Walking To Maine

Mike and I had a great time meeting the hikers in Fontana to pick up Trail. They got a room for the night at the Fontana Village Resort and we chilled with them in the room and had a delicious meal at the restaurant in the village. I offered to bring a picnic but Sis stated emphatically that she did not want to eat outside. I guess she's been doing that a lot lately!  I got to hear lots of stories about people they had met and what a typical day on the AT consists of.  

Which goes something like: 

~ wake up (on & off all night) at 6:30am

~ Find hiking clothes in the tent, change into them horizontally    (this is apparently really difficult)

 ~ Stuff sleeping bag into stuff sack
 ~ deflate and pack up Thermarest sleeping pad
 ~ get all clothes, head lamps, reading materials out of the tent
 ~ dismantle tent, pack backpacks item by item
~ heat water for coffee and oatmeal
~ HIKE!
~ munch all day (see pic for a typical AT fare), stop for lunch & air out feet if sunny
~ hike to camp spot
~ set it all up again

It was cool to hear about all the different people they have met (like this couple from Canada who are in their 60's!) Apparently, everyone signs log books along the way with their trail names in them and when hikers then catch up to one another or cross paths, it's like they know a little piece about the other hiker already. I love hearing all the names too. Pick, Sherlock, Bucky, The Weatherman (this guy always writes the forecast in the log books..no one knows how he always has it). It sounds like they've met some real characters already.

When we met them in Fontana, I think they had hiked 141 miles. Haven't 

heard from them in a while but they should be at Max Patch in North Carolina in a couple of weeks or so.
They looked great and well cared for....I was glad to see my sis wasn't stumbling out of the woods with dreadlocks and a loin cloth. Although, she could probably get away with that. If anyone would like to send them mail, just leave a comment and I will try to get you an address (either to me or to a post office along the way) We should be seeing them again in a few weeks so we can deliver anything then.

 Just from talking to them in person, it sounds like  they're having the time of their lives, learning a  lot about each other (according to Bets, she needs  work on her decision making skills) and meeting some great characters  along the way. 

 

 Trail is safe and sound back at Hidden Valley. She didn't  seem too sad      to curl up on the couch in Betsy's room. Ha!