I think most people have a favorite place. A place that really means something to them. A place that becomes a refuge from the “real” world.

For me that place is Springer Mountain. As soon as I start the .9 mile walk to the summit I can feel all the distractions from life fade away. Springer Mountain is my goto place when I feel like I need to re-focus and re-center. For me Springer is all about new beginnings. Kind of fitting since so many people start their thru-hike journeys from here.

I feel blessed that I can pick up anytime I want and get to Spinger fairly easy. I have also been blessed that all the times that I have gone there to spend time with myself I have arrived to now crowds of people.

Here are some various of images of my trips to Springer. I love taking people there as well.

Fontana Dam – Campsite #90 – 5.6 miles

is better than a day spent at home.

The plan for the day was leading a Traildames hike and then shuttling some friends up to Tray Gap so they could hike southbound to Hogpen Gap.

I was not able to lead the hike today because my foot is acting up but fellow dames Fab and Kellye led the hike for me. Thanks so much. I missed being able to hike but had a great day as well. I headed down to Vogel State Park and laid on a blanket under a tree and read a book and napped a bit while I waited for the hikers.
~ The weather was absolutely amazing.
~ The kids playing around the creek weren’t annoying.
~ There was someone playing a guitar and was actually pretty good.

It was really great to have a totally relaxing afternnon.

I later took my friends up to Tray Gap where it was 64 degrees. Yes I said 64 degrees We ran into a couple of other hikers that I had come into the gap. I was able to help them out by letting them charge their cell phones in my car and hauling out their ziploc baggie of trash. I had 2 camp chairs in the back which they were grateful to sit in.

Who says trail magic has to be a big to-do. Most hikers are so appreciative of the smaller things.

The first week of April brought a week long trip with my friend from North Carolina Sweet Pea. It was kind of a strange trip in that we did Dick’s Creek Gap to Winding Stair Gap then flipped and did Springer to Woody Gap. For a total of about 60 miles.

This won’t be an extensive trip report for no reason other than I don’t feel like writing alot about it right now. When I find my journals I will write more.

Day 1: April 5th – Dick’s Creek Gap to Bly Gap – 9 miles

Tough day overall. Alot of longish uphill walking.Ran into a super snobby thru hiker. When she found out we weren’t thrus she turned her nose and kept walking. Later when I got the Bly Gap she informed me that we could camp up top (away from where she was I am sure). I bet she’s off the trail now. Camped on the upper portion near the “famous” tree. Great view of the stars.

Day 2: April 6th – Bly Gap to Standing Indian Mountain – 9.2 miles
This was an awesome day for me. This was the strongest I have ever felt while hiking. Even the last climb of the day didn’t put me in a mood. I guess working out can make a difference. Camping atop Standing Indian has so far been my favorite place. The sky was clear, a beautiful sunset and then the stars came out. What else could one ask for? Except for maybe a closer water source.

Day 3: April 7th – Standing Indian to campsite before Albert Mountain – 11.8ish miles

Another great day. At first I didn’t thinnk North Carolina wanted us to visit. The trail was actually quite steep for the first part of they day. The NC decides that “hey, you’re ok” and gives us the most amazing trail ever. Nice, without alot of up and downs. Our friend Kellye met us at Mooney Gap and brought us trail magic. Oranges and Reese’s and ice cold Diet Coke.

Day 4: April 8th – Albert to Winding Stair – 10.2 miles
Otherwise known as the day of the torential downpour. We made it up to the top of Albert without any rain but no views from the top. This was my second time with no view. We made it to Big Spring Shelter and took a break and the rain just let loose. We hung around trying to wait for the rain to stop but no such luck. So we had to hike about 9 miles in the pouring rain. There goes my record of never having to have hiked in any major rain. I think we made it the 9 miles in about 3 hours. I ain’t ever hiked that fast in my life.

We stayed at Kellye’s place this night and washed our gear and ate at Longhorn’s and played Wii Fit (which is the most hilarious thing ever). And decided to hike Springer to Woody since SweetPea had never hiked that section

So, the first Saturday of every month I lead a hike for the Traildames. This month we were supposed to do a little section between Hightower Gap and Cooper Gap. Thursday I decide to drive up the Forest Service road and double check the conditions of the road. I had heard that you might not be able to get up very far.

So up and away I went. I made it to Horse Gap and decided to stop and hike up Sassafrass Mountain. Alot of people that know me know that I hate this particular mountain. It holds some not so fond memories for me. On the drive up (in which I had no problems whatsoever) I had decided that I would have to change the hike. There was too much snow on the road and alot of the ladies have small clearance cars.

So I headed up Sassafrass, it was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the sky was blue, and but there was alot of snow on the ground. Going up was fairly easy. Coming down was a little treacherous. I was glad that I made the decision to change the hike.

I get in my Ford Explorer and start heading back home. I get about 1/2 mile from Horse Gap and my car starts spinning out and “floating” backwards. Holy crap. I was sitting there very upset trying to figure out what I was going to do. I have no cell phone signal and didn’t have my SPOT with me. When all of a sudden the Army Rangers appear. They tell me I have to back my car back down to the gap. There is no way that they will be able to get around me. So the girl who hates backing up her car got the privelage of backing her car down the curvy mountain road for 1/2 mile. I made it back to the gap and the Rangers tell me that the road is worse going the other way but that if I keep my car in low gear, don’t stop, and keep a steady pace that I should be fine.

We go our seperate ways, I head back up the mountain, and guess what happens again. Yep, the same thing. At this point I am more upset than ever. Here we go again….backing the car up again down the moutain. I think I have been here at Horse Gap before…lol. Luckily I get cell phone service here. I was able to call my husband and Cool Breeze from Mountain Crossings. Cool Breeze says he is on his way but it may be a few hours before he can get here.

So I sit and wait. I meet a thru-hiker named Tango who is looking to get into town. I tell her that my car is stuck but I have someone on the way. She says she will wait. She’s a really cool chick and it was sure nice to have someone to talk to. The 2 other hikers come along, Wideload and one whose name I don’t remember. They were waiting for Josh from the Hiker Hostel to come along. I was able to offer Gatorade and a chair for them to sit in. It was nice being able to provide unplanned trail magic.

I talk to Josh for a few minutes and he said the roads were starting to melt. I decide to try one more time to get up and over that blasted mountain. Well I should have listened to my instincts. The third time is not always a charm. IN fact it was a little worse. I got to roughly the same point and the same thing happened except my car spun a little more than the last time and I was about 3-4 feet from the edge of the mountain. I really thought I was going to wet my pants. It was quite scary. I finally catch my breath, go off to pee, and then kick the snow out from under the tire. I couldn’t very well leave my car sideways across the road. Eventually I was able to get the car and back it down for the third time to Horse Gap. And patiently waited for Cool Breeze to come and get us.

Finally made it to Mountain Crossings to hang out in the hostel until someone came to get me. I am sure that I was quite a sight with my big purse, daypack, hairdryer sticking out of my daypack (don’t ask), blanket, and 2 extra pair of shoes…especially among all the thru-hikers there.

Finally I met Miss Janet who is running the hostel there this season since Pirates soaking the sun up in Florida. Baltimore Jack was there who was as nice and pleasant as he has always been (at least to me).

Hubby wasn’t going to be able to make until midnight so my friend Kellye came and got me and put me up for the night.

While I write this my car is still sitting at Horse Gap but everything turned out OK. Just glad I didn’t have to spend the night out there since it was really cold and I had no gear with me.

Until later…..

Just a little something that I have been working on. It may take a little time to upload but it will be worth it.

Things were looking kind of bleak for me last year when it was time for me to get a job. No more packing up and heading out when I wanted. It was actually kind of depressing.

Summer of 2008 to Summer of 2009 was such a great year for me. I backpacked all over. 2008 brought the AT in North Carolina and the Smokies, completed the AT in Maryland and a little in PA, met Dirigo and Python who let me tag along to hike part of the 100 Mile Wilderness. 2009 brought alot of mini adventures for me. I hiked from Davenport Gap to Allen Gap. I discovered the Smokies and fell in love with the mountains there.

2010 is looking to be a great year of adventures for me.
I have a pretty cool boss at work and she approved alot of time off for me. So, although I can’t pick up and go when I want to, I have 4 awesome trips to look forward to.

~ April is bringing a hike from Dicks Creek Gap to where ever I end up. I have 9 days to hike. I’ll be hiking most of the time with my good friend Kellye.

~ May is bringing an awesome journey along the BMT through the Smokies. I will be hiking this with my fabulous friend Fab. You can check out her blog under Sweet Peas Adventures. It’s on the right over there.

~ June is bringing a Traildames trip in the Smokies. We will be hanging out for a week at a campground and doing some dayhikes and an overnighter for those that want.

~ September is the trip pf all trips. 2 weeks in Glacier National Park Montana. The second week will be spent doing trail maintenance with Wilderness Volunteers. The first week I will be doing a 4 day/3 night backpacking trip with Glacier Guides. That leaves a couple of days for me to do what I want.

Yep. 2010 is looking like an awesome year for the slowest hiker on earth.

Well my personal trainer is insisting that I eat better while backpacking. He insists that just because I am burning lots of calories that it doesn’t mean I can eat all the snickers I want.  While I don’t like his thinking so much I do understand it to a certain point.

With better food I will get better results.
The key is to finding the better food that is light enough to carry.

So I spent a good deal of the day surfing around various websites devoted to backpacking and food. As I was looking around I realized that what I eat ain’t all that good. It looks like you can do some pretty gourmet meals…and the best thing is most of the work is done at home.

 Some of this might be a little fancy if you’re doing a long distance hike and don’t want to mess with maildrops but for me who is out usually only a few days at a time….well I’m ready to eat better.

 I have put all the links so far in the right side bar and will be adding more as I come across them.

I have quite a few adventures planned this year and hope to test a few recipes and review them hear on the site.

Seriously, doesn’t this Cherry Chicken Couscous look way better than a bowl of ramen or mac-n-cheese. Recipe is found at:
http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/cherry-chicken-couscous

Enjoy and happy eating.

Trying to get the blog template updated. I thought I had saved everything but I didn’t. Now I have to try and fix everthing by hand. This is a post mainly to test all my categories.

Just moved to a new server since my old one was garbage. It’s going to take me a bit to get everything uploaded and tweaked again.

I promise I will be back