recent events:

we hiked our biggest week ever, including a 33 mile (biggest day) slackpack. we got to TN (!!!!!!!) and NC, and will continue to vacillate between the two until Georgia.

we passed over 1800 miles, and are currently at 1833!

my sister has been a tremendous help and was responsible for our slack pack. she has picked us up and dropped us off multiple times the past few days. thank you Laurie and Paavo and Adam!

we spent last night in the "Greasy Creek Friendly" (they're friendly not "hostel"..... get it?) after a LONG 20 mile day over the Roans. tony keeps saying we were in a blizzard up there, and while yes it was snowing and incredibly windy and my hair was frozen, it only snowed about 1/4 inch. Nevertheless it was challenging to say the least.

We got followed by bloodhounds today. Bloodhounds with antennas attached to gps units who were sniffing out bears. Apparently we smelled like bears because those girls followed us for an hour! All the way up Unaka Mountain.

tony ate a ridiculous amount of food at McDonald's---4 big macs, 1 McRib, 1 large fry, 1 hot fudge sundae. He states that he has "reached the pinnacle of his fast food consumption"

Morgan is coming to get us in 10 days! We have done over 20 miles per day more this week than ever before to try and get through the smokies.

our friend James is back on the trail. he is started back in Hanover where he had to get off for a while. it's super cold up there. Let's put it this way: he is bringing snow shoes with him in his pack. Brave, brave boy. So happy for him!

we drank the local Johnson city beverage dr. enuf tonight and also learned the word you'ins. basically substitute you'ins in for y'all or "you guys" and you have yourself a east tn sentence. Ex. Where are you'ins from? Pretty cute huh? EVERYBODY uses it.


I absolutely cannot believe how close we are to the end. 350 miles doesn't sound that close, but compared to the 1800+ we have done, it most assuredly is. that being said, if one more person asks if we plan on doing the whole trail, I may just punch them. of course we are! unless we get hurt or die or it snows 4 feet we are doing the last 16%!


good night y'all. love you'ins.