Date: 2014-03-20
From: Blueberry Patch Hostel

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 40.2
Weather: clear sky

Hello everyone. Still no internet service in the mountains. I have phone service, but just not able to get to the internet. Sorry.The 4 day update,3/20/14 11.8 miles Blueberry Patch Hostel - Muskrat Creek Shelter3/21/14 12.5 miles Muskrat Creek Shelter - Carter Gap Shelter3/22/14 15.9 miles Carter Gap Shelter - Franklin, NC3/23/14 ZeroOkay where to begin. "The Caravan" has covered 40.2 miles in 3 days, which is monumental at this point for us. The Caravan consists of Tank, Jess, Voodoo, Mack, AYCE (All you can eat), and of course The Sleeper. We have become quite a tight group. Which is a good thing. A Trail Family this early on is incredible.The stay at the Blueberry Patch was wonderful. Gary and Linnie always give the hikers quite a treat. They provide a place to stay, do your laundry, and serve you the best breakfast ever, and only take donations. What ever your heart leads you to give. It is a Christian Ministry for the hikers. I stayed here in 2010 and it was something I knew I wanted to do again. The hike out of Dicks Creek Gap up to Muskrat Creek Shelter was a tough one, but the weather had finally gotten better after 4 days of rain. We really needed some sunshine. Who would have thought we would get 3 days in a row. Sweet. We all tented at Muskrat Creek Shelter. It was nice to tent when it wasn't raining.This is where the wheels came this thing in 2010, and it was nice to replace those memories with some great ones. Long story, not enough time to tell it here. This was the day that we crossed our first state line, so we are officially in North Carolina. Only 13 states to go!!!Then came "The First Day of Spring". It was by far the best day on the Trail.. Beautiful sunshine, warmer temperatures, and just a nice breeze to keep you cool as you hike. Just perfect. It was to be our longest day this time out but all that changed. We tented again at Carter Gap Shelter, another beautiful evening, and everyone ate and as evening fell it started getting cold quick so I climbed into my Zero Degree Sleeping Bag. Slept so good too.The next morning we were all up and on the move by 0830. Which for The Caravn was monumental. We had another 12 miler planned, then a short day into Franklin, NC the next day. It was good hiking, easy trail until we got to Albert Mountain, which was nearly straight up for 0.3 miles. It was easier at times to just grab rocks and roots to pull yourself up the mountain. Tough climb but was supposed to be the only bad climb of the day. We all climbed the Fire Tower at the top, which is kind of scary if you are afraid of heights, I am, and took lots of pictures. If you look close you can see there is no blood in my left hand where I was holding on to the rail. Very funny, although not so much at the time. At the top of the Fire Tower we could see an actual forest fire. We thought we were pretty safe, so we moved on. As we got closer and closer to our destination for the evening we got closer and closer to the actual forest fire. It made us all quite uncomfortable. We were hiking in a little bit of smoke, there were ashes falling from the ski, and you could see the smoke rolling up just over the mountain to our south. We got to Rock Gap Shelter, and as a group we decided we needed to push the 3.8 miles to Franklin and get out of the woods. By the time we got there we were totally trashed. Tired, hurting, and ready for a place to crash. A nice couple Lance and Elizabeth walked the last mile or so with me and as we talked they offered me and the gang a ride into town. So nice, Thanks guys!!!So much Trail Magic these last two days it's just to much to write here. We are blessed, happy, and well feed here in Franklin. We took a zero day to recover, and pack up for the push to the Smokies which is 5 days away. It will be cold tomorrow and windy, but we are ready, and will be leaving Franklin in the morning.Keep the prayers coming. It may snow on us tomorrow up in the high mountains. Burrrr!!!!