April 12, 2006: Betty Creek Gap to Winding Stair Gap, Franklin, TN (Budget Inn) (12.2 mi)

April 12, 2006
What a wonderful day for hiking!!! The night wasn't too cold, probably high 40's, so I slept a little better. The morning greeted me with no condensation on the tent inside or out...nice... nothing wet to lug around all day. Early was chilly in the 50's but climbed to the 60's with some cloud cover to keep the sun from pounding us as in previous days. Remember were walking in a hardwood forest early spring with no leaves on the branches. The only cover weve had has been from the Rhododendrum trees along the way. And they are so numerous...it must be a truely amazing site when they are in bloom. I will have to return some day in May!! We are up by 0730 today and Im off at 0800 while Joe sorts out his gear and is off at 0815. We walk the first half of our 12 mi day and rest our sore feet at a place called Glassmine Gap at 1100, which just happened to be the 100.3 mile mark of the trail. We phoned ahead to Franklin to check on room availability...thank God for cell phones... The hotel offered to drive out the 11 miles to get us and they had internet, restaurants and laundry nearby and a warm shower for $34. Sounds good to us... We got to the end of our day and our 12 miles at about 1400 and got picked up at 1430. Had Large pizza delivered for a late lunch and went to an AYCE (all you can eat) steak buffet for dinner at 1900. Right now I can hardly move from the AYCE. LOL... Were moving out in the moring for another 16mi day. Till next time...
1. Thats me performing a recurring chore, fetching water and treating it before I drink it.
2. Nice view with Joe and I from the trail looking N
3. Thats Joe and I posing from the summit of Albert Mtn 5,250ft that was quite a climb, short but quite steep.