I think yesterday at the shelter was one of our best times since the night we all camped on this side of Standing Indian Mountain. That was the night we went farther than planned. I had cooked a Backcountry Pantry Santa Fe Chicken and Rice and it made a ton. The "boys" all got their spoons out and passed it around and finished it off as we sat in a circle with a "pretend" campfire, and I handed out the 1/2 pound of Easter candy I had carried 2 days.

Yesterday, we were all in the shelter trying to stay warm and entertain ourselves until dinnertime. We all got out our food bags and swapped and shared. Sugar Daddy was happy when I pulled out the pure sugar pixie stix. He had quite a little sugar buzz going. Some more hikers came in late, so some of the guys had to pitch their tents outside.

I have spent the night in the shelter and lived to tell about it! Farmer Bob is my hero. Not one mouse! Right before we went to sleep, I rolled over and said, "Hey Bob, the mice aren’t gonna get in my sleeping bag with me, are they?" No answer. So I just went to sleep with the nice glow from the fire and the sound of the little girls giggling. I sure thought about Will and Lindsey. Farmer Bob and I woke up about 6:30 a.m. (we’re usually first) and decided to stay in our sleeping bags a little longer. A nippy 35 degrees this morning made me have to take a deep breath before putting back on my damp shorts and t-shirt. Then had to really suck up and take my jacket off when I got ready to leave. The nice thing about the shelter was not having to take my tent down. The bad thing was the snoring! Big Bird is the worst snorer!

We actually hit Tennessee late yesterday. Now we’ll go back and forth (sometimes with the left foot in Tennessee and the right foot in North Carolina) between Tenn. and NC for a ways. I stood on top of the famous "Rocky Top, Tennessee" this morning. You know, the one the Rocky Top song is about.

I really like Farmer Bob … nice, laid back, even-keeled guy. He’s the one who started out with 59 pounds at Springer, but has cut down considerably. He retired from TWA in Missouri a little over a year ago, and someone said, "Hey, you’ve got a daughter on the east coast – you ought to hike the AT." And here he is with our little group fondly called the "walking wounded." Although at the moment, Maniac’s ankle is better, Eggman’s blisters are better, Jiff’s spider bite is better, Sugar Daddy swears he can see muscles developing in his legs, and my knees are much better.

North Carolina has been easier than Georgia. Julia was a little behind me earlier when I got to the top of Rocky Top and yelled one of my big "WhoooHoooo’s" from the top. She said it was good cause then she knew she was getting close. Every day is the same and different, hard, challenging, just so many things, that at times it seems contradictory. But it’s all so wonderful. I’m in a little sunny spot having a snack. Need to get going. We’re doing about 12 miles today. I told them just to leave the light on for me!

Excuse me while I savor my Oreo cookies … oh, I had another Twinkie two days ago, and I was very careful not to scarf it down and get it all over me. Didn’t even lick the wrapper (only because it was too cold!). Maniac was just saying last night that this is how you tell who is a thru hiker. A day hiker drops an M & M on the trail and keeps going. A section hiker sees the M & M and walks around it. A thru hiker sees the M & M, picks it up, eats it, and says, "Oh, good! I don’t have to carry it!"

Wonderful views this morning. I don’t know if it’s fog or clouds, but it’s just like pictures I’ve seen of the Smokies, except better because I’m seeing it live in person. It’s a beautiful day, and I’m so lucky and blessed to be here.

Saw where the wild boars had rooted around several places yesterday and gave serious thought to how fast I could drop my pack and climb a tree should I encounter one. They said don’t run from bears … didn’t say anything about running from boars.

There is a hiker named Chewbakka a day ahead who wrote a page and a half in a trail register about this problem – his addiction to Ibuprofen. Had me rolling laughing. Went on about how he needed a fix when he got to Fontana Dam and how somebody told him you can freebase it. And how in the next town someone was injecting 800 mg. of Ibuprofen into Gummy Bears to disguise the addiction. Can’t wait to meet this guy … it was hilarious.

Manic just told me to be sure and spell his name his preferred way … MAINEiac – so take note. My feet and shoulders are tired, so I’m taking a short break. The wind is a bit chilly, so I won’t be here long. The most beautiful carpet of little white flowers on both sides of the trail has made it nice this afternoon. Just before I got to the shelter tonight, all of a sudden there were huge evergreens. Really pretty. It’s cold. Some of the gang are getting up at 4:30 a.m. to watch the sun rise from Clingman’s Dome (another two miles up, I think). Doubt I’ll get up that early! Amazing that God always gets me to the campsite just when I think I can’t take another step and before dark. Today was a long day. It sure feels good to drag into camp and have everyone squeal at once, "Pee Wee!!" Gonna be another cold night. Farmer Bob saved me a place in the shelter, but I decided to tent and do without the snoring tonight.

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