Date: 2016-04-21
From: Erwin, TN day 27

To: iron mountain
Miles today: 20.02
Weather: overcast clouds

Thursday, day 28. I covered 20.2 miles today. I walked north to south. I started at Iron Mountain and returned to Erwin, Tn. What a treat to walk in the opposite direction. I saw Sky Dawg who i met about 10 days ago. I also ran into, pound, ounce and gram. ( father, son and daughter in law). These are all folks I have met Along the way. I loved seeing them as I would not have had that treat if I were walking south to north. I think I might do that flip flop thing again down the trail. That idea was planted in my head by , 2015 Thru Hiker, Outliner. She did the same thing so I borrowed her idea. ( Thanks Outliner)The walk today was absolutely beautiful. The forest changed so many times. From open views to very dense heavy spruce trees . The summit was at 5180 feet. (Unaka Mountain). There were two locations that trail Angels were waiting with food and drink. Love them!! Oh, and remember that burger I bought yesterday to eat last night. Well, I never did eat it sooooo, I ate that for my lunch today. It was delicious !I made it back to Uncle Johnnys hostel around 3. Took a shower-- two days in a row!! A shower. Awesome! I am also washing my clothes ... That is an extra special treat. When I walked to the hostel I heard someone say, "Hey Bunkie" and in a hammock was Monkey drinking a beer. (Guy from Louisiana). Guess what!!! Trotter just walked up... She made it!!! I will get to see her tonight and she will share the shuttle with me tomorrow to Irin Mountain. She will do what I did today... Walk from north to south and return to uncle Johnnys for the night. I'll catch a shuttle ride from Uncle Johnnys to Iron Mountain (where I started today- walking south) but this time I'll continue on my North bound journey. The weather is calling for rain tomorrow and Saturday. While I don't really care for hiking in the rain I also know how critical it is for water supply and the terrible fires further north. A short section (I think 4 miles) of the trail is closed due to the fire. The hikers are being diverted to a fire road to cover that section. By the time I get there (VA) things may have changed. I understand it is arson. Today as I walked I was a bit reflective on how nice it was to know where I was sleeping tonight. And it made me feel extra blessed with my life. I have a home, a loving family and not a lot of worries. But I thought about folks who worry every single day about... Shelter, food, clothes, etc. I thought about my Mom and Dad, raising and providing for 6 kids. So, when I had a cell signal I called my Mom... Just to say , thanks! My Dad is deceased but I told him thanks as well. And it made me laugh a bit because I know he would be saying, honey, if you want to go to Maine I'll take you... You don't have to walk there. Marvin.. He was one of a kind and a great Dad. Now I sit in on my bunk looking at all my belongings and wondering if I really need all that food... It sure is heavy. Maybe I'll eat some of it tonight so I don't have to carry it tomorrow. Sounds like a plan to me!Oh, I woke this morning still smiling about my visit from CH. I think the next two or three days of hiking will be quite a challenge due to the rain... But I am hoping I can do at least 10 miles a day. Even though I am about 140 miles from Virginia I am getting excited because it is there that I will be able to see and spend time with Chrissy and Sammi.