I finally left Franklin, N.C., last Monday, from where I left off at Wallace Gap, passed through Winding Stair Gap and onward 6.8 miles to Siler Bald Shelter just below Siler Bald, when the bad weather started moving in. Or so it seemed. I took Tuesday off and stayed there, to wait out the expected bad weather, but it never materialized; it was sunny almost all day with just a brief shower around 8 p.m. A day wasted.

Wednesday I left and found myself moving a bit too slowly, but still made another 7.8 miles to Wayah Shelter just on the north side of Wayah Bald, where I caught some impressive views, including first sight of Clingmans Dome, 26.7 miles away as the crow flies but 78.6 miles up the Trail. At the shelter I saw my first wheelchair accessible privy. I still haven’t figured out how a wheelchair would get to it.

Thursday I left, despite predictions of rain, and made only 4.8 miles to Cold Spring Shelter. By the time I got there it had been raining hard for a good 45 minutes and I was soaked through. This is where I discovered my rain gear isn’t properly sealed, and so it leaks right through the seams. So I stopped there and attempted to dry out. On Friday morning my stuff was still wet and it was still raining so I stayed another day. Yet another day lost.

On Saturday I finally left, leaky rain gear and all, and got 5.8 miles to Wesser Bald Shelter without getting too wet. But I twisted my left foot climbing down wet rocks on Wesser Bald and it was hurting pretty bad, so I didn’t press on, even though I got to the shelter around 1 p.m.

And yesterday my foot was swollen and bruised, but I knew the Nantahala Outdoor Center was only a few miles away, so I toughed it out and hiked the 5.7 miles mostly down to the NOC as fast as I dared. This probably wasn’t too good for my foot, but I really didn’t care. I just wanted to get off it and get a shower and laundry done. After that I had a late lunch and stayed here overnight last night.

The A.T. runs directly through the NOC campus on the Nantahala River, which looks a lot like an amusement park for outdoor sports. Especially looking at it from above on the Trail. I could smell the food cooking at the restaurant a good half mile before I saw the buildings, and that really got me going down the hill.

The NOC’s specialty is whitewater rafting, which there’s plenty of in the mountains around this region. But they also cater to A.T. hikers and to other outdoor sports enthusiasts. The outfitter here, though, didn’t have a whole lot of selection for hiker food. It was either Mountain House or ramen noodles. Of course it was Sunday, so maybe they were just low on stock. I’ll check them out again this afternoon.

This morning I was planning to hit the Trail again but my left foot is still swollen and a bit bruised, so I’m staying here again tonight, and I may stay here several days to see whether it heals up or I need to go see a doctor about it. Either way I’m going to seal up my rain gear today and hope that, at least, is something I don’t have to worry about going forward.

As you’ll recall I left Unicoi Gap, Ga., on the 21st and intended to check in two days later from the Cloud9 hostel. I decided not to, after I got there, because there were a few people staying there that I didn’t quite trust with the knowledge that I was carrying around a laptop.

From Unicoi Gap on the 21st I climbed Rocky Mountain (yes, that’s its name) at 4,017 feet, and later in the day, Tray Mountain at 4,430 feet. I called it a short day at 5.6 miles.

The next day I took another short day, only going 8 miles to Deep Gap shelter, where someone, presumably long ago, left a funny comic.

On the 23rd I hiked 3.8 miles very fast to Dicks Creek Gap and caught a ride to Cloud 9 the same morning, which is on the site of a trout farm. For dinner we had fresh caught smoked trout. It was delicious, and you missed it.

The next day I left there and went 11.7 miles, passing the North Carolina state line and Bly Gap that afternoon. I took a picture of the famous gnarled oak tree, and then had two steep, rocky climbs before I wound up at Muskrat Creek shelter. That night the temperature got down to 21 degrees and there was a dusting of snow on the ground in the morning.

Then on Tuesday my feet were hurting so it took me almost all day to make the 4.9 miles to Standing Indian Shelter at the base of Standing Indian Mountain. I took a rest there.

And Wednesday I was feeling better so I climbed right up the 5,498 foot Standing Indian Mountain. Unfortunately I somehow missed the side trail which leads to the summit. I kind of regret missing it, since I hear the view is spectacular. That day I made 11.3 miles and camped out at Betty Creek Gap. If you wind up here and want some privacy, there are additional campsites down the side trail. I slept like a rock that night, much better than I ever do in a shelter.

Yesterday I climbed to the top of 5,250 foot Albert Mountain. The ascent was extremely steep and rocky and was easily the toughest climb anywhere on the Trail so far. There were a few times I wasn’t entirely sure how to get up the rocks, and later I heard one person actually fell backward off the rocks but managed to save himself by grabbing onto a tree branch. I was too tired after that climb to go up the fire tower.

Late yesterday afternoon at Glassmine Gap I saw an odd rock formation right in the Trail. It took me a minute to recognize that it was man-made.

I stayed last night at Rock Gap Shelter, having done 8.4 miles, and in good position to get into Franklin. This morning I hiked 0.7 miles to Wallace Gap where I caught a shuttle into town. So far I’ve made 104.5 miles up the Trail, and I feel pretty good.

Several days this last week I only hiked a few miles so I could arrive here in Franklin on this day. The reason is that this weekend is the Hiker Fool Bash, where hikers from all over, and especially thru-hikers, stop in and have an excuse to eat and party. As if I need an excuse to eat. I’m almost constantly hungry anymore and I’m still losing weight.

I may or may not have pictures and/or video of the party; I haven’t decided yet. Either way, I’m staying here through Sunday morning and hitting the Trail again then.

If I don’t post something about the party, the next update to this journal will be 8 or 9 days later when I get to Gatlinburg, Tenn., another 100 miles up the Trail and halfway through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I am sure to have some interesting video by then.