Date: 2014-04-15
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Well the forecast for weather looked rough, a freeze warning, 50mph winds and rain on/off. That was enough for me to decide to zero today. My group decided to head on and I figure I will catch up in two days. I checked into my new bunk, said bye to them and moved my gear. When I came back to the store later, they are all still here lol. The weather forecast had gotten worse so everyone is staying another night. I then became extra glad that I decided to stay. So today will be a good relaxing day. I am gonna take some time now to give some terms so you know what I am talking about sometimes. A ZERO day is a day with no miles hiked. A NERO day is a day with few miles hiked, close to zero. A PUD is pointless ups and downs, these are hills that when you are hiking them that you wonder why they just didn't build the trail around them. A SWITCHBACK is a turn in the trail that causes the trail to zig-zag up or down the mountain verses going straight up or down. I have filtered water from springs or streams so far the entire walk. Town water does not taste as good as mountain water. I stay at hostels from time to time which is very basic lodging. They are decent and usually cheap. You get a bottom or top bunk and there is usually a common area living room and kitchen environment. It gives you a chance to get to know other hikers in the close environment. The trail follows white blazes on the trees which are 2inch by 6inch white painted rectangles. They are usually every 5-15 yards apart. Shelters are spaced approx every 10-15 miles along the trail and usually are stone and log 3 sided structures. There is usually a fire circle or two and various logs laying around for seating. There is a shelter register and everyone signs it and leaves little comments for others to read. My trail name is Earnhart. You get your trailname usually from other hikers and sometimes its for doing something funny or silly. So my Earnhart name came from a store worker at Neels Gap Mountain Crossings coming out saying he had a pizza for Dale Earnhart, lol, and my fellow hikers said "your name is now Earnhart" so it works. People walking north are called northbounders or NOBOers and people walking south are called southbounders or SOBOers. The trail is 2,185 miles long and goes through 14 states. Okay that is all the info for now, I just got info that there is snow in Fontana Dam area which is where we will be in two days or so. Wow, weather throws all things at you. I should start the Smokies this weekend so maybe I will see the Easter Bunny while in the Smokies lol. I have been out for awhile now and met so many great people, and have only met one person who I immediately had a bad feeling about. 99.9% of the people out here are great and all very supportive of each other. They freely pass info along to help each other out and sorta just look out for one another. Noone really will steal anything from you, because besides it being an uncool thing - noone wants to carry anymore than they have to! so your stuff is usually safe just sitting around lol. I am using a guide by David 'AWOL' Miller and it is the annually updated AT Guide. It has the mileages, names of places, so much info, etc... and it is the greatest thing to use for an AT hike. I bunked with Jim and Song last night. Tonight I am in a different room with Tumbleweed and Rock n Roll. See, those trail names are interesting. Thanks for reading! more to come