Ok, I’ll admit, I finally cried today. I’m blaming it on my son because he called after figuring out I was having a bit of a meltdown. Got over it, sucked it up and hiked! Made it 5.7 straight up and 1 mile straight down to a shelter full of people I’ve run into the past couple weeks.

My foot hasn’t been too nice and I’ve been worried I might have to get off the trail for a bit. Think I figured it out and will make a decision in the next few days. My plan is to possibly make it a few more days and then get shuttled to Hot Springs, where the trail is a little easier on the foot. I would then finish the hike and come back to do 90 miles of the Great Smokey Mountains. Sound like a plan?
So, back to my better day…

Then halfway up I came across this memorial. A ranger that died while fighting a fire to make for a better hike for all of us!

My life is good and I really need to keep that in mind.
Digdeep