5.3 AT539.2 26m

We left Peet who took the name Peet's Dragon and another young man who was also from Tampa Bay.

It was a perfect hiking day, sunny, but cool. I almost stepped on a garter snake.

Met "Low Gear" on the trail. When he left the Air Force he got hired by Disney and did all the hireing and fireing for 12 of the 20 stations at Epcot center and retired in 2008 and is now 65 and being treated for early dementia. His wife whom is 10 years younger is an active deacon at a local church and tells him to be home before dark.

He told me he's a great judge of character and would have hired Dan in a heartbeat.

He thought me the proper way of hiking uphill and showed me the lay of the land as he hiked with me. A Great person.

This is the first time we've walked a marathon distance. Took us a leisurely 12hours.


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Location:Appalachian National Scenic Trl,Atkins,United States

5.2 AT513m 23m

Hurricane Mountain Shelter

Woke up at 3am to the sound of coyotes over where Nemo was sleeping in his hammock. Dan and I had camped on the bald and were hit with rain and high winds.

At dawn we headed out to climb Mount Rogers the highest Virginia mountain at 5754'. Lots of balds getting there and also saw the wild painted ponies. Again we hiked in the clouds with the wind. Long 11hour hike day exhausted


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Location:Appalachian National Scenic Trl,Marion,United States

5.1 AT490m 20m hike

Spring Creek campsite

Had a great breakfast of home fries, homemade blueberry waffles and boiled eggs at Woodchucks Hostel in Damascus Virginia. Said goodbye to Louie an Al Pacino look alike.. a pub and grill owner in East Stroudsberg Pa. He was section holding with his high school buddie Frankie. Said goodbye to Chris who will stay another day to get his shoes in.

And said goodbye to our new friend Nemo whom seems to be about 20 and is a thinker and planner a touch on the autistic spectrum and a joy to see him on the trail. He's tenting in the tree line because he has a hammock and we had chose the bald in case the clouds go away. I'll probably have two or three chances to see the stars tonight but Dan told me not to wake him.

It was a 10 hour hike today, Had no issues.
We sent home my boots coat and glasses from the post office. Dans pack weighed a hefty38lbs and mine 31lbs. I think he loaded up on more food and kept his coat.

Nemo's pack weighed in at 55lbs. He's a stocky kid and doesn't seem to mind the weight

Dan and I were interviewed for two different people for YouTube videos. Appalachian Trail Thru hikers class of 2017
Part 6.
And
Crazy tree Appalachian Trail Thru hikers 2017

Got some great pics today. We're camping out above 5k'

Tomorrow we'll add an additional 2 miles to the AT to climb The tallest mountain in Virginia, Mount Rogers.

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4.7 AT468 2m hike

Woodchuck's Hostel

Weight down 20lbs to 210.

We had a great night and packed our gear for a day in Damascus. Currently finished breakfast at Woodchucks Hostel, showered and are drying our laundry. Then we'll hit Mount Rogers outfitter for new shoes.

Woodchuck is a good hostel owner and takes good care of all his guests. The part we're staying at is the main house. 1st time we will have slept on a real bed since Pete and Susan's house in Georgia before the start of this journey.

Woodchuck's dog is awesome too. Can't tell what mix of breeds it is but he certainly lives a great life.

No TMobile service in this town but we do have a wifi connection.

Damascus is a nice town.

Got my new shoes. The guy looked at my feet and said you need 14 wide. Ahh can't wait to hike out tomorrow. We won't get out till the post office opens. I'll be sending home my coat, boots, my Dartmouth cap, glasses, spare pack strap and some of Dans stuff.

Dan and I will stop at the post office when they open to send home items and do a 20m tomorrow.


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Location:Damascus, Virginia

4.5 AT442.7. 21.7m hike

Iron Mountain Shelter

Got up an hour late but still put in a 10hr day. Got hot for hiking in the 70s.

Grass is growing. Small white spring flowers are out. Did not see snow or ice all day. Starting to see more Pine trees and all trees and rocks are losing that oxidized copper green and white fungus growth.
Still seeing evasive kudzu at most elevations. Saw a chipmunk today. Dan saw a shrew.

Passed a mom daughter section hiker team and they said our trail names should be Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid.

Well I must be losing some weight. Since the last comment I got in Georgia was "you've got a belly"

Tomorrow we travel 24m. And Sunday we take a 2m hike into Damascus Virginia.


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4.6 AT466.7m. 24m hike

Had a 24 mile hike today. With 16m to go my right foot rebelled at my Solomon Gortex 4 boots that tried to shape my foot to the boot. As I approached the top of a hill my foot exploded in nail driven pain and I used the "F" word fluently. I walked the rest of the trail with the right foot in my clog.

Tomorrow we hike 2m into Damascus VA.

Seems like we are still ahead of the pack. But have to keep healthy. Haven't seen Chris today. He was talking of seeing a doctor for hip pain. We haven't seen Jordan in 3 days as he talked of leaving the trail do to a painfull shoulder. A middle aged hippie hiker hobbled by are tent to get to a hospital in Damascus to have his ankles checked out.

We are in Virginia where 1/4 of the trail is and at the end of week 4 we are 70miles ahead of schedule. Every 100 miles ahead of schedule gets us home a week sooner!


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4.4 AT421 20m hike and 6 in town

Got up to a beautiful day. We went through more mountains and spring mountain streams.

Got stopped at mile 16 by Shadow and Country Mouse with trail magic which was a wild buffet of food. Chris, Dan and I ate and listened to many trail stories and info from the young couple.

We went into town to resupply at dollar general and a 30 tab at McD's.


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Location:1st Ave,Hampton,United States

4.3. AT402m 24m hike Day

Mountaineer Shelter

I'm finally in shape! I can climb hills again! Got my legs back! Kind of like those old people in the movie Cacoon. 24 miles and Ready to put in 24 more but Dan is making me go to bed.

Saw 2 beagles running side by side on top of a mountain bald today followed by a lanky white dog whom seemed wary of us went the long way around to meet back up with his buddies.

Doing a quick 20 tomorrow to resupply at the Dollar General and eat at McD's at Hamilton, Tennessee.

Ahhh I miss Wegmans and my organically grown food.


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4.2 AT376.8 22m hike

Today we put in 10 hours hiking 22 miles. We climbed a 5127' mountain to start the day and finished climbing Roan 6212' mountain at the end.

The weather was cool today. Got another 22 m day tomorrow.

We went through an evergreen forest and are now tenting in one atop Roan mountain.


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3.7. AT335m 19.7m

No Business Shelter.

We got up and out at 7:30 and hiked till 4:30pm. We climbed Mt Bald at 5,512' in the ice clouds. spiked ice needles emanating on everything standing. I've never seen that before. If those crystals were made of glass they would shred anything they touched.

With Chris from Texas and a 28 year old from Montreal whom quit his job to do this along with an over 50yearold man from Saratoga Springs NY whom did the same.

Was a frozen ground day. Tough on the feet. I'm going to have to send my Soloman gortex 4 boots home...they served their purpose getting me through the cold and snow and rain. Will get more flexible trail shoes to cut back on blisters.


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4.1 AT364m 18.5m

We hiked into Irwin, NC for a resupply at the Citgo Station.. $156 dollars of junk food! Most we have spent yet.

Then finished our first mostly sunny day without any cold gear on.

Dan and I are tenting out. Trail name "Tripper" , a Mom of an 8, 16, and 18 year old also showed up. Her Husband is in the Army and is deployed. Her Mom lives with them and is taking care of the kids.

We should be in Virginia in 7 days.


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Location:Red Fork Rd,Unicoi,United States

3.7. AT335m 19.7m

No Business Shelter.

We got up and out at 7:30 and hiked till 4:30pm. We climbed Mt Bald at 5,512' in the ice clouds. spiked ice needles emanating on everything standing. I've never seen that before. If those crystals were made of glass they would shred anything they touched.

With Chris from Texas and a 28 year old from Montreal whom quit his job to do this along with an over 50yearold man from Saratoga Springs NY whom did the same.

Was a frozen ground day. Tough on the feet. I'm going to have to send my Soloman gortex 4 boots home...they served their purpose getting me through the cold and snow and rain. Will get more flexible trail shoes to cut back on blisters.


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3.6 AT315 21.7m

Hogback Ridge Shelter

We were hiking through the clouds on the mountain ridges. The ground soaked from all night rain and thunderstorms. Mountain streams we full from the rain and melted snow. The last 3 hours of our 10hour hike was without rain gear with no extra layers of clothing which hasn't happened since going into the smokies.

Met up with Chris and a 70yr old hiker who started at the NC northern border and is working his way south.

Dan and I exhausted. The sun just went down. Good night!


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3.5 AT293 19.6m

Little Laurel Shelter

Left The Laughing Hearts Hostel at 7.30Am. Left the little town of Hot Springs nestaled between two mountain ridges and The French Broad river running between them.

Had our rain gear on most of the day. But only really needed it when we got to our shelter. Chris showed up an hour latter.

There appears two types of AT Thru hikers. Those that are determined to get there through any kind of weather and cover a certain amount of ground within a time frame. The majority fit in the other type.
Let's hope both types make it.


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3.4 AT274m 12m day

Was a windy very cold night in our 4.5k foot high open Shelter. Dan, Chris and I burrowed in our sleeping bags and waited for a bettor morning.

The next morning it was near 0s with the 6 inches of crunchy snow. All our shoes were frozen. The only way to heat them up was to keep trying to get your feet in them. We left Chris behind. When he caught up he said it took him an hour.

8 miles later it got warmer and less snow on the ground.

We are staying the night at a hostel just off the trail in Hot Springs. Nice town that caters to hikers. A crystal clear river runs through it with Mountains on both sides.

6 boys who had stopped us yesterday afternoon asking us for cell phone service, we had none, apparently had gotten ahold of the locals a while later saying they were ill prepared for the cold weather and talked a hostel lady into driving up to meet them. She hit a man who had just slid his car off the road and was standing in the road to flag her down. The guy wasn't hurt to bad but the lady went home. Another local in his 4 wheeler did rescue the inconvenienced hikers. Dan and I crossed the 4 wheelers tracks and were impressed that a vehicle could make it up a mountain path in 6" of snow.

Showered, Laundry is drying and then we'll stop in town for dinner and resupply at The Dollar General. No other stores here but a gas station. Hey it's a step up from what we are used to.


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Location:NW Us 25 70 Hwy,Hot Springs,United States

W2.D7 AT206m 20m

Got up at 6am to 4" of snow. Got lots of mountain view pictures. Sunny day was difficult footing,

Got a great picture of Dan standing on the top disc of the 6700' Clingman's Dome. Tallest on the AT.

Also climbed a 5500' mountain today.

We hit our 100m/week milestone and are all caught up to be done by August 1st. 20 weeks to go.

The shelter we are staying at is full. 3 old men and the rest are men in their 20s

Most everyone here is serious about thru hiking.

Weather is expected to get to 10d with low windchills. That will make it difficult for us. AT Thru hikers because we travel light.


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2.6 186m 17m day in smokies

Was a 7am hike from Fontana Dam. Our first day in the smokies. Cold and snowy. We are staying at our first shelter. 6 guys who grew up in the same town in Kentucky get together to hike here have been doing this for 30 years. They are staying in the same shelter.

Going to get worse the next 3 days that we are in the smokies. We got 3, 20m days coming up.


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3.3 AT260 20m hike

Walnut Mountain Shelter

Some sun, low 20, High winds and low windchill, 6" of snow and drifts of a foot.

first 5 miles uphill to over 4K feet. Saw a boy with his snowboard hike up a top oh a bald with beautiful views of the snow cap mountains, with 40m winds. it was too cold for me to take a pic but Dan got some.

The cold snowy weather is not letting up.
Our shoes are frozen in the morning. Our socks dry out on our feet overnight.

Dan gets the water filtered every night while I get in the sleeping bag and shake for an hour to get rid of the hypothermia shakes.

There are only a handful of AT hikers that have ventured out during this 5day cold spell.



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3.2 AT246m 18m

Last night at 10pm Two guys in their 20s came in from the sleeting windy sub freezing temps with one guy immediately blowing chow onto one of the other guys in the TriCorners Knob Shelter. One unhappy camper since some got in his mouth. The guy was not happy but since the sick guy was in severe hypothermia the mad guy got him a big bucket to toss in for 3 hours and 3 hours before he could get out of his hypothermia state.

This morning Dan, Trail name Achilles, which makes me Zuse.

Well Dan and I traveled 20m on the ridges of 5k and 6k peaks while fine sleet stung our cheeks. 4 to 6 in of fine snow. Trees and mountains were white.

We've made it out of the Smokies in 4days.
we are at. Bear Creek Hostel. Best place yet! Awesome family owned.

è
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3.1 AT222.2 20m

TriCorners Knob Shelter Tennessee

5 degrees at 6am. Fresh covering of snow. Finally getting for trees. The mountains are taller and thinner. We move mainly on the ridge line. We have a new companion, Chris a 22yearold man from Austin Tx.

He follows Dan uphills while I catch up on the down hills. It works. I don't slow Dan and we get are 20m in.

I had to get warm when we got to the shelter and wasn't able to help with dinner.
I'm damn lucky to have him as my hiking partner as well as my son.

I only snuck one picture today of the mountains. Absolutely beautiful! The Tennessee part of the smokies is beautiful!

Oh and Dan video taped a flock of turkeys on a ridge line yesterday back in NC.


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3.2 AT246m 18m

Last night at 10pm Two guys in their 20s came in from the sleeting windy sub freezing temps with one guy immediately blowing chow onto one of the other guys in the TriCorners Knob Shelter. One unhappy camper since some got in his mouth. The guy was not happy but since the sick guy was in severe hypothermia the mad guy got him a big bucket to toss in for 3 hours and 3 hours before he could get out of his hypothermia state.

This morning Dan, Trail name Achilles, which makes me Zuse.

Well Dan and I traveled 20m on the ridges of 5k and 6k peaks while fine sleet stung our cheeks. 4 to 6 in of fine snow. Trees and mountains were white.

We've made it out of the Smokies in 4days.
we are at. Bear Creek Hostel. Best place yet! Awesome family owned.

è
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2.5 167 m. 10 mile hike

Rained from 2am till 10am. We left Coby Gap before dawn at 6am and got to Fontana Dam at 10am. Ate breakfast at the Fontana Hilton then to The Pit Stop to get our resupply for tomorrow's hike through the smokies. The locals first big snow storm of 2 to 6 inches will hit Saturday to Sunday.

It'll be 70 miles through the smokies and 1 near per square mile.

I've learned that water, shelter, and food is important in that order.

Dan is planing on getting us out of there in 4 days.


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Location:Fontana Dam,United States

2.4 156m 19m hike to Cody Gap

Last night at the NOC hostel was interesting.

A late 20s young man showed up and no hello but where are the towels...

At 6pm he shows up at the bunks next to us, plops down a 12 pack of beer and asks Dan and I and another man that "Are you ok with me smoking weed?" I said not in here. He said "Here? How stupid do you think I am?" Silence... until the man asked him "What is your trail name? The self proclaimed weed smoker replied "Dirtbag". Then Dirtbag proceeded to grab his stash and beer to do his thing on the hostel deck in front of the sevalence cameras.

Turns out the GA/NC forest fire stoped at the NOC not crossing the road or the river.

So today's journey started out on an 8m of uphill to 5062 feet. A mile later a tall African American gentleman in his 50's observed Dan pass him going the opposite direction and then observed me go by. He said to me "got some fat your carrying".

What could I say except "I'm working on losing it"

Then we went through all our 4 liters of water. At our stopping spot 19 m in we got water


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Location:Appalachian National Scenic Trl,Robbinsville,United States

2.3. 137.3.m. 11.3m hike

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Zip lining, kayaking, restaurant. Gear center.

We ate ate the restaurant overlooking the kayak river
General store closed due to medical emergency. No food. No laundry

Dan is going to the outfitter to buy bars for 2 days.

I washed the clothes in the shower with a bottle of head and shoulders shampoo that was laying around.

Then cleaned the shower room.

Then cleaned the hostel sleeping area.

Dan cleaned the kitchen.

We'll hit Fontana Dam in 2 days, resupply for 6days, and trek the Great Smokey Mountains.


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Location:Highway 19 W,Bryson City,United States

2.2 125.6m 19.6m today

Wet cold. Up at 6:15 in tent for bed at 6:15.
Now in the 4K to 5k elevation. Still seeing results of last years forest fires. Not one deer nor trace. 6 owls in GA. 1 last night. 1 squirrel. 3 robins. Sparse wildlife compared to NYS.



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Location:Appalachian National Scenic Trl,Franklin,United States

W2Day1mile106

0ur 1st 20m hike. Rain from start till afternoon. Seemed to have hiked through the forest fire area.

Dan will lose a big toenail soon. He's keeping it clean.


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3/5/2017 Day 7

Left the Top of Georgia Hostel @ 8am and 17m later we are at The standing Indian mountain shelter in North Carolina 86mile ATPoint.

Saw the results of last years forest fires at the later half of Georgia to here.

Sunny and cool today. Still saw ice crystals. 3 days of rain starting at 2am.


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Location:Appalachian National Scenic Trl,Franklin,United States

Day 5 Low Gap

Made it 15 miles to top of Trey Mountain.
Dan's feet are much better. Sunny cool frost ice crystals all the way. Fine with us.


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Location:Appalachian Trl,Helen,United States

Day 6 - Dan is back!

Covered 15m today. Dan's Achilles are much better. Unfortunately for me he hikes faster than me so I have to go all out.

Mountain laurel, rhododendrons are green and the grey oaks have got buds on them. There are frost crystals on the ground. Sunny and cool.

We are on the top of trey mountain. The wind up here sounds just like big ocean waves crashing.

My lungs are getting bigger In order to get the lactic acid from building up in my legs.
The arms work just as hard pushing down and back on the hiking poles to help push the body forwards.

We are not as hungry as I expected but but are bodies are spent and we go to bed at dusk.


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Location:Appalachian Trl,Hiawassee,United States

Day 4

Woke up to 40m winds. At least the rain had stopped. Dan and I took pictures of the shoes hanging in the big tree.

Waited for the Mountain Crossings to open and scooted in to reserve a night in the hostel and get a shakedown of our gear.

Our packs weighed 42 lbs when we started and after we packed our gear to send home we walked out with new lighter gear and less stuff for 22lbs packs.

Dan put ice on his Achilles heals and took care of his blisters.




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Location:Neels Gap

Neels gap at mountain crossings

A 16 mile hike up and down till Bloods Mountain 4735'. Still hasn't tested us. But the heavy packs 42lbs are wrecking havoc on dans Achilles' tendons. A hiker who is a nurse and spent 8 years in Afghanistan told Dan lighter shoes and lighter packs.
At mountain crossing we got our pack weight from 42 to 22lbs


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Location:Neal's gap

Feb 25 Pete and Susan

Dan Drove the rental down to Georgia
Where my college roommate, Pete and his wife Susan picked us up and took us to 'Cue's for some great feast.

My daughter Caitlin and fiancé Tim joined us a while later where Susan put on a great dinner for us.

Lot of great tales were told.


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Location:Alpharetta Georgia

Feb 26 Approach Trail to At

Pete and Susan fed us a great breakfast and carted us off to the 8.1m approach trail
At Ameloca Falls to Springer Mt.

This is the only way to start the trail. Pete, Susan, Caitlin and Tim hiked to the falls. Then road to the chalet overlooking the blue ridge mountains where Pete took a picture of Dan and I in the same chairs that Robert Redford and Nick Nolte sat for breakfast. I got a panoramic shot of the blue ridge.

Then back to the start. The gang proceeded up the trail for 2 miles and gave lots of hugs and waved goodbyes



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Location:Ameloca Falls

Feb 27 16m to Gooch Shelter

Met people of all ages from all places,South Africa, Paris, France

The 8m Springer Mt was just a teaser for what is ahead....up hills and down hills.

The 16m today was fine for the first 10 then rain and uphill

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Location:Gooch Shelter GA