| Mile | 231.4 |
| Miles Since Last Update | 13.1 |
| Day | 24 |
Not a super eventful day. Lots of rain and fog so didn’t see a lot. Passed by another plane wreck site, but visibility was low and it was a military plane that mostly disintegrated at 450 mph so I couldn’t find anything. 13 miles went by pretty quick and as usual got to camp real early. Crossed 10% completion of the trail, kinda cool.
Preacher is carrying around an FM radio (after he criticized the weight of my water bottle, wtf), so was playing it at camp. He’s real into Chappelle Roan I guess which is kind of unique for a 61 year old guy from Georgia. I think Bladerunner and I are just ready to be done with the smokies and get to hot springs. I am hoping to take at least one zero in hot springs and nail down a lot of the things bothering me. Food, gear with respect to weather, mileage, are the big ones.
This is the quietest stay we’ve had in the smokies outside the first night. Just me, bladerunner, preacher, and two Tennessee students who will be hiking out tomorrow.
Tonight is also the last smokies night. I evaded the law the entire way (got inside word that the ridge runner that is supposed to be running the Monday-Wednesday shift is out) and never slept in a shelter. I also wore shorts throughout the entirety of what had been warned to me as a true test of winter gear.
Tomorrow we stay at a shady hostel/farm place. Then two more shelters, then hot springs. Weather is supposed to start to get a little crazy finally. Might get a few nights below freezing.
Brief break from the rain in the morning
Last time I have to hang my entire pack like a dumbass