Yes, we made it back from our backpacking trip in one piece, and without seeing any bears! (Hopefully there were none eyeing us without our knowing!) It was definitely tough this year. We started at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (the "NOC") in North Carolina (we went on a fun rafting trip, first!) and hiked 30 miles north on the Appalachian Trail to Fontana Dam, where we ended our hike a day earlier than planned. The climbs and decents were brutal...we'd heard this was the toughest section of the trail south of New England, and I'm betting that's not a lie! Our little group faced challenging terrain, stormy weather, a scarce water supply, a homeless guy who lives on the trail, spiders, shelter mice, growling owls (ask Linda about that one, she thought it was a BEAR! LOL) and sheer exhaustion. But we also stood on top of mountains looking down at the clouds, felt the cold air of the Smokies on our faces, enjoyed our dehydrated meals like we were eating at the finest restaurant, bonded together in ways that no one else could understand unless they were there, and came away with the greatest reward one can receive: the confidence and satisfaction we all feel knowing that we accomplished what so few have. We overcame every obstacle and came out of the experience stronger because of it! I'd have to say the best part of the whole trip was seeing my Mom at our last shelter, waiting there to surprise us with a cooler of cold drinks and fruit as we emerged tired and weary from the woods! She had been staying a few hours away in Tennessee on vacation. What a great mom!! I could have cried I was so happy to see her, hehe. In fact, I believe I reverted to my 5-year old self, running/bouncing (with a 35 pound pack on my back, mind you) across the parking lot squealing, "Mommy! Mommy!" LOL So after all of that hardship and pain, am I done with hiking now? No way! We're already planning next year's trip!
"Hikers, ho" as we say!
Enjoy these few pix my mom and Linda took. I have a few, but I left my li'l camera with my mom in TN...oops!
~Zekeshem :)
