Since leaving Hiawassee, things have before more routine. Trail life is becoming normal life and while that doesn't mean we don't constantly dream of food or complain about rain, it does seem as if we have fallen into the swing of things a bit.

Movie Star, Hermes and I came into Hiawassee from Unicoi Gap and we would have been much smarter to come in from Dicks Creek Gap, just two more days up the trail. So upon leaving, we had a six day food supply to get us to Franklin, NC. This means a really, really heavy backpack! Hermes and I opted to leave four days of food with Garry at the Blueberry Patch Hostel, who is so kind he willingly dropped it off for us at Dicks Creek was we passed through.

The weather has been pretty good for us since the snowstorm. One morning, we woke up to an incredibly foggy day and knew rain was coming later in the afternoon, so we packed up camp and hiked 3 miles to a shelter to wait it out. Even though it made for a long day, sitting in our sleeping bags for nine hours, trying not eat all our food and then laying in our bags all night, fighting off mice, it was a very good decision that saved us from being miserably wet for several days.

Side Note: That night, I unknowingly left a Snickers in my backpack that was quickly found by the mice. The next day, when I pulled it out during a snack break, I discovered that it had been compromised. I ate it anyway. If a thief steals a bit of your gold, there is no use in abandoning the rest of it.

The highlights if the week were reaching North Carolina on Tuesday the 12th, our ninth day on the trail, and reaching the 100 mile marker on Thursday the 14th, our eleventh day on the trail!! Super exciting achievements!!!

We have also picked up Bobaba as a part of our ragtag group. He is killing time before he starts a contraction job in South Carolina and chose to spend it on the trail. He is a far and wide traveler of the states with many, many great stories and a happy spirit. He is strange strange in that way that makes you think maybe he is blessing the ground as we sit down for lunch but in reality he is just sprouting quinoa for his meal. We loose him soon, as he hitches out to Asheville when we all leave Franklin, and it will be sad to see him go. Besides the fun and laughter he brings, there is also the dumpster dive meals he provides while in town. Six day old yogurt for breakfast is ok if it's free, right?

Georgia/North Carolina state line. I look so beat because it was rough terrain and the hostest day we've had so far. I made as many people as I could take their shirt off and swing them around their heads like a helicopter... but I can't remember who made that song.
 
This is at the top of Albert Mountain in NC. The NC terrain is over all much easier than GA but this mountain was the most technical climbing we had done thus far. At several parts I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get my pack through, over or onto the rocks. But at the top was the 100 mile marker!!! From left to right we have Guard, Movie Star, Ian, tiny little me, Hermes, Detour and Bobaba.
 

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