Leaving Erwin in the heat

Morning refueling and breakfast

After last night’s bike disaster, we still needed to resupply before we could get back on the road. So we packed our bags and waited with a dozen other hikers who were also staying at Uncle Johnny’s house. We all got into a large van and were driven around the city. Most people were dropped off at the trailhead, but we stayed in the van to be taken to the supermarket. One piece of advice I could give to other hikers is: don’t buy resupplies on an empty stomach. We buy too much food! But while we waited for the ferry to come back to pick us up, we ate Bojangles for breakfast/lunch.

snake in the grass

As soon as the ferry dropped us off, we realized that we had also eaten too much for breakfast. Too full and with too much food, we began the walk out of town. Good thing the weather was nice because we walked at a snail’s pace for 12 miles up the hill. We passed a large black rat snake sunning itself on a rock. Luckily Turkenna wanted nothing to do with it! I hope she feels the same way about all the snakes we see along the way.

Setting up our new tent

That afternoon we arrived at camp. With the late departure and slow pace, the sun was already starting to set when we got there. Just a few unmarked sites just off the trail were a home sweet home for the night. Our friend Billy Goat was already there with his tent set up. We found a semi-flat spot for ourselves and set up our new Tigerwall UL3 tent. We couldn’t wait to set it up and try it out! It looked like a mansion when we put it all together! So much room for our packs and Turkenna!

Cody is not impressed with Beauty Spot

We had dinner with Billy Goat as the sun continued to set. We tried our homemade taco for the first time. It was a winner! Beauty Spot Gap lived up to its name that night. The sunset was beautiful.

sunny day ahead

The next morning we woke up and left early. We had to walk 14 miles, but the afternoon was supposed to be hot. Turk doesn’t do very well in the heat. On hot days, we try to hike early, take a long break in the heat of the day, and finish the hike in the cooler afternoon.

The first section of the trail was very nice! We haven’t had much coverage because the leaves haven’t arrived yet. But this morning we walked through a forest of evergreens. Its full branches protected us from the sun, creating a cool environment perfect for walking. Thick green beds of moss covered the decaying logs and rocks. Turk stopped to drink from the small streams that crossed the trail. He loves wooded areas like this. And we couldn’t help but smile as she zoomed in full force and ran in big circles through the grove. I quickly remembered her and was aware that I still had a full day of hiking ahead of me and that I didn’t need to exhaust myself too soon. But it’s moments like these that assure us she’s having the time of her life here on the trail!

The detour of death

The next section of the trail wasn’t as magical. It was actually a rerouted section due to damage caused during Hurricane Helene. The first half of the detour was a downhill road through a rural residential area. As we walked down the road, we kept thinking, «the lower we go, the higher we’ll have to climb to get back to the AT.» And that’s exactly what we did. The second half of the detour was an arduous staircase that went straight up an enormously steep hill. We had to stop halfway to take a break and decided to take a lunch break. But the day wasn’t getting any younger. In fact, it was much hotter. With the exposure and the heat, the afternoon passed much slower. We took 10 minute breaks where we could find shade big enough for the three of us. And jump from one shady place to another until you reach the Clyde Smith Shelter. Relieved to be done, we spent the rest of the afternoon resting. It was an early bedtime day.

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