White Fang lives!

Ben has a trail name.  Drum roll . . .  It is, "White Fang."  While on Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT, Ben was bitten by a small white dog.  Thus, White Fang stuck.

In other news, Ben has passed through the Smokies.  While hiking in the Smokies, Ben, at times, waded through waste deep through snow.  He said that his new sleeping bag kept him warm and cozy during the frigid nights.  One morning when he awoke, it was 10ºF.  He said that he had to use his camp stove, the one and only "pocket rocket," to thaw out his shoes.  Ben is now hiking with three other hikers, namely, Nicholas, Three Stoves, and Gadget.  Nicholas will begin med school in the fall and ambitiously hopes to be finished with the trail by mid-June.  All I know about Three Stoves is that he carries three stoves.  Gadget is a chef near Muscle Beach in California.  Ben said that at the next hostel that has a kitchen, Gadget will prepare a gourmet meal for the hungry hikers.  Gadget is called gadget because he carries with him two portable solar panels and a massager (among other things).  Tonight Ben will sleep in the bunk house of Standing Bear Farm, a small hostel just 30 miles south of Hot Springs, NC, with his three new hiking friends.

While on the trail, Ben has met many interesting people.  One of the most memorable was "U-haul."  U-haul began the trail with a 150 lb. pack.  To put this in perspective, Ben's pack weighs about 35.  Ben said he shared a shelter with him one night.  U-haul carried with him a 4 man family-sized tent, a queen-sized sleeping bag, a lap top computer (which he sold at Neels Gap) and a spice rack.  While he was at the shelter, U-haul prepared for himself a steak.  Another interesting fellow is "Jackrabbit."  Jackrabbit wears a t-shirt, jean shorts, and carries his gear in a fanny pack.  "Dust" seems to be the most interesting through-hiker and is quickly earning a reputation on the trail.  Dust hikes for thirty hours at a time, sleeps for six, and then repeats.

If you haven't noticed, Ben's SPOT device has stopped working.  He will call the manufacturer in Hot Springs in two days from now.  Hopefully, the problem will be resolved and we will be able to more easily keep track of White Fang's progress.