Number of Days Afoot: 26 days, Day 11 AT - Day 36 AT

Distance in 1978: 288.2 miles

#1. Clingmans Dome,           6643 feet,    summited 10 April 1978 on Day 20 AT

Standing Indian Mountain,    5490 feet,    summited 01 April 1978

Cheoah Bald,                        5062 feet,    summited 06 April 1978

#8. Thunderhead Mountain,  5530 feet,    summited 09 April 1978

Mount Buckley,                      6582 feet,    summited 10 April 1978

#2. Mount Guyot,                   6621 feet,    summited 13 April 1978

#10. Big Bald,                        5516 feet,    summited 28 April 1978

#5. Roan High Bald,               6285 feet,    summited 02 May 1978

1. 07 April 1978, Fontana Dam, NC  Day 17 AT   Total Miles Afoot: 168.0

2. 17 April 1978, Hot Springs, NC     Day 26 AT   Total Miles Afoot: 270.4

3. 03 May 1978, Elk Park, NC           Day 36 AT   Total Miles Afoot: 376.1

Smoky Mountains National Park, Natahala National Forest, Pisgah National Forest

Blue Ridge Parkway

Up shortly after the sunrise and get out to stretch my old bones and see that the sun is shining brightly, the air is crisp, the sky is dark blue and clear. I spend a few minutes walking about but soon drive back up to Old Smoky for the views but don′t stay long because I want to visit a few more places today before returning to Spring Hill this evening. Driving down on the North Carolina side is just as impressive as was the entrance to the park yesterday on the Tennessee side. Then upon reaching the park exit, turn onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and drive north from the southern terminus, an area that I have never driven. Even though there are many areas in the northern sections of the parkway that I have enjoyed, I would someday like to return and do the entire parkway in one trip. Leaving the parkway, I drive to Flat Rock, NC to visit Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

Continuing west in southwest North Carolina, I arrive at Nantahala Gorge hoping that the general store is still there, the one that I found in the spring of 1978 which had all kinds of dried fruit and other trail foods. I find that the store is gone but the restaurant is still here so I stop for supper.

After eating, I find the AT going both north and south from the river and take photos. Then I put Spring Hill into my GPS and drive until eleven pm, park for the evening and climb into the back.

Excerpts from page 47

Up after sunrise, it must be about seven o′clock. The exact time escapes me because my watch stopped working after dropping it yesterday. And yes, simplicity has been gloating since then because for days, has pestered me about getting rid of more of my nonessential gear, particularly the pocket watch.

Repeatedly, simplicity reminds me that my Scout training includes knowing how to tell time by the sun, but my answer continues to be, Well that depends entirely on being able to see the sun and there has been a short supply of that lately.

However, when simplicity retorts, You don′t need to know the time in the woods, my reply is usually something like: But this watch was bought with money saved to buy Becky Rose a new ring. That money, after she left me, lost its purpure so the watch was purchased on November 28 shortly after the divorce and it still has a lot of sentimental value to me!

Now, however, it is just a moot point because the watch is now dead weight and the sun will be required to provide the time for me.

Up to a fair sky, no rain and only a light snow on the ground. Eat breakfast and begin foot at eight. Within fifteen minutes my hike takes me right into a thick frost.

Arrive at Jerry Cabin lean-to at noon in a blizzard and make hot pea soup with cheese and tea for lunch. To my dismay, this unseasonable storm continues to get worse but it does create a strikingly beautiful white out.