The First 100

There have been some tough days since I left Hiawassee... I forgot some gear and food at the Blueberry Patch Hostel so I had to hitch back into town. Once back to the trail head again, it was 12 miles all uphill to my stop for the night. The day after that was brutally hot, over 80 degrees. The night of April 11th and during the day of April 12th brought thunderstorms and rain. I woke up to a pool of water on my tent floor; thus everything was soaked. On April 12th, I hiked the 16 miles in the rain/sleet to the road crossing for Franklin, NC so I could clean up, eat a nice meal, and take a hairdryer to all of my gear. The weather forecast for the next few days says we'll have nice weather!
Therefore, I'm in Franklin, NC and staying at Ron Haven's Budget Inn. Ron Haven is a trail legend in his own right. For dinner, I went to the steakhouse with DD & Mrs. T (Dutch couple) and ate more than I really care to admit... (it included an 18oz steak and 3 sides). Tomorrow for breakfast a local church is providing an AYCE pancake and bacon breakfast! You had better believe I'm gonna hit that up!! After that, it's back to hiking and my next stop will be the Nantahala Outdoor Center, universally known to hikers as the NOC, about 30 miles away.

**I have also updated the Itinerary link, which has my daily mileage, town stops, etc.**

Some interesting facts & a glimpse into the "trail life":

• My current mileage hiked is 107.5
• Breakfast consists of two packets of oatmeal mixed w/ hot cocoa powder
• Snacks are peanut M&Ms, Snickers, Baby Ruths, peanut butter, etc.
• Lunch can be cheese, peperoni, summer sausage, tortillas, bagels, peanut butter, etc.
• Dinner is always a rice/pasta dish (Lipton/Knorr sides) mixed w/ a tuna packet
• The trail is marked with white blazes-- very hard to get lost
• I usually hike alone but see reoccurring people when I stop for breaks, the night, etc.
  
• Highest peak so far was Standing Indian (5,498 feet)