TWO WEEKS! Where else and what other time in my life can I travel under an assumed name and count calories every day to be sure I get ENOUGH!?

I’ve got little mini-milestones or goals. Today we should reach the NOC and then in 3-4 days Fontana Dam. That will be a big one for me. Can’t wait to get into the Smokies. All those places that were just names in books or dots on maps are really here and coming to life. It’s still all just sinking in. I am so lucky to be here, and as Jiff said again last night, we are such AWESOME women to be here. Yippee!!

I made one of my best dinners yet last night. Instant refried beans and tortillas. Just needed a little hot sauce. Tee hee. Put my gloves on this morning and thought of all the times I’ve told my own kids and all the scouts over the years that gloves melt … gotta love it!

Jiff had taken off a few minutes before this morning and I was just hoisting my pack when Baltimore Jack came up the hill and asked me how I felt about slackpacking. I just grinned and said "Hell, Yeah!" Tried to holler at Jiff, but she was too far. The pair of trail angels from Florida pulled out another miracle and offered to let us slackpack. Slackpacking is when someone shuttles your pack to a designated point, and you carry food, water, whatever, and stay on the trail. I wondered how I would feel the first time this opportunity arose. It was great! Didn’t hesitate a moment to hand over all I have to strangers and know it would be waiting for me! Farmer Bob (McKenzie), Doug the really nice section hiker, Eggman, and Maniac all came through about that time. It was great to see them. We all made a beeline for the café and got good food. Clothes are washing, we’re buying food, etc., and going to a campground near here for tonight. It just keeps getting better and better! Worried about Topher; he’s limping. He did 20 miles yesterday I think. Anyway, there’s a cool river here, and rafts and kayaks and mountain bikes. The sun is shining, and it’s a glorious day.

John B, you’d love this place. Appears to be a kayaker’s paradise. They have little race gates set up and everything.

Bopping right along today and walked right out onto a cliff at the edge with a spectacular view. Wow!

April 19, 2001 Continued
Wesser,  North Carolina at Nantahala Outdoor Cente

We found a spot to camp next to the river a little ways down from the NOC. It’s nice to hear the water! This place is awesome. There’s a big mountain bike race here this weekend. And it looks like a kayaker’s paradise. The little restaurant here serves huge portions of food and is very nice to hikers. My clothes smell good, and the shower felt so good. Better enjoy it tonight cause I have 7-8 miles all UPHILL (literally!) tomorrow. I still can’t believe how generous and nice Snakecharmer’s friends have been to us. Trail magic is just a wonderful thing – no matter what form it comes in. I think it will be hard to drag myself away from here in the morning.

Doug finished his section hike here, but we may see him again somewhere north. Nice guy. Topher has had several trail names, but none have really stuck. The latest is "Sugar Daddy." Somehow when they couldn’t get a ride back to the trail, he talked some luxury bus driver woman into taking them. He really messed his knee up with the big mile day yesterday. I hope he’ll be better tomorrow.

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