Camel and I left Erwin, TN yesterday and all I have to say is I lovee Erwin :) Since Hot Springs both Camel n I have been in quite a battle with poison ivy. It spread everywhere and the anti itch wasnt cutting it. While Camel handled his pretty well I was definetely going crazy. Itching all night and leading to cranky mornings because I couldn't sleep. The mountains seemed to just get tougher and tougher that week for me. The highlight of our week was finding trail magic at Sams Gap which some lovely geocashers put on. With home cooked goodies a beer in hand and great company my mood lifted immensely. There was a difficult climb that day up to Big Bald Mountain but it was my favorite climb all week. The steady but long incline felt easy after all that power food and it was beautiful. Bright green trees not to mention the fields of white flowers that looked like they were floating. Not to mention the 360 degree views at the top. The thing about thru-hiking is yes its hard but everyday I meet someone or see something that always makes me feel like Im the luckiest girl. Having Camel with me is incredibly amazing as his constant ability to make me laugh makes this journey all the more fun.
Both Camel n I agreed that our favorite time so far was the hike right after Hot Springs. We hiked in about 5 miles from town when we saw this pond And then a perfect field to camp in. We set up early and enjoyed our avocado hummus and crackers that we brought from town. As we danced in the field and made up silly songs by the campfire we were so happy we felt like a bursting' feeling overcame us. When we did get into Erwin about four days later, we stayed at Uncle Johnny's hostel on Cinco de Mayo. First order of buisiness was getting our poison ivy shot! and boy do we feel GREAT now. Afterwards it was a relaxing time as we celebrated the holiday with all the hikers hanging, out late into the night. We woke up the next day and decided to rent bikes and check out the town. Erwin is a very cute, small town with lots of fields and a huge amount of Southern hospitality. We rode around, got some ice cream and enjoyed the sunshiney day. Since it was so hot and the river was next to the trail we dipped in for the remainder of the afternoon. At 5 pm we started our hike back into the woods getting 5 miles in to the shelter. With a great sleep and plenty of food in our systems we planned about 13-15 miles for the rest of our week. I feel very much back to my happy go lucky self and I couldn't be more grateful.
Both Camel n I agreed that our favorite time so far was the hike right after Hot Springs. We hiked in about 5 miles from town when we saw this pond And then a perfect field to camp in. We set up early and enjoyed our avocado hummus and crackers that we brought from town. As we danced in the field and made up silly songs by the campfire we were so happy we felt like a bursting' feeling overcame us. When we did get into Erwin about four days later, we stayed at Uncle Johnny's hostel on Cinco de Mayo. First order of buisiness was getting our poison ivy shot! and boy do we feel GREAT now. Afterwards it was a relaxing time as we celebrated the holiday with all the hikers hanging, out late into the night. We woke up the next day and decided to rent bikes and check out the town. Erwin is a very cute, small town with lots of fields and a huge amount of Southern hospitality. We rode around, got some ice cream and enjoyed the sunshiney day. Since it was so hot and the river was next to the trail we dipped in for the remainder of the afternoon. At 5 pm we started our hike back into the woods getting 5 miles in to the shelter. With a great sleep and plenty of food in our systems we planned about 13-15 miles for the rest of our week. I feel very much back to my happy go lucky self and I couldn't be more grateful.