Hot Springs!

     Hey everybody!  I have to extend a special thanks to my brother for keeping my blog updated seeing how I hardly ever have access to a computer along the trail (go figure).  But my spirits are high and I am excited to sleep in a heated cabin tonight in Hot Springs!  I have kept up with the 3 hikers I met at the Fontana Hilton Shelter right before the Smokies and I aim to try to push on with them as long as possible.  All have very ambitious finishing dates (the beginning of June to mid-June averaging 22 to 25 miles a day) so we will see how long I feel like sticking with them.
     I've experienced about every emotion there is to experience on the trail due to crazy weather and steep climbs, but I finally feel my body is getting into "trail shape".  The Smokies were incredibly difficult to get through and I will never forget how miserable it was hiking in the snow for 4 days straight.  Getting out of your sleeping bag in the morning to put on wet clothes was not exactly very fun.  I had to put my clothes in ziplock bags and sleep on top of them so my body heat would keep them from freezing.  Our efforts were made with little reward seeing how we could hardly see a thing being in the middle of a snow cloud for the first 2 days, but luckily it was clear the last 2 days and we got to see some amazing views.  The smokies have a reputation for being the right of passage for thru hikers and I've made it trough so I feel extremely relieved to be done with them.  I'm happy I had the challenging experience of the Smokies, I'll never forget the experience, and I never want to go through it again lol.
     My spot device has not been working correctly for what reason I do not know so I will try to solve that dilemma over the next day that I am in town while enjoying some good homecooking at the Smoky Mountain Diner.  I definitely think good cooking is the big thing that I miss on the trail, but I'm trying to invent some interesting trail recipes.  For those of you who know me well know I eat a lot in general, but the amount of food that I can go through now is pretty amazing.  I have started to develop what they call "hiker hunger" where you can basically eat as much as possible and still it seems like it is not enough.  Food is always a good topic of conversation with any thru hiker.
     The plan is I will continue to hike with Three Stoves, Gadget, and Nicholas to Damascus, Virginia which we will try to reach in about 10 days.  To everyone I want to thank you for you continued support.  I'll try to update this as much as possible and I love you all!  I'm having the time of my life and it's been an amazing adventure so far.  I've only got a little over 1900 miles to go and I can't wait to experience everything that lies ahead.  I thank God for the strength he gives me every day and I pray for you all while I'm hiking!