The Sunday closure of the post office at fontana clumped a big group of hikers together. There are about twenty of us here at this shelter tonight. I’m the only one camped outside. I can hear some epic snoring even from forty feet away.

They seem like a great group of people. Most have been walking together for the past few weeks. It’s interesting to hit a wave. They seem to know a lot of the people who are up ahead.

So far, Smoky National Park looks exactly like the rest of the trail. Spring is definitely emerging. Grass is poking up, Trilliums are blooming and trees and bushes have their first buds.

I’m not sure what the appeal of a motel room is for me. I always think that it’ll be good, but then it’s not. When I’m on the trail, I really struggle to sleep well in a hotel bed. Last night was no excpetion. I go to town to rest, and and up restless. Smelly feet, a running toilet, snoring, the awkwardness of sharing a bed with some dude, people getting up to pee, coughing… It sucks.

There are a lot of people heading out from Fontana today. Squatch, PCT film maker, is heading sobo, the rest of us nobo. I’m looking forward to getting to know this herd for a while. If any ATers behind me are reading this.. Know that the general store is closed, and that the gas station has a very minimal but doable resupply. I’m glad I sent a box.

I’ve lucked out with the weather. It could be snowing. Instead, I’m sweating. I haven’t gotten wet on the trail since day one.

I’ve also lucked out in other ways. We arrived at a road junction to find an empty box of beer. As we sat there, wishing someone would stop, Freefall declared that the next pickup would give us some beer. Sure enough, it happened. We got five beers and some French chocolate. They also took our garbage off our hands. We’ve been picking up some of the trail side trash. That day we had a broken and abandoned tent. Today, we yanked what looked like a parachute out of a tree. It ended up being an inflatable advertisement from a car dealership sixty miles away. We cut it to pieces and carried it to town.

I’m enjoying breakfast after a damp stealth camp downstream of the famous Natahala Outdoor Center. The trail continues to be enjoyable. I’ve passed a few lookout towers. It helps to get the grand views, or even step out of the mountains to get perspective on where I am. I’ve also been surprised by how much ridge walking there is. And, the trail in spots, truly lives upto it’s reputation for steepness.

Freefall and I are still walking together, and it’s starting to feel like a thruhike. For starters, there aren’t many people around. The popular camps have had about five or six people in them. Today, we walked 24 miles, and saw only a few people on the trail. Freefall also has gear breaking down, a common problem on a long hike. He’s actually on the phone with Montrail about it right now. We talked about the scenery out here, how it’s not the reason we’re hiking. He’d like it to be spring, amd for the leaves to come out. I’m happy to still be able to see through the winter forests.

Tomorrow, we get to a resupply at NOC and are hoping for some live music and food.