Total trail mileage: 107.7
Starting location: Betty Creek Gap
Ending location: Franklin, NC
Weather: showers last night, cloudy/foggy/raining all day, 40-45
during the day
I am at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.181578,+-83.377208
Another day of rain, but today was more steady and it rained harder.
The rain does have some benefits: it brings cloud cover to help my
sunburn and rain to melt some of the snow and ice.
Someone yesterday said that Albert Mountain was one of the top ten
most difficult climbs on the trail. It wasn't that bad and contained
a short section that was on par with any day on the Long Trail. If
that was actually one of the more difficult sections, then I can
understand why people say the Long Trail is more challenging than the
AT.
On top of Albert Mountain, there was a fire tower, the first tower on
the trail so far. I climbed it and had a fantastic view of a white
cloud. Seriously, there was absolutely nothing to see with the cloud
cover.
I continued a little further and stopped at the next shelter for a
late breakfast / early lunch. I quickly started to get cold as soon
as I stopped moving. I then looked at the guide and noticed that the
next town was only 9 miles away. Rain and 40 degrees are not ideal
conditions.
I wasn't planning on stopping at Franklin, but I am on schedule and a
place to get everything dry seemed rather attractive. So, I continued
on until I hit the road. Whenever there wasn't ice and snow I could
start to cruise and made really good time. Whenever there was ice, it
was very slick and I fell a couple times.
When I got to the parking lot, 12 Percent also showed up, so we
decided to split a room at the Haven's Budget Inn. I did laundry,
took a shower, and then we went to dinner with another thruhiker and
his father (who is warming up for the PCT).
Tomorrow I am back on the trail. Depending on how things go, I might
skip the NOC (my next planned stop) and continue straight on to
Fontana Dam where I am meeting my dad.
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