100 and NC

100 and NC!!!
I hit two big benchmarks in one week: I made it to North Carolina and I passed the 100 mile marker. It’s beginning to feel like a thru hike now. It’s amazing how just reaching these two benchmarks has changed my perspective. I no longer feel like a section hiker on a long LASH, but instead this is becoming my daily routine. I’m forgetting days, getting used to smelling, and enjoying meeting new people as I go. Georgia is very special to me, since it’s my home state and where I started this journey.

GA/NC
Hello North Carolina!!! It came in with a bang and a climb out of Bly Gap like you wouldn’t believe!!! I had heard that climb was hard and I wasn’t let down. I was cold, tired, and ready to be done that day as I left a full and windy campsite to head to the next one. I’d had a low energy day and was already struggling as I added on the extra 3 miles. I’m so glad I did, because starting that climb first thing in the morning would have been a rude way to start the day.

Woo hoo! North Carolina has been quite the roller coaster between elevation changes, downed trees, and really cold weather. We took a double zero in one of the cute towns, because we faced freezing rain and extremely low temps. I had to make a dog mom decision and take a break. It was worth it for us both!!!

The views have been spectacular and different from what I remember hiking in the past. This time, I’m it as a thru hiker, and seeing things in a completely different mindset. It’s a new freedom I wasn’t really expecting, but I’m enjoying seeing the beauty of the trail through my new lense. North Carolina has a true beauty that is unmatched and which pictures will never truly capture, although I will continue to try my best. I’m not sure which is more phenomenal, the moss covered overhangs or the mountains coming to life above the sunlit clouds in the morning.

100
The journey to 100 was not an easy one, physically or emotionally. I’ve had to say goodbye to my mom, who was there for the first four days for me, and to others we’ve met along this journey. Some have been sad, while others have grown more in 100 miles than they ever thought possible. Honestly, there have been so many people and experiences that have come in these first hundred miles that I never could have imagined. It’s true when they say hiking the AT is not only about the trail, but it’s about the community of people with a shared vision. I’m looking forward to hitting 200 miles, although I will be doing it without Otis due to the regulations in the GSMNP.

P.S.- You can call me Boxer Mom if you see on the trail.