Swim in a waterfall and take off our boots

It’s time to start walking. We woke up in the Hostal Refugio before the others. We quietly made ourselves a cup of coffee for me to drink before setting out on our 19 mile hike. We walk in silence. The energy matched the calm, quiet morning. We passed through small fields bordered by wooded areas and watched as the sunrise illuminated the path we were traveling.

Turkish: the aspiring deer hunter

The soft, calm energy of the morning was abruptly disrupted when Turk darted ahead of us. A herd of deer was grazing just on the other side of a small hill we had just crested. We watched in what seemed like slow motion as the 4 or 5 deer ran towards the tree line and disappeared. “Turkenna, leave it!” I screamed into the otherwise silent air. She stopped dead. Honestly, I was impressed. He had a good memory, but even I was impressed by his self-control. «Good girl. Come.» I called with a stern voice. She didn’t move. I just stared at the spot where the deer had disappeared. «Turkenna, come.» This time with an air of warning in my voice. His body language changed and he came straight towards me. We praised her up and down for her obedience and then kept her under control for the rest of the morning, metaphorically speaking.

4-0-0 Miles

Before we knew it, we were passing the 400 mile mark! A handful of sticks arranged in the number 400 were lying on the ground. We paused to appreciate how far we have come. And we quickly realize how far we have to go. 400 minus 1800 to go!
Hot days and cold currents

We try to get as many miles in as quickly as possible. The day was getting hotter and we knew we would slow down in the warm afternoon sun. Fortunately we had plenty of shade thanks to miles of rhododendrons along the trail. We walked near streams and stopped to take photos in the area where the water cascaded down the rock walls.

It’s so COLD!

Looking for salamanders

By mid-afternoon, we had walked about 14 kilometers. With a few kilometers to go, it was time to take a nice long rest. We found a spot for Cody and I to soak our feet in the freezing current. Turk dug up some dead leaves to reveal a patch of fresh dirt under the shade of a rhododendron. She took a nap. Cody quickly got bored of just dipping his toes in the water, so he kept himself busy looking for salamanders and crabs under the rocks. He picked up rocks very carefully and placed them even more slowly while hanging his head just inches from the water. Lying face down, he looked out into the shallow water to see what bugs he could find.

Ending the day

The afternoon was broken up into short 1-2 mile walks, with long breaks scattered in between. We had a snack along the way waiting for the coolness of the afternoon to arrive. As the afternoon turned into night, we approached the camp. We found great upgrades for Turkenna to climb and we applauded each one! All our spirits were lifted as we all found joy in Turk’s little act jumping over a large rock.

We entered the camp while there was still plenty of daylight left. A hiker named Indiana had already set up his tent at one of the few unmarked sites. Cody started setting up the tent while I prepared dinner. Turkenna quickly found a soft spot in the grass and fell asleep. She was glad to be led to the tent as soon as Cody inflated the mat and laid out the quilt. The evening went smoothly now that we’ve settled into our steady routine. We bid Indiana goodnight as we zip up the lobby and turn in for a hard-earned night’s rest.

Starting out solid

The next morning was lovely. And I’m usually not a morning person. I guess we had slept too well or life on the trail made me wake up and start running. But I felt rejuvenated and eager to start the day as I sat in the small campsite and watched the sun rise while sipping my instant coffee.

The campground filled up quickly, although I have to admit that Cody does most of the morning packing while I drink coffee. He doesn’t drink coffee, not even on the road. I know. Simply spark energy and joy every day. No coffee needed.

Magic trail with emoji

Just a few miles down the trail and to our pleasant surprise, a familiar face was waiting for us! The Trail Angel Emoji was working magic on the trails for hikers! I don’t care how early it is, if someone offers me a free soda along the way, the answer is always “yes!” We devoured some pieces of fruit and grabbed some snacks for the road. We thanked him profusely for the magic of the trail and set off.

Laurel Fork Falls Update

The trail took us through the Pond Mountain Wilderness, where Cody decided to swim at the base of Laurel Fork’s Falls! I don’t know if you’ve ever swum in a mountain stream, but that water is SO COLD! He couldn’t convince me to join him, but that didn’t stop him from stripping down to his boxers, putting his hair in a ponytail, and jumping. Turkenna and I watched as he headed deeper into the water. I am always so impressed by your willingness to be adventurous! My long-haired, bushy-bearded mountain man husband swims through a puddle of icy water and sits at the base of the prettiest waterfall we’ve seen on the trail!

The best imitation of Cody’s The Little Mermaid

I sat there amused and laughed at the pure joy he gets from being a big kid at heart! In fact, another hiker asked me if he was my ‘boyfriend’. The term seemed to evoke a sense of youthful and childish connotation. “No, that’s my husband of 6 years,” I responded as I took a photo of him pretending to be the little mermaid coming out of the water. That grown man who acts like a child at an amusement park is my husband. I love him so much! What great nonsense! These are the little moments we will remember in 15 years. After posing for a few more photos of him flexing on a rock, he swam back to shore and shivered as he quickly dried himself off and changed into dry clothes.

leaving

The walk to the gorge was very pleasant, but what goes down must come up again… or whatever they say. We began the hike up Pond Mountain. 1,800 feet in 3 miles, but who’s counting? Oh, sure, I did. I checked FarOut so many times during this climb as we clocked another thirty meters of nod and another and another.

A break without boots

A group of our friends were staying at a well-known AT hostel called Boots Off. We had just stayed at a hostel and didn’t need to stop again, so we just went for an afternoon break. We also heard that they sold pizzas that we could prepare for lunch. Cody and I ate our fill and played cards with friends. I still proudly hold the undefeated ERS (aka Egyptian Rat Screw) title. If you know it, you know it. We also played against Kemps. Cody and I watched the Manchester United game on his phone. It was nice to hang out during the heat of the day. Turkenna rested and we were able to enjoy time with friends.

Around 4:00, we decided to go out and walk another 4 or 5 miles. Our friend Night Crawler joined us. The trail circled around Watauga Lake and went over a dam. We finally settled on an unmarked campsite, perfect for two tents. By the time we set up our tents and prepared dinner, the sun had already set. Cody found a tick crawling on him, which reminded us to take tick safety seriously. We check ourselves (and Turk) before going to bed. What a good day!

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