(this is mark… you can tell when my Father is updating the site for me because he takes the time to use capital letters :-)) today i’m in Laurel Creek Lodge, in Hampton, TN. this place rules. it’s an awesome place to chill, so i quit at 6 miles and i’ll spend the night here. it should take me another three days or so to get to Damascus, VA. i just weighed myself. i weigh 174 pounds. that’s THIRTY pounds less than when i started March 22. THIRTY pounds. damn. and i have a little bit more to lose, too! things have been going well, but the trail is really stupid in this area. there are a zillion PUDS (pointless ups and downs) and the trail is covered with litter. yesterday i even passed a dead baby cow (covered with maggots of course). nasty, nasty stuff. i’ve been hiking with pretty much the same crowd the last few days (Leaf, Rooster, Flash, Capt. Leo, and a few others). there are a few other folks a day or so behind, and the faster crowd a day or two ahead.
i imagine i will see everyone in Damascus for Trail Days (think: 1000 drunken hikers in a small town for an entire week). Trail Days doesn’t start for another two weeks, so i’ll be there early. i’ll probably pass through and hitch back for the party. oh well, there is a hot tub here and i don’t feel like pissing around on the computer. lazing in the hot tub sounds like a better way to spend the afternoon :-). maybe i’ll do another update later. take care folks.