Kate's AT Blog: March 2015

Follow the blaze

The trail is super easy to follow. Many volunteers work hard to keep the trail maintained.(Thank you) I have certainly cultivated a keen eye for the white blaze. It can however, become quite hard to spot in challenging weather! Here are a few pictures of what has been guiding me north for the past month!

Embrace the suck!

That above motto is commonly heard along the trail. Usually spoken going up a steep climb, waking up in a shelter to rain, or traversing a bald in 50 mph winds.

I decided to stay at this awesome shelter, an old barn with amazing views. I arrived late in the afternoon and thus decided not to push the nine extra miles to the next hostel. The weather was bitter cold and we were expecting low temps and freezing rain. SURPRISE. We woke to about 5-8 inches on snow and crazy winds. "Know-so" who was sleeping next to me had packed up at 5 am covered in snow and chilled to the bone to hike into town ASAP. I didn't even hear him leave. I am beyond thankful that I have not sent home my winter gear, as most hikers have.

The nine miles were arguably the hardest thus far. As I post holed through the snow, and pushed on upward over a bald exposed to brutal, bone chilling, knock you sideways winds I began to cry. I thought why!? I thought about frostbite on my fingers and face. I looked down, attempting to find footprints ahead of me that were too soon wind swept over. "I just need to keep going. Just keep walking. You just need to get over this bald and back into the woods. It can't be that much further. Thank god I have these trekking poles. I can't feel my fingers. Just keep walking. This is steep. Where is the top? You can do this. My god this sucks. I just need to get back in the woods. Is this even the trail?"

Needless to say I made it! Misery loves company, and I am in a hostel, warm, full and joking about today with a room full of hikers!

What a day!!!!

Awesome view from shelter!

Just making some dinner!

Frost making potatoes

Saint filtering his water

We made it!!

Got some amazing bbq in Roan mnt

Enjoying the simplicities before we hit the trail head again!

Food for thought ... Thoughts on food

It is amazing how your hike revolves around food. Just north of the Smokies I developed a ravenous appetite. One simply can't wait to get into the next town to grab a meal and resupply. Most hikers spend the night before staring at their guidebook contemplating where exactly they will eat. ( For breakfast, lunch and dinner)

When I got into Erwin, I went three miles out of the way just to eat at Pizza Hut! I would not say that I am a super health nut, but I rarely eat fast food, enjoy making healthy choices and exercising regularly. That being said one of the biggest challenges I have faced on the trail thus far has been food! Hikers burn on average 4000-6000 calories daily.

Thus, as I found myself in Pizza Hut literally pigging out I was so disgusted with myself! I thought of all the people eating in there with bulging bellies that I am sure did not hike twenty plus miles that day nor for that matter walk a mile. And we wonder why we have an obesity epidemic! I cultivate a cramp walking to the grocery store, to now buy the most highly caloric things I can find. Did you know that Honeybuns have over 500 calories?

Most hikers are on a tight budget and it amazes me how much cheaper crap food is! I can either get a smoothie or an all you can eat Pizza Hut buffet for $5.00!!!

As I now go through aisles in search of the big calories, or browse a menu thinking I can order anything... I remind myself that I can get back to my healthy lifestyle in four months. A lifestyle I have taken for granted and truly enjoy, till then I'll keep my hip belt stocked with poptarts and cosmic brownies!

Hot Springs to Erwin

I was blessed with amazing sunshine over this stretch of the hike! Had some stellar hiking days, coupled with great views and good people.

I was able to check out the infamous Uncle Johnny's hostel in town. I enjoyed some wifi and an amazing cup of coffee at Steel Rails. I had fun conversing with the locals in the shop. I grabbed lunch at Pizza Hut (check out my post on food.) I am still fascinated by grocery stores. There is just SO much in them! I enjoy meandering through the aisles in awe and always on a full stomach. I think I am starting to get better at the resupply, which is quite a task. On the way back out of town, my hiker friends tried to convince me to stay the night- but I forged on to beat pending rain. Erwin, in my opinion has everything ya need but is certainly an interstate town.