Temptation
First off- We will be in Roan mountain in 3 days so if you haven’t already sent something in the mail and wanted to it is too late. You can hit us up at our next mail drop though.
Secondly I will tell you about our trip. Since leaving the Nelson’s house we did a full 6 miles to a shelter. ( You have no idea how hard it was with a stomach full of chinese). There ended up being some more trail magic there. A girl who hiked the previous year had brought in hot dogs and TONS of candy. We were with about 4 other thru hikers so we let them have the hot dogs but enjoyed the candy (even though we have too much and no matter how much we eat it is still there). That night it dropped into the teens and everything froze. So what do we do? Wait till 10 am by the fire then hike 20.7 miles through the snow.
Ended up just being Ricky and I that night but we were fortunately to pick up some mouse traps and Rick’s killed one. You have no idea how happy that makes hikers and several have encouraged us to kill as many as possible. This is in no way evil because the mice are evil. You try waking up all night to them jumping on you and on your face and constantly worrying if they are chewing a hole in your pack. Like I said. EVIL. So we hiked into Nolichucky River and there is a hostel here. 15 bones a night. Not too bad but the guy lets you borrow bikes so we rode into town. Stopped at an A&W (combo meal with a root beer float with several ice cold refills.) Couple mile bike ride to the Food Lion, stop at Mickey D’s for a double cheese burger (yes we did eat an hour earlier) and three burgers each for dinner tonight. The original plan was to hike 4 miles to a shelter but we have about 8 friends staying here tonight and figured it would be more fun.
We are telling ourselves that we will wake up early and make the miles up but who knows. We are trying to just take it as it comes and it seemed like staying was a good idea. (the fact that it snowed last night and was in the teens might (and i say might) have had something to do with it. Next update should be from Roan Mountain, TN and that means we will probably be out of North Carolina/Tennessee by the end of the month.
What’s up Ricky. Just wanted to drop a line and tell you I’ve enjoyed reading all about your trip. You are actually going through with it! Anyway, keep your socks dry and in the meantime I’ll hold down the fort here in Auburn. Keep up the good work man.
Had a coupla’ days off so came up to visit mom and dad, taking A Walk in the Woods along to reread. And what chapter do I finish just as your post comes up, but the one about how the tiniest bit of inhaled mouse dust from their scat can cause innumerable disgusting hantavirus diseases. Get out of the shelters, and into the tent! (Or as you did the town) So glad to hear the part about taking it as it comes, how wonderfully liberating that must be. Read you guys are at the point where between a fourth and a third of the intended throughhikers have experienced enough of the great outdoors to go home! That would make the most interesting sociology study, the characteristics of the through vs. the partial trail hikers. But I bet you thank goodness for those folks who hike partial but support others through their trail majic. Enjoy yourselves on Roan. Love, Mom