After a delightful visit to old friends in Lufkin, Texas we hustled eastward to prepare for our planned Appalachian Trail hike. We spent most of one night parked in a Louisiana rest stop and arrived at a Hiawassee, Georgia campground late the next afternoon. From there we spent a day making food drops at Wesser and Franklin, N.C. and Hiawassee and Neels Gap, Georgia. We then drove our rig to Amacolola Falls State Park where we checked in and parked our little Ford Focus. We then drove the motor home to Sylva where we spent the night at what will be our home the second half of this year.

The next morning, Saturday, April 29, our friend Mary Anne drove us to the parking area at the southern end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Fontana Dam (the highest dam in the East and the one featured in "The Fugitive") where we began our walk south on the Appalachian Trail. Our desitination is the southern terminus of the trail at Springer Mountain, Georgia. From there we have to walk down the mountain to our car.

Our return East was welcome. The land became progressively greener as we traveled across Texas to Lufkin. There it was "late spring." The azaleas were largely finished blooming and the termperatures were warm. When we arrived at the high mountains of north Georgia and western North Carolina we found the trees leafing out. The dogwoods were in bloom and everything looked fully watered.

We have now completed six days of hiking and are taking a "short day" and visiting town. We have bathed and laundered. We will eat out for supper. Anne stopped at the optician to have her frames adjusted from damage sustained in a fall (no serious injury - bruise only).

The hike has gone well. At the highest elevations the trees are barely in bud. In the valleys they have leafed out fully. In the mid-range the bright young leaves and flowers are spectacular. Many wildflowers including triliums, lady slippers, bluettes, and delphiniums are in bloom. The mountain laurel and rhododendrums are only in bud.

Our feet and legs were sore for a few days, but that is almost over. We are becoming trail strong. The rain has mostly left us alone except at night. Four heavy rains and all at night. Showers only during the day. Our feet are still dry. The trails are good, mostly smooth earth, but there are plenty of ups and downs. The mountains here top mostly in the 4500 to 5400 range. The valleys range from 2000 to 3000 ft.

The warblers are back on the mountain and we love to see them before the leaves make them invisible. Lots of ovenbirds and black and white warblers everywhere. Flashy hooded warblers in the ravines and yesterday afternoon numerous brilliant blackburnian warblers around our campsite at Panther Gap near Siler Bald. Also American redstarts, black-throated blue warblers, Canada warblers, and chestnut-sided warblers. Rose-breasted grosbeaks are common and have a beautiful song sometimes described as like that of a robin that has taken voice lessons. The thrushes seem to have just arrived. Yesterday we heard the first songs of both wood thrush and veery. Last evening a veery strolled through our campsite giving his classic "veer" call from time to time.

While tonight will be our first "off the trail", we did lodge one night in a hostel at the Nanthahala Outdoor Center at Wesser, N.C. This resort is located on the trail at the Nanthahala River which cuts a dramatic gorge through the high mountains. A high pedestrian bridge crosses the river there. Below are gates for a kayak course through the white water. The restaurant there served us a large breakfast before we resumed our walk the morning after our arrival.

We have completed a little less than 60 miles so far and have about another 120 to go. We will savor each day of the walk.