 191
Miles hiked: 8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1567.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 189 (Sunday, October 2, 2016)

We got up and got on trail earlier than yesterday and got 20.4 miles in for the day! We're staying at the Rice Field Shelter. The views from up here are amazing. It felt good to hike this far and still get here with enough time to set up and make dinner before the sun went down. The Kiwis, Flatlander and, Marvel are staying here too. I set the tent up for Bubbles and I out by the view, away from the shelter.

We're getting up around 5:00 tomorrow to get ready for Pearlsburg, VA. I'm excited to get into town. Whisker’s dad is getting us a hotel room for the night. It's going to feel good to get a shower and clean laundry. There's a lot of different places to eat plus a Walmart and Food Lion for a resupply. Poppa Lip sent us a package so we won't need to get too much, just some sweets and cheese. There's also a Dairy Queen in town. I cannot wait to get some ice cream tomorrow!

We went to the Captain’s Place today. It was a cool stop right along the AT. We didn't actually get to see the Captain but we met the dog that lives there and went out back to get some cold pop to drink. This guy stocks the back fridge for hikers to come up and get a cold drink. It was great! We threw our trash away and got back on trail. It was cool because he lives right on the trail. To get to his house you have to cross a wide stream. He set up a zip line with a carabiner for your pack. You sit on the wooden seat and pull yourself over. It was a slick set up and worked great. Thank you for the cold drinks Captain!

My feet don't really hurt as bad as what you'd think after two big days in a row. I feel good and ready to keep going. Tomorrow is a shorter town day with a hotel. That will help me get rested and ready for the rest of next week!

Bubbles making her way across the creek

Day: 189

Miles hiked: 20.4

Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1553

Baby Bear: 1

Bald Eagle: 1

Bluegill: 2

Butterflies: 8

Chipmunks: 3

Cows: 24

Crawfish: 1

Deer: 20

Donkeys: 2

Grouse: 1

Horses: 15

Hummingbird: 1

Inchworm: 1

Really Big Dog: 1

Mice: 2

Moose: 2

Nest of bugs: 2

Newts: 2

Owl: 1

Rabbit: 1

Red Squirrel: 1

Skunk: 1

Snail: 1

Snake: 3

Squirrels: 12

Toads: 3

Trout: 2

Turkeys: 4

Turtles: 107

Vultures: 6

Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 188 (Saturday, October 1, 2016)

Late last night, around midnight, someone showed up at the shelter. It's insane to think that someone was hiking on those ledges in that weather. It just goes to show you that you never know when someone will show up. It took me awhile to fall back to sleep but when I did I slept great until we got up and I was sleeping really good until they arrived.

We woke up at 4:30 and started packing and getting water boiling for breakfast. It was cold, wet, foggy, and misty out but we had to get down the trail and the weather was supposed to clear up as the day went on.

We ended up going 17.1 miles and we're staying at Wind Rock. It felt good getting a big day in and getting done before the sun set. We had plenty of time to set up camp and go up to the view to make dinner. We had to pack the water we needed for tonight and in the morning from the campsite 1.2 miles back.

Right before I left a hiker came down the hill and I realized it was Flatlander. He's a hiker we met at the Hiker Hostel in New Hampshire. He said he was with The Kiwis, another couple we met up at the hostel too. We were hoping we'd meet up with them soon. I told them where we were camping and they brought water up to camp with us. Bubbles was excited because she's been hoping we would meet back up with them too. I think we're all going to hike together tomorrow and stay in Pearlsburg, VA together.

We're planning 19 miles tomorrow so Bubbles, Whiskers and I are getting up around 4:00 a.m. to start hiking. The weather was perfect today nice and cool. It's cold tonight but I like to sleep when it's cooler. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be as perfect as it was today.

Day: 188
Miles hiked: 17.1
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1532.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2

Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 187 (Friday, September 30, 2016)

We woke up early to the sound of thunder and heavy rain. No one showed up to the shelter yesterday and since our tent was already up and dry under the porch we just slept in the tent.

This shelter is .3 off trail and it's a steep climb down. It doesn't look like too many people use it. There isn't anyone on the trail right now anyway. With the rain and thunder we just stayed in bed and decided to wait it out. The rain didn't stop and we eventually decided to stay here for the day. I'm glad we did because it rained off and on all day. It would've been a wet miserable day had we hiked on. The ledges are slippery around here so it's easy to fall. Walking over some of the rocks feels like walking on ice. We made the right decision.

It's funny we’re even at this shelter because normally we wouldn't come to a shelter this far off trail unless we needed water (that’s probably why it doesn’t seem as if a lot of people use this shelter). After we were here I realized this is the shelter I was looking up and reading about last winter. I wanted to come here and see what the old property looked like. I wish I could've seen the old house still standing but it's still cool to see it with the frame and chimneys still standing. All the rubble in the middle just adds to the character. I'd like to see some old pictures of what the property looked like back in its prime. Going down to the spring in front of the old house made me think a lot about how life must of been for the Sarver family. The house was built in the 1850’s and four generations of Sarvers lived in it.

Day: 187
Miles hiked: 0
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1515.5
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 186 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)

Last night was a wet night because it rained all night. It started around 9:30 and rained until 8:00 a.m. the next morning. It was lightning, thundering, and raining really hard. After awhile the ground underneath the tent got wet and made the bottom kind of damp. Some of the edges of the tent were wet and everything felt damp but for the most part we were dry.

It was cold first thing in the morning again. With everything being wet we just lay in the tent until it all stopped. We had a little cell service, enough to know we were getting hit with more rain.

We packed everything and headed about 3.5 miles down to the Server Hollow Shelter. It was slippery steep hike down over ledges. The shelter is big and nice with a huge porch area and a picnic table. It felt good to get under something dry knowing rain was coming later in the day.

We decided to stay where we were and dry everything out the best we could. The water source was nice and clear and cold. I'm glad we stayed there because a storm came through not long after we got there. Now, before bed, it’s raining and thundering again.

This shelter is cool. Down by the water source I noticed some ruins of an old house and a couple other buildings. These were the ruins of an old homestead. The Sarvers lived here a long time ago. There's evidence of their house and a cabin. There are also stones which I think was the family cemetery. They say this shelter is haunted by a guy named George. They're not sure if he was a member of the family or not but in the middle of the night sometimes you can hear him walk across the shelter with his cane. We will see how the rest of the night goes but so far nothing but the thunder is giving the place an eerie feeling!

Day: 186
Miles hiked: 3.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1515.5
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20

Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 185 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)

We woke up today with temperatures colder than it has been in some time. It was in the high 40s - low 50s. It was cold enough for me to put on some pants and my jacket. I bundled up and put water on for breakfast early. I could even see my breath. It was a little cool but perfect hiking weather once you get moving.

We went 12.7 miles with some steep incline changes. We would've made it further but we had a storm roll through and we waited it out in a shelter. After the storm passed we went another three miles. I am lying here now and listening to another the thunderstorm close by. I hope it doesn't get too bad out there but we're ready for it if it gets bad.

After hiking for 2.7 miles, we made it to the top of a 1,400 foot incline change. At the top was a sign of the Eastern Continental Divide. Water on one side of the mountain leads to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico and the other side leads to the James River and the Atlantic Ocean.

There are ledges with a view towards the direction of tomorrow’s sunrise. We are getting up early and heading that way so hopefully there will be a nice sunrise in the morning.

Our day was epic because we hit 1500 miles and it's our 6 month anniversary on trail! It feels great to still be on trail and it's crazy to think we've walked 1500 miles!!! Life is good on the Appalachian Trail. l I love being out here and getting closer to our goal, Springer Mountain!

We went past a cool memorial for Audie Murphy one of the most decorated war veterans. There were some benches up there, a big flag, and a bunch of other things people took up there. It was a great memorial.

We made it 1500 miles!

Day: 185
Miles hiked: 12.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1512.1
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1

Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1