Today started out cold, which was a welcome change of pace from the warmer weather. Franklin, the free shuttle for hikers, dropped me off at Winding Stair Gap. I had an amazing stay at The Grove Hostel. Willow is one of the sweetest and kindest people I have met so far.
Route report
Today there were three single summits on the agenda: Silar, Wayah and Rocky. Silar Bald was 0.2 miles off the trail, uphill, but worth it. The view was spectacular and I could see Mount Kuwohi in the distance. The PeakFinder app is great and worth the $5.
Wayah Bald has an observation tower. From there you can see Kuwohi and other mountains in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Bartram Trail coincides with the AT for a short period around Wayah Bald. William Bartram was a naturalist in the 18th century and the trail follows the path he took in documenting Appalachian species. I’ve heard about the Bartram Trail and how underrated it is.
You can see the yellow Bartram fire along with the white AT fire in this image.
My last stop was Rocky Bald. This is where I camped for the night. The summit is about 0.1 mile off the trail with a fairly steep climb. But there are incredible campsites up there with spectacular views. If you decide to camp there, be sure to bring water because it is a dry campsite.
Thought of the day
From those bald spots, in addition to seeing where I was going, I could also see where I have been. I saw Standing Indian Mtn, Albert Mtn and other summits.
In life we sometimes focus too much on the difficulty of the day or time of day. But if we think beyond that and try to see the bigger picture of how we got to that moment, it helps us gain the perspective we need to understand why we are experiencing that specific difficulty.
Just like on the road, we are working very hard right now. But, when we reach the top of a bald patch and can look back and see what we’ve accomplished, we feel motivated to keep going. It’s encouraging to see the bigger picture.
In our normal lives, we must take a step back and try to see the bigger picture. God is working to make everything fit together for our good. Looking back to remember what God has done strengthens our faith in current trials.
people i met
Today I learned about the Y2K problem for the first time. I had the privilege of walking with him for a few hours. He is a new Christian and it was great to talk to, encourage him and be encouraged by him.
It got its route name because its AT tag number is 2000. My tag number is 1999. When I received my tag, I initially asked if I could have 2000 instead. They were going to give me 2000, but I said, No, I’m supposed to have 1999. It was cool to meet the guy who got 2000.
Plant of the day
The plant of the day is the dwarf crested lily. It is one of only two lilies native to North America.
bird of the day
The bird of the day is the barred owl. I have listened to them mainly in the morning. I haven’t seen any yet, but I hope to at some point. This is the only owl I have identified so far.
“Barred Owl at Lettuce Lake” by trishhartmann is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/colin-jost-3-a800ca19233d498492d3a4b256455021.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "Colin Jost revela el texto exacto de su esposa Scarlett Johansson después de comprar el ferry de Staten Island con Pete Davidson")
