After over two blog-less weeks, an extravaganza today. Don't let these great photos deter you from reading Rob's entry below! As you will read, due to his cell-phone-less status for the past 10 days or so, I couldn't get the information I needed to annotate his latest batch of photos. But now I can, so here goes!
Above is a view of "Trail Fest" in Hot Springs, NC (where we left off in the last photo blog-entry.)
Among the fabulous events at "Trail Fest" was a charity duck race - where people sponsor rubber duckies who swim competetively down the French Broad River. To avoid duck-pollution, it is necessary to recruit duck-wranglers who rescue rubber duckies before they make a permanent getaway! Clad in protective wetsuits, the wranglers brave the cold river waters to perform this service. These two photos were taken on April 28.A couple days later found Rob in the Roan Highlands, heading toward Spivey Gap.
Here are some views of "Big Bald" taken on 5/2.
Below left, Rob cools off later that day, and below right: A scene from camp that night.
Rob arrived at the famous "Miss Janet's" hostel in Erwin, Tennessee, on May 3. Hikers help out with meals and clean-up. Scenes below: Rob contributes his Nachos, hikers doing dishes, and breakfast al fresco with Miss Janet.
Miss Janet provides a shuttle service, which allowed Rob and friends a slackpacking day. They walked back to Erwin from the drop-off. To make sure they didn't lose their way, "Thabian", Miss Janet's black dog, was sent along as a guide!
Miss Janet also provides a tattoo service!
On 5/7, Rob reached Yellow Mountain Gap, which is the junction of the AT and historic Bright's Trace, the route used by a thousand "Overmountain Men" to cross the mountains en route to the Revolutionary War battle at King's Mountain.
On September 25, 1780, a thousand men from the militias of Virginia, North Carolina, and what is now Tennessee joined forces to defeat the British loyalists in this significant battle.
The barn was renovated into a shelter at Yellow Mountain Gap. Inside the barn: Rob's "overmountain" gear!
The lovely Kincora Hostel, in Dennis Cover, Tennessee. Rob got to stay an extra two nights here in reward for volunteering for trail maintenance work ("Hard Core")
5/11: Beautiful, bacterial Laurel Creek Falls, just out of Kincora. This is where several hikers contracted skin infections, probably due to agricultural runoff. Later that day, a safe place for Rob to take a dip!
MAY 13: CROSSING INTO VIRGINIA!
2 comments:
Wow, this brings back so many memories! I can almost smell the hiker funk. Thanks to Kris and Rob for posting.
Great Post! Dylan and Lance want you to know that they think you are really cool! Miss ya! So, is "The Train" back together?
We think of ya'll often! Thoughts and prayers are with you.
MaMa Murdock and My Three Sons
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