Jonathan and Yolo at Bald Mt. TN (Mile 323)
8.20pm
More friends arrived today so I decided to stay (at Erwin TN) for another night! I'm going camp out under the bridge along with others tonight!


NEW PLOG FROM JONATHAN AT ERWIN, TENNESSEE (MILE 340)

Sorry for major delay!! I was almost ate by a huge bear! Ha, kidding. I was on a very long trail with no coverage. Look at bright side, here they are!!  Plus I'm having so much fun and just not to worry abt doing plog to please  y'all! :)
   Do you ever wonder how do I know the way on AT? Its really easy! Just stay on AT! :) AT's marker color is white so when u hike on trail and u happen to see a white marker on the tree/rock/poles, then you r on AT! Blue marker is symbolize for water/shelter/privy (bathroom). The rest of colors, ignore them as they are for other trails or hunters. And cool about the trail is that it has grass on both sides on the path. Just like Cinderella's story stuff. I also use two books to help me to figure out where will I stay and how many miles a day. The two books are: Thur-Hikers' Companion 2010 and 2010 Northbound The A.T. Guide by David "Awol" Miller. I think u can find AT Guide on internet and get idea what its like. The books are my best friend! Meet them! :)
  What a jeez situation for me-When I was in Franklin, NC and stayed there for a night. I was room mating with Ace and Turtle to save some money for room. They stayed in for a day to have their body all recovered. While I go off and hike more on the morning. I missed the first shuttle service. I guess I needed more sleep. Anyway I caught the second shuttle. When I arrived the trail, I realized I forgot my trek poles at motel room!!! BUT I was lucky enough to have great friends like Ace and Turtle to mail them to Hot Springs (the town I will arrive next week or so)! Many thanks to them!!! However I use wood sticks for now.
   Of course, to make ur trip on AT a great experience comes with preparation. I plan my trip bi-weekly. I decided to push myself to 15 miles a day instead of 10. One thing I learned from this trip- you can't really plan everything! It is so easy to stay on your comfort zone- I tend to be with same people at shelter (we hiked same miles but at different pace). Like I said I missed first shuttle, I tried to catch up with the first group but day is becoming to night so I pulled over to other shelter. Fate, man! I met new more people at the shelter! They r even fun people to be with! I told myself-meet every humans u see on trail! You will never know what that might lead you to! For example: Rocky!
   I met one damn cool dude named Rocky. We first met at top of Blood Mountain in Georgia (on my 3rd day). Then bumped at him again for like three times on trail. We became good friend. I met him again yesterday afternoon and we agreed to hike together for like 10 miles. By the time we arrived at a shelter, we were talking and exciting about hiking thur the Smoky Mountains (one of peaks is highest point on AT, abt 6,600s elevation). Some how a conversation led to a discussion and we agreed to pair up and hike together to Hot Springs (about 150 miles). From there the fun begins! But unfortunately he likes to chill/hike slow while I like to hike fast. So our pace didn't work out. I end up hiked with other buddies- Pyro and Megladon
   True or False: AT is all about camping at outdoor? Answer: FALSE! Like I said Rocky is the man! He has friends who work at micro brewing. They let us stay for a night in brewing factory!!! We actually camped out inside the factory! How did this happen? No idea man! Ha. This brewing company is Nantahala Brewing Company. Very new company. They haven't release their beer products yet. They said maybe in May. But I get to taste their beers last night!! People there are very nice and friendly. They actually paid for my dinner! I was so damn full! Beers (Nantahala's brewing) were free all night for me and Rocky! We got our asses drunk, alright! I'm really glad to get to experience this. Especially talking with one of Co-Owners about how to start bar. Myself have been dreaming to own a bar in DC. He actually gave me some advices. Even suggested me to meet one of his networks in DC! Pretty exciting moment for me. I will definitely come back here when its all open for public and to see how big changes they have! Who's in? :)
  Rocky, Pebbles and I went on night hiking during the Full Moon! It was very amazing experience! It wasnt that cold- a perfect weather. We started hike at 2am and end at 12pm!!! We hiked 21 miles with plenty of pit stops. I did not even need flashlight to find the way, the moon did the work! I sure highly recommend you to some day to try full moon hiking!
   By the time I start the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the weather start to increase to 75 degree!! I went with Pebbles. It was so hot that we barely had water left. We Lucky enough to find several springs. Yolo actually threw up twice because of heat. I had to carry his bag and pour all water I have on him. It took us 11 miles to next shelter (we left at 1pm, big mistake!) at 730pm! My big advice is, hike early morning and take break during afternoon and hike again later evening during the heat wave season! I can't say how much I really enjoy myself at Smoky Mts. The views were amazing! I couldn't ask for more! There are still snow up there. Pretty fun to hike on the snow! I even tried to "snowboarding" with tree barks but it didn't work well ha. Smoky National park have this rule where u can't just camp out at somewhere- only at designed area or shelters. Result of that, we had almost 25 people at shelter every night! It was fun! Because u can just talk with anybody and anytime! I will miss Smoky mts for sure! If u guys want to do thur hike someday, be sure to let me know and I might join u at smoky mts! :)
  By the time I'm done w smoky mts. I could just start notice ferns, flowers, grass, n other plants growing- Spring is cominggg!!! Its pretty cool to see the environment changing while u hike! At beginning it was dead cold brown trees and now they r starting to turn into living warm green trees! :) I can't wait to see their complete and at their peak's growth! :D
     I saw a doe! Yolo was ready to chase it but luckly I held him back. The doe wasn't running away, instead it came closer! Just mindin her own business eating the grass. I'm pretty much surprised to see her to behave this way. I would expect her to run away as she see me and yolo. I guess she's used to humans. Also there were a lot bears warnings, I wasn't worried at all bec I have yolo to protect me! :) good enuff I never saw one.
     Just right before I arrive Gatlinsburg, TN, I had my first fall of AT trip!!!!! Damnit! Just over 200 miles of hiking with no fall! I just happen did not see the roots hanging up and my shoe got suck in it and I fell! Literally a forward fall! Just minor cuts on my knees and elbow, and bruise in my ass! ha.
    I took a night at Gatlinsburg with other thur hikers to watch NCAA finals. It was great night, everyone got their asses drunk just like a group of irish men! Several of them did not remember the night!! It was hilarious! Gatlinsburg could been a great town to visit but I did not like their attitude- they got southern conference flags at everywhere! I'm kinda surprised that there are several black families visiting there. Lots of us, thur hikers, were disappointed about this town. I'm like status quo people, just damn move on!!! Yeah, I'm sad that Butler lost! Duke fans, lucky bastards!
    After Smoky Mts, we hiked 18 miles on pouring rain day! We stopped at Standing Bear Farm Hostel because it is famous pit stop for Thur Hikers. Good enough, I can understand why its so famous! It s great place to rest and sleep there.  They r dogs friendly! Yolo felt so welcoming! There r lots of dogs. One of them was 15 weeks old puppy who loves to play with Yolo and even to sleep with him! So cute. I wish I took a picture of him!!! Damnit. They have cafe room- a picture book of all thur hikers who stayed at Standing Bear Farm, basically who made it to maine and took a picture of themselves. However I looked up year 2006 and saw Everett Carpenter's picture!!!!! He was thur hiker in 06- his trail name is hiker-cyclist. By soon my picture will be there too! :)
     Pyro, Megladon and I hiked together 50 miles to hot springs in 3 days!! The last 3 miles to Hot Springs only took me 35 mins!!! Of course, I ran. :) I stayed three nights at Sunnybank Inn. My back was killing me so I had take a longer break. I can't really complain because they served breakfast and dinner with only vegetarian food!!! Whee! My, they were so delicioussss!!! I miss their food already. Oh, they even offered me a job to work for them! Shucks its time for me to move on with my journey!
   I joined other people! They r Nesta and Beaver Chief! They r from New York. Its really fun knowing them. Their pace r same as mine! Fast and non stop! That's my style! We hiked 7 miles today to Rich Mountain's Fire Tower! We decided to sleep there along with several other hikers. I can say its very beautiful up here. Views r amazing! Sunset is about to set! Can't wait til sunrise by tomorrow morning! Then we will hike 12 miles to another tower!!!
     Unfortunatley the next fire tower was locked. So we camped out somewhere near it. I can't believe how great the trail was especially with great weather for last 5 days!!! Amazing! Later we hiked 20 miles uphill to Big Bald Mt. Jeez my legs were abt to fall apart! Then today I hiked 18 miles downhill! My legs just won't stop walking! I love hiking! Seriously! If one of you want to hike with me for few days or more this upcoming summer, you must! I will show you the AT's world! So cool and fun!!!
   I'm currently at Erwin, TN for a night. Yup I just passed the 300 miles marker on Yolo's 11 month birthday!!!!!!! 1, 900 miles to go!!!!! Wheee!!! Bring it on mountains!!!
    So hard to cover everything what I have experienced! Wow.
    More Plogs upcoming later!

-Life is simple. Wake. Eat. Hike. Eat. Camp.