I have had virtually no cell service since Thursday and am playing catch-up on the past few days. Posts for Thursday and Friday just went up.

When I got to my shelter Friday evening the skies opened up and the rain poured down as I was setting up my tent. Everything was completely soaked except my down quilt, sleeping pad and sleeping clothes which I keep in a plastic bag inside my pack for this very reason. Around mid-night there was basically a flash freeze and everything wet froze solid – the wet clothes hanging in my tent, my shoes which I left under the tent vestibule because they were so muddy, even the condensation in my tent had frozen on top of my down blanket, and of course, the tent was frozen inside and out. Because of the ice and the fact that I had no feeling in my fingers it took me 2.5 hours to get everything packed up and back on the trail. The hike on Saturday was actually very good, after I thawed out, and the scenery along the trail was beautiful. Roughly 30 minutes after leaving camp yesterday I was met by a group of “trail angels” from a local church who had an amazing spread of food and drinks that they had prepared just for hikers passing them. On the trail this is called “trail magic”. I had a hotdog, banana and a piece of bubble gum. Then, just before noon, at another trail crossing a group of former AT hikers were serving hot grilled cheese sandwiches from the back of a grill on their truck. Delicious! Can’t thank these kind and generous people enough for their hospitality and generosity.

The shelter location I camped at last night was not as crowded as Friday night as a lot of people went off trail due to the weather forecasted for last night – extreme cold. I tried to do the same but had no luck finding a vacant hostel. So, before going to bed I put on 4 shirts, my down jacket, one pair of wool long johns, my hiking pants, 3 pairs of socks and a toboggan. The actual temperature dropped to 17 degrees and the wind howled all night long. It was after 4:30 this morning before I actually fell asleep. But, I did stay warm and that was the most important goal. This morning I left camp around 8:45 and it was a really beautiful but cold hike. Some of the views were just stunning and at one stop it was barely possible to see some of the Atlanta skyline some 70+ miles away. I came off trail at the completion of my hike where I was met by the owner of the hostel I am staying at tonight which is just a little over a mile from the trail. I got a shower, shaved, got my clothes washed and have picked up a few snacks since typing this blog. I will be in a small bunkhouse tonight with 7 other hikers. The Hidden Pond hostel is very quaint and the owners, Johnny & Rainbow, who hiked the AT last year, really know how to treat their guests. And, their dog Sam makes us all feel right at home. I will return to the trail tomorrow morning and go a few more days before I take a “zero” day (no hiking that day). My goal to start with has been roughly 8 miles each day for the first week and then increasing by a mile or so each week thereafter with a day off every 7 or 8 days depending on what accommodations are available. Physically, my body has had no issues which I am grateful for. There are two people here at the hostel who are already injured and trying to figure out what to do next. I will say that the extreme cold here is not what I had expected. While the forecast for the next few days is dry, the cold weather seems to be hanging on. Spring will be here soon though. I’m not sure when my next opportunity will be to post another blog but will do so as soon as I can

In closing I would like to wish Carl Holder, and his new wife Sarah, a big CONGRATULATIONS on the occasion of their wedding yesterday in Annapolis, MD!