Today was, again, cold. We woke up in snow and chilly temperatures, the caravan and I: Mac, Ace, Jess, Frankie, Tank, and Listener. It is a great group, and we got quite close last night. Literally.

My clothes and sleeping bag kept me warm enough, despite the 40mph gusts of snowy wind into the shelter. After struggling out of bags and making breakfast, we hit the road. Most days out here, I have been feeling great, rockin and Rollin. This morning, I wasn’t really feeling it. Instead of cooking, I just grabbed a quick bite to eat. As we started hiking, I turned on my phone and played some music to get me pumped. I normally don’t go in for that sort of thing, but it definitely worked. The combination of Cake (the band) and beautiful sights this morning got me in the zone.

It was a leisurely 6-mile hike to NOC, where we are staying for the night. Hanging out here has been nice, with plenty of great hikers, and it is a small but comfy place.

About 30 miles to go until Fontana Dam, and the Smokies after that. I’m surrounded by awesome people and beautiful places. Bring it on.