Jan 17 update

We started the day wet. It rained all night and the tent was moderately dry inside and soaked on the outside. It was cool but not cold. We had no idea what was coming.

We were camped at Patterson Gap and from there the terrain was easy but wet. The rain came harder and colder, and by the time we made our climb to the ridge, we were dealing with sleet and lots of it.

The next 10 miles or so are a blur for me. It was colder and wetter than any other hiking I've done. Snow was a welcomed change at first, til it covered the trail. The wind whipped it into us and it felt like a million needles. My face and hands got frostnippy. Bart kept me sane.

We managed to take 2 wrong turns because the snow hid the blazes perfectly. Both were downhill. Awesome...

We got to Cheaha State Park and got a room here. We have two heaters, I had a bath, and we ate a 1/2 lb cheeseburger with fries, cheesy potato soup, and hot chocolate. Our stuff is drying out and we have thawed out.

Happy to be here!