We are at mile 20 (to Springer)! Scary and exciting.
We got rained in at Neels Gap, and zeroed at Pirate's hostel there — good for staying dry, although low on Warm Fuzzies (except for his cats). Today we hiked over Blood Mountain (where I had to curtail my photographing of the unlimited icy beauty as my fingers lost feeling and mobility), and decided to call it a short day and have another hostel night (forecasted low of 23 tonight at elevation: good timing for another night indoors and a better last-hostel experience). We are currently (the only guests at) Hiker Hostel — presumably it can get away with that name because it's the first one on the trail for northbound thru-hikers.
Our agenda for today included / will feature (after hiking! and lunch!) a movie (Shakespeare In Love, liberally mixed with a book about sources of A.T. landmark names, and popcorn), and probably our last pizza for the trail — and warm beds.
I may or may not post some pictures. I halfway want to not Leave Everyone Wondering — but if I wait less than a week (!!), I can use my own computer, and upload Real Pictures. (I'll post updates here as I [re-]process and post photos, though they may go on Umbrella, or a yet-uninvented sub-site like I made for Thailand. Or some of each. And maybe some for Wiki Commons, or Journeys, too? But, later.)
Once at Springer, my Uncle2 Bob (my mom's uncle) is picking us up; we spend the night, and then Amtrak it back to our respective parts of the country. (Jo has a 50 hour train ride to MN; my 15 to PA seems rather paltry by comparison.)
Wow! Almost to the end! Sounds as if you're about at the end of tolerable temperatures, at least from my point of view.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Rite of Passage will mark the final ascent/descent at Springer? Seems like graduation for sure.
Ah! So exciting! I can't believe you guys are already almost done (it seems like you guys just started...even if it has been several months).
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