5/30/09

Our hikers called again today with lots of updates! They stayed at Molly's Ridge Shelter, NC last night. They have registered at the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Before entering they stopped at the gorgeous Fontana Dam, NC. They have been followed by wild turkeys on the trail and even had a mother black bear and medium-sized cub run across the trail about 50 yards away! Luckily the bears amazingly ran away up a hill at an amazing speed in fear of our hikers. Jack and Chris report there are not too many people on the trail at this point and they are now experiencing beautiful weather again after about six days of rain. They hiked 24 miles on Friday. Jack reports that they don't have trail names yet. But compared to other journals I have read, they are walking at great speed.