Still alive and literate (something from Jess)

Howdy all. In case you were wondering, I am on this trail and no, I have not forgotten how to type. (Not entirely, anyway.) The issue is that we've only been able to use computers in hotels, of which there is only one and usually has a half hour time limit. Thus, Julia's superior typing skills allow her to type more than "Hi, we're alive and in the woods." in that time period. It took me an hour just to check my e-mail today. Then, as I started to type, I got kicked off the library computer in Hot Springs, NC. So I bought a paperback copy of Jaws ($.50)and relaxed for a bit. Now I'm back and ready to elucidate.(think that's a real word)

First, Mike, very cool about Alaska. Glad we're not the only nature nuts. Don't pawn my bass amp and I will be needing the various N64 things of mine back. I intend to play the Legend of Zelda all the way through after the trail and before I move off the couch. Check out http://www.zenstoves.net/ or http://www.vargo.com/ for light-weight cooking options.

Next, the Fam. Thanks so much for your support and well wishes. Love to you all. And Aunt Andy, we appreciate the animal sacrifice. We got through the Smokies with clear skies, so it must have helped. The forecast is calling for rain, thunderstorms, and tornadoes for the next 5 days, though, so break out the old headdress and and stoke the bonfires.

A special shout out to Mr. Baxter, the man who started me on the path of the Environmental Scientist. God willing, I'll actually get my degree one of these days. The check's in the mail, as it were. Thanks for everything.

And to my scattered and eclectic mob of Friends, I miss you. I'm looking forward to whenever I see you next, the wedding at the latest. Less than a year to go, so mark your calenders for April 16-21 at least. Your all involved, 'cause I need a brute-squad. Somebody's got to build bonfires and act as roadies for the Mariachi Band. Maybe circus tent construction, we're still sorting out the details... But don't just wait till then! Why not step outside for a bit and come on a luxurious guided tour of the east coast! The aqua blaze would be my recommendation, but more about that later.

So to catch up from Gatlinburg to here, we hitched a ride out of town and up into the mountains. We stood there for a while until a guy with the mulletiest mullet ever pulled over and told us to hop in the back, because the front was full o youngin's. For those of you who don't know what a mullet is, I have provided a picture. I'm pretty sure it's the same guy and truck.

He took us half way up the mountain and stopped at the trail he and his rascals were hiking. He apologized for not being able to take us all the way. We said we were glad for what we got and would find our way. We always do. Ten feet down the road, a truck pulls over, asks if we're going to Clingman's Dome and we were off. If there's one thing hitching has taught me, it's that there are some really great people in the world. With all the garbage you hear on the news and all the stuff you are told as a kid about not talking to strangers(good advice for the age group), you sometimes develop a dismal view of the human race as a whole. But there are a lot of people who will help out total strangers for no personal gain. I guess they may have been in the same sort of situation before. I know I plan on picking up every hitcher I see from now until I get stabbed. Its an interesting trust dynamic. You trust they aren't going to kidnap you, they trust you aren't going to rob them. It's exhilarating and comforting at the same time. Plus we're a couple, which helps with the rides. What are the odds we're both serial killers?

So we got to Clingman's dome and started Hiking. There were trees, etc. Lots of flowers, which we can now take pictures of, thanks to Julia's new digital camera. We got out of the Smokies and bid a heart-felt good riddance. They were nice, but I really don't like staying shelters and not being able to hike whatever mileage i feel like in a day. Plus, its all downhill from Clingman's. Clingman's was awesome at sunset. It was like a gigantic ruby shining through an emerald screen of red spruce and Frasier fir. We had reached a major milestone in our quest to become thru-hikers. All the non-hackers are gone, we have triumphed over the cold weather, and summited the highest point on the trail. Maybe it was the altitude and the endorphins, but when we climbed that tower, I was filled with such exuberant energy that I let out a primal yell that echoed across the mountains and through the valleys. At least all the way to the parking lot half a mile down the hill.

So we left the Smokies and found a place called Standing Bear Farm. I could have stayed here for years. Good vibes sprang out of the ground like invisible wildflowers. As soon as we set foot on the property, I felt a sense of safety and peace. We also ran into a friend of ours that we hadn't seen in weeks. He had been laid up with a bum knee for a while. Plus, we met Rockhound. That's right, THE Rockhound. When we hiked the Smokies in 2007, we met one thru-hiker named Tito, Tito, the Taco Eating Bandito and he told us one story about the craziest person he had ever met. Rockhound. He was everything the stories implied. We have his picture, and will include that sometime in the future. We were going to hike on after a lunch of DiGiorno pizza, but Rockhound, who was volunteering there, was a persuasive salesman. I think he had a sprinkler rigged up because as we were on our way out, it started to rain, and stopped the second we agreed to stay. He cut us a deal though and let us stay in the old chicken coop. It had three walls, a wooden pallet instead of stairs or a ladder, and the best view of any lodging I have stayed in previously. It was perfect. We did our laundry by hand with a washboard and sat around the campfire all evening. I think I might have to take a vacation down there and just hang out for a while after this is all over. It was like walking into my daydream. For those of you who don't know, My ultimate goal in life is to have my own self-sustaining organic farm/brewpub/hostel. (And you thought I went to college so I could get a job) It was reassuring to know that I could support myself just off the hostel.

Now back on the trail, we had a killer up, which we dominated, fueled by Mountain Dew and Snickers. Then there was a nasty caffeine crash and we camped out. We were shooting for Max Patch, but it wasn't happening. We woke at 7:45 alert and ready to go. At 7:50, there was a torrential downpour and we went back to sleep. At 9:30 things looked more favorable, so we saddled up and headed out.

We had been hearing about Max Patch for the last 100 miles. When we got there it was like a scene out of The Sound of Music. You know, twirling around, "The hills are alive...." Well, you get the idea. On the Patch we ran into 2 guys named Gnarly and 10x10 who told us of a Bluegrass festival in Hot Springs and they were planning a BBQ. So we tried to pull 20 miles and get to town. On the way I thought I had broken my foot, but once we got here, a fellow hiker and former radiologist diagnosed it as nerve damage. Now I have expensive inserts in my shoe, so I hope that does the trick.

The Library is closing soon, so I have to spare you a large part of my philosophy and the details of Hot Springs. I had an awesome birthday and soaked in a mineral spring bath. Then had dinner in a honkey tonk place with Lynard Skynard and a pool table. What more could a wayward hiker ask for. And best of all, we had caught up with our tribe.

Well, that's it for now. I really want to make this aqua blaze happen, so if your reading this Mike Manner, I would like to borrow some canoes. If your not reading this, you should be. Maybe we can work out a trade of rentals in exchange for Julia and I putting in some time at Camp.