03-25-01  Day 26 0 Miles, Zero Day 3 Hot Springs In Hot Springs waiting for the mail.  I bought food and a new journal and a conversion kit for my MSR water bag to make it a camel back.  Less weight to carry.  I also get a book “Into the Wild”.  I bought a data book too so I can [...]

03-24-01 Day 25  7:45 am – 13.5 miles, 269.5 AT miles Roaring Fork – Hot Springs 50-60°, Sunny/partly cloudy Snow for half of the day then actual soil. Got up early today and hit the trail at 7:45 AM.  Bluff Mountain wasn’t bad but the snow once again made things tough.  About half way down Bluff the snow was gone.  I caught [...]

03-23-01 Day 24  7:00 AM to 1:20 PM 11.3 miles, AT  -  256.0 Groundhog  -  Roaring Fork Shelter Sunny 60°, Crusty snow in AM, mush in PM Got up early to beat the mushy snow and I think the frozen stuff was worse.  I’m still following the small stride person(s).  If I over stepped the tracks, my toe didn’t have the weight [...]

03-22-01  Day 23 9.6 miles, AT  -  244.7 Davenport Gap  -  Groundhog Shelter 60° – Sunny Today I got up had some Frosted Flakes and toast.  I showered, packed and left for the trail.   The ride was shorter with the different way we went.  I fell asleep too.  I got to the trail 9:35AM and started around 9:45.  No snow for [...]

03-21-01 Day 22 0 miles, 235.1 AT Miles Maryville, Tennessee Zero Day #2   Today I hung out at Aunt Ruth’s house.  I read, bird watched, went shopping for food, clothes, and other stuff.  I got some swank Mountain Hardware shorts.  They have fleece around the waist and in the crotch.  They are heaven to my chaffed legs.  We went [...]

03-20-01 Day 21, 7:30 AM — 1:20 PM 15.7 miles, AT  -  235.1 Tri-corner –  Davenport Gap Day 6 of rain Snow, wind (strong), rain and sleet.   Last night we had a noisy bunch at the shelter. I was the only thru-hiker.  The Ohio boys were there (Dave & Chris).  I finally asked their names.  We had a nice fire but [...]

03-19-01 — Day 20 8:25 AM  -  2:25 PM 12.6 miles, AT  -  219.4 Icewater Spring  -  Tri-corner Knob Shelter (5,920 feet) Cold in the AM — warmer in the PM Today’s hiking was spectacular.  I took a detour southbound to check out “the jump off”.  It’s a side trail to a cliff.  I wasn’t too taken by it but the view [...]

03-18-07 Day 19, 8:30 AM ® 3:50 PM 13.8 miles, AT  -  206.8 Double Spring Gap  -  Icewater Spring Shelter — 5,920 feet Cloudy and cold to start, warmed up to 60 +/- and cleared up. Today saw the highest peak on the trail and as my luck would have it the film jammed in the camera.  Laura and George saved me [...]

03-17-01 Day 18 Start 8:24 AM — Finish 3:11 PM 13.5 miles, AT – 193.8 Spence Field → Double Spring Shelter — 5,000′ Today was a good day of hiking. A little cold and not many views. I finally got some views after Siler’s Bald. You could see the frost on the left side of the ridge and none on [...]

03-16-01 Day 17 8:10 AM start — 3:40 PM finish – 4,915′ 16.0 miles, AT 179.5 Fontana Shelter → Spence Field Shelter Sunny/partial cloudy, hot Tough hike up Shuck Stack! I had a guy go by me in the parking lot, who I didn’t like the looks of. I passed him and had to work extra hard to lose him. [...]