A Day On The Trails

A couple of days ago we were invited to do some hiking with a group of people from church.  We have been here for two years now (that's hard to believe, I guess time really does fly when your having fun!) but because we have been so wrapped up in the house and landscape we haven't been able to get out and explore the beautiful Smoky Mountains.  So off we went...

We started off at Newfound Gap.

This trail is part of the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately 2,184 miles (3,515 km) long. Along the way, the trail passes through the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The Appalachian Trail is famous for its many hikers, some of whom, called thru-hikers, attempt to hike it in its entirety in a single season.

1.7 miles down...

Jennifer Pharr Davis set the unofficial record for the fastest hike of the entire Appalachian Trail.   It took her exactly 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes since she left Mount Katahdin in Maine on June 16 2011, that's about 47 miles a day, or nearly two marathons.  Eeeek!

Happy Stu!

Jerry and I taking a much needed break!

This is the Icewater Spring Shelter for those attempting the AT or at least part of it.  Not my kind of place, but we passed a big group of what looked like college students that had stayed the night there.

We couldn't have asked for a better day, not too hot, not to cold, perfect!

Ahhh, finally!  Charlies Bunion...

Charlies Bunion rises to an elevation of 5,565 feet (1,696 m) above sea level, and is situated along the state line between Sevier County, Tennessee and Swain County, North Carolina. The Appalachain Trail crosses the mountain's northern slope some four miles (6 km) east of Newfound Gap. 

Yes, that's right four miles, eight round trip! It's been a VERY long time...When we lived in Italy we would march around a different city almost every weekend.

And a well deserved lunch break!

This is the whole gang relaxing after lunch.

Just amazing!

Gathering the troops to head back.

Here we are trying to psych ourselves up for the trek back.

Do we look beat or what??