10:00 am - Snacking on Siles Bald [the top of a mountain where no trees grow...ergo bald]. Beautiful views and bright warm sun...feels good. Vegas came through about 8:00 this am. Passed him, but he just came out of the woods. Honey and Moon came through our camp about 6:00 pm last night after spending the previous night in Franklin where they pigged out and bought groceries & dog food for Buster.
8:30 pm - Camped at Burnington Gap for the night. Honey and Moon and Buster were here too. Vegas went to Cold Spring Shelter 1 mile about 1000' feet up the next hill.
Jim's heel and ankle are quite sore. He had a hard day, but we still did 14 miles. Only 12.5 more to Wesser, our next stopover for resupply, good food, shower and a real bed. Real nice day, not too hot @65 degrees. Beautiful view from Wayhu Bald...took a picture of Jim & Vegas.
While doing my business this morning & covering it with leaves, I turned over a small snake. Since there are rattlers here I was concerned, but it was a gardner snake. He was so cold that hecould hardly move. He tried to bite in slow motion. Listened to some tunes while hiking this afternoon. Miss Ropey. Get to call her tomorrow. Saw a robin & a squirrel today and a mud puppy [what the heck is a mud puppy?] where I took a bath in a tiny stream.
8:00 PM - We made it to Wessex andthe Nantahala Outdoor Center. The hotel was full so Jim "JimBob" and I "Shotgun" (our new trail monikers) got a hostel room. It's about 10' x 10' with heat and 1 overhead light. Sorta like a jail house cell only smaller.
We started out early this AM from Beuning Town Gap. Thunder boomers in the far distance. It started raining about 9:00 AM, no thunder storms, just steady rain. By 11:00 we were soaked so we just kept on trukin'. Got some good pictures of the fog & mist in the mountains. No view on Wessex Bald, but a real good one on Shoot Lookout... what a drop off.
Got to Wessex about 1:00, checked in and ate lunch. Took a shower about 6:30...nice and hot. Got all of our packages and have a lot to send back. I had Rosemary turning the house upside down looking for some hiking pants I wanted. She mailed me two pairs and neither were the ones I wanted. I now realize that they are possibly in one of the boxes to be mailed. Have to redo my box mailing dated. Forgot to include the days we spent "in town".
Maybe we'll go rafting or canoeing tomorrow on the Nantahala.
Went "ducking" on the Nantahala this afternoon. A bus took Jim and I and the "duckies" 8 miles up stream from Wessex and we floated down. Got soaked....good thing they gave us wet suits. Two sets of Class 3 rapids and the rest just a lot of fun. Made it back in 1 and ½ hour. Leaving tomorrow fro Fontana at 7:00 AM.