Date: 2009-03-23
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap, Franklin, NC
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Well, sometime around 3:00 pm yesterday we crossed the 100 mile mark. Yep. Over 100 miles under these feet already. Speaking of feet ... they're doing grand. In fact, for the most part, the body is holding up wonderfully. Amanda has had only one semi-blister and Daniel must have feet made of cement, since his twinkies don't even seem to notice the miles. Of course, after hiking twelve miles a day feet are sore, backs and shoulders hurt from the weight of a 35 pound pack and knees scream from use (especially on downhills ... interesting note: we'd rather have a slight uphill than a downhill anyday). On the other side of all this, we're getting into awesome shape and soon we may not be able to call him "chicken legs". Seems that most people are curious about food. According to those who study such things, a typical AT hiker should consume 6,000 calories a day. You read that right - 6,000 calories. It is, of course, impossible to carry that much food with you, so we're coming in somewhere around 2,500 a day. Where do the other 3,500 come from? When you go into town once a week, you hog out on beer, pizza, burgers road kill, sticks, pillows, unfortunate tourists and basically anything else that is foolish enough to cross your path. Our usual diet, on the trail, starts with a Poptart and a Carnation powder drink for breakfast. Around 11:00 am we gobble a Snickers bar. Around 1:00 pm we stop for lunch which is either peanut butter and bread or a flour tortilla with mayonaisse and tuna. Another Snickers around 3:30 pm. Dinner is served around 6:30 pm or so and is either mashed potatoes with gravy and Spam, Stovetop Stuffing or Easy Mac. All in all, five days of food for two people ways in around 15 pounds (which includes Amanda's little happy - SlimJims). As you saw on the last email, we've acquired trail names: Daniel is Mr. Right and Amanda is Plunger. How did these come about? Well, when we were preparing for the hike, Daniel had lots of advice that Amanda refushed to listen to ... advice that, within the first week, proved to be so very right. Thus ... Mr. Right. Amanda ... well ... she leads, "plunging" into the wilderness. Also, the poor thing has clogged every flush toilet she's come in contact with since we've left. Apparently she doesn't process trail food that well. The number of trail friends grows and grows by the day. Last night we all sat around a camp fire while someone played a travel guitar (funny little thing that weighs less than two pounds) and another pumped the harmonica. We've played dice games; discussed life, the universe and everything; and had a ball. Of course, the game we find ourselves playing the most is a good round of "Name the Food You'll Gourge on Next Time You're in Town". Amanda goes for the classics: Ice Cream and Avocados. Daniel is a touch more exotic and usually salivates out the word Sushi (I don't think there's any sushi along the trail, gasp!). Amanda smells. Daniel smells. Amanda is tired. Daniel is tired. Daniel will crap in the woods. Amanda ... holds it until town ... Plunger. Oh, yeah. We're in North Carolina now. Looks like we'll be into Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains within the next ten days. That promises to be interesting. Below freezing every night in the Smokies. Maybe even snow. Should be interesting. You'll hear from us again in a couple of weeks. Many more mountains to hike. Plunger and Mr. Right