Hello everyone! Austin and I (Gil) arrived in Hot Springs, NC, yesterday and we finally got internet access, so an update is in order!

Austin, Joe, and I left Franklin and headed for Fontana Dam, our last stop before the Smokies. The trail in between the two stops was rugged, with tons of deep gaps dropping down below 2,000 feet elevation, and mountains over 4,000 feet. We stopped at the NOC, but only long enough to look around, opting to camp a mile up the steep ascent out of the valley. The next day was awful weather: it was pouring and freezing cold so we decided a short 6 mile day would be perfect, so we went to the next shelter, where we caught up to Jim and Nate! We were stopping for the day and they were just about to start theirs, but we still talked for a while and updated each other on stuff that had happened. It was awesome to catch up with them and we hope we will again soon!

When we arrived in Fontana Dam, we immediately went to eat REAL food at a restaurant. Everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious to us so making a decision was difficult but what we ended up with was awesome! The meals we had include, but are not limited to, potato skins with bacon, sour cream and cheese, immense pulled pork sandwiches, massive burgers with cheddar cheese, etc.

We attempted to do our resupply, but like Jim and Nate said, almost every store was closed. Luckily, we didn't need much food, and even more luckily, the owner of the general store opened early, just for us! She even would go rummage in the back of the store to retrieve more obscure items! We then went to the Fontana Hilton, and prepared to venture into the Smokies!

Our first day in the park was fantastic, with temperatures in the 70s and not a cloud in the sky. Just like Jim and Nate, our days were gorgeous and clear until Clingman's Dome, where the summit was enshrouded in fog. Luckily, the observation tower had pictures of the views so we could see what we were missing!

We headed into Gatlinburg, TN, to resupply and get some awesome junk food, both of which were accomplished! We hit up an all you can eat buffet and ate A LOT of food. However, Gatlinburg, being one of the tourist destinations of the south, had millions of little tourist trap stores and the atmosphere was incredibly exhausting. Austin and I were eager to leave and left the night before Joe departed, so we encountered our first night hiking, which required a lot more caution than regular hiking.

Unfortunately, the library is closing! I'll update more ASAP!

Gil