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3/10 -- Had a blueberry pancake breakfast at the Blueberry Patch Hostel.  Very Good! Took the day off and went to Hiawassee, GA.  We stayed at the Hiawassee Inn and ate an "AYCE" dinner.  Worried about the approaching storm this weekend.  

At left, Priscilla, Jim and Andrew, whom we met numerous times along
the trail. By Mike Calabrese

3/11 --  Almost called it quits for a month due to the pending storm this weekend.  However, Robocop and Lilac encouraged me on.  We are planning three long days and a short cut to get to the Rainbow Springs Campground with cabins and a bunk house by Saturday, 3/13, before the storm.  Long day--8.2 miles. We got to the GA/NC line.  I almost left my stick in Hiawassee and paid our driver to go back and get it.

3/12 --  Cold morning at Bly Gap.  Very tough climb the 1st half of the day.  All downhill at the end.  We made it to the Kimsey Creek Trail (8.8 mi) . Only 6.6 to do tomorrow to beat the storm.

At right, me posing in front of the famous "Knarled Oak" at the GA/
NC border. By Mike Calabrese

3/13 -- Got up at 6 a.m., left at 7:15 (earliest start yet).  It started snowing at around 7:30.  We cheated today.  We took the Kimsey Creek Trail to the Standing Indian Campground, then to old US 64, then to Rainbow Springs Campground.  It snowed the entire time.  Robocop wanted to get to Franklin to get his mail drop; so, we got a ride 11 miles east to Franklin to wait out the storm.  This short cut of 6.6 miles saved us about 15 miles and got us out of another snow storm.  

3/14 -- Took a day off and stayed at the Franklin Motel in Franklin, N.C.  It rained all day--snow only in high elevations and along trail. We have now hiked 103 unofficial miles.

3/15 -- Did 6.6 miles and camped at Wayeh Crest Picnic Area with a church group from FL.  I feel myself getting stronger when it comes to climbing these mountains each day.

At left, the Franklin Motel, a nice place to stay, where we waited out
storm #3. By Mike Calabrese

3/16 Tough 9.9 mile day--a tough one--great views of  Wayah Bald--stayed at the Cold Spring Shelter.  I stayed in a shelter tonight for the first time in a week.

3/17 -- Happy St. Patrick's Day.  We thought that we would do only 6.2 miles today, but the weather was so good (high near 80) that we pushed 11.2 miles to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)  and are sleeping in bunks tonight.  I saw butterflies and Carolina Pines for the first time today.  We have now travelled 134 miles.  Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of trash at the shelters.  Some hikers never clean.  In 3 or 4 days I'll be at Fontana Dam, the Southern Gateway to the Smoky Mountains. 

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