Thursday, 4/9

AT Miles = 14.8 / 268.6
Other Miles = 0.5 / 14.7
Total Miles = 15.3 / 283.3

Another great day! It was cold as I left camp this morning but it warmed up quickly and by mid-morning I was down to shorts and a T-Shirt. Up high there is still plenty of snow on the ground and being slushy it made the footing difficult, but just before lunch time I lost a lot of altitude and suddenly was back into spring. The trail was dry and the forest had that dry, dusty feel in the nose that comes in late spring. I stopped for lunch where the trail crossed an old road that was grassy and warm and dry. After lunch it was a gorgeous, comfortable walk for a few more miles until arriving here atg the shelter. It is situated on a little knoll covered with mostly evergreens. The two couples in our little hiking group have pushed on into town, and there are five of us here for the night. It is a pleasant, warm night and we are sitting around the campfire while the conversation roams far and wide.

We are only 3.2 miles from Hot Springs, where the trail goes right down the main street through town. I intend to stay there for two nights, and head out of town on Sunday morning. It's been almost two weeks since my last day off and I really need a rest. The people I am hiking with are almost all half my age, and I don't recover quite as quickly as they do!

Sweet dreams to all…

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com