We have just showered and checked in at Goose Creek Cabins a few miles down the road from the A.T. Bathing is so-o wonderful when you haven't done it for a few days.

The hike continues very well. The weather has been good, for a rain forest. In fact most of our rain has been at night and the past three days have been beautiful. The nights have been cool with 35-45 degree mornings and 50-60 degree afternoons. A bit chilly when we are not walking, but great for the trail.

We are at slightly lower elevations now, but the trees are still just leafing out on the ridges. The wildflowers are varied and abundant. So too has been the poison ivy since we dropped down into Georgia. We have to watch that. "Berryman" Chuck has also been paying attention to all of the blackberries and blueberries in bloom. We will have to return to some of these trails in July and August.

We continue to walk south, against the tide. There are less through-hikers now, but still some. We have recently started meeting more section hikers including a few older couples like us making the same run as us but in the opposite direction.

Most of the walkers are "kids" in or briefly after college. Since we only have 30 more miles to go and have walked about 130, we are in better shape and much more experienced than most of them. Some have hiked before, but a few never backpacked a mile before beginning the A.T. Probably only one third will reach Maine. After 3 or four days of walking, most are pretty sore and some badly blistered. We have tried to provide support and advice.

We have also met some unusual folks including a retired ultra-marathoner who is doing the A.T. after completing the Pacific Crest Trail and an older hiker with a tall pack and no poles. Chuck called the first "Greyhound" and the second a "dinosaur."

The trail is dramatic with substantial changes in elevation, but much of it follows ridgetops and the trails are relatively smooth. With the leaves still thin the trail provides fine views of the surrounding mountains when the weather is clear.

We are now trail hardened but still tired and a bit worn after a 10-12 mile hike that includes 2 to 3,000 feet of climbing and the same amount of descent. We are so busy hiking that we have not had any time or energy for exercise. (That's a joke, folks.)

We are both looking forward to the end in another four days and regretting the upcoming end to a great walk.