Our Last Day

We had a great time tubing down the river. Tuck joined in on the fun. The kids wished it had lasted longer and there had been more rapids.
After floating down the river we drove to Max Patch, which was where we would have ended our hike. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. We hiked on the AT for a bit and saw our last white blaze (the white paint mark that tells you that you are on the AT) at least for a while.
We watched the sunset and slept in top. The sunset was amazing and the star gazing was spectacular. The pictures don't do it justice. It was the perfect way to end our trip.
Thanks for following us on the blog, I enjoyed sharing with you. Maybe we will have another adventure to share again soon.

Drivin around and a couple bumps in the road

The first pictures are of us driving around to see a few things that we weren't going to be able to see because we stopped hiking. We came across a bridge you can walk on that is also a railroad track. You can see the water below you. It was a tad freaky for me because the bridge moved a little bit. I can't imagine being on there with a train going by because there was no railing or anything in between the train track and where you walked.

Next is the few bumps in the road...
About a week into the trip, before I was hiking with Sam and the kids I went into a town to get some supplies. A guy sideswiped my car. He didn't see me and just came into my lane and hit me. Luckily no one was injured but my car. We can't open the front passenger door and side is dented. Did the whole police report insurance thing and we will take care of it at home. That was not my fault. That brings us to yesterday.  We planned to go tubing down the French Broad River in Hot Springs, NC. We picked up Sam's car and headed out. I was driving his car. We got separated on the way there and I was unsure if I was on the right road so I turned around to head back into town where I would have a cell signal. I underestimated a curve I came up on and Mayson and I ended up going off the road. Once again thankfully no one was hurt. But it was scary. God was definitely providing us with some extra Guardian Angels.  Looking at the pictures I never thought we would drive his car away from there. Everyone was so nice; from the Hot Springs Fire Department guys to the NC State Trooper to the tow guy. It was odd but I left the scene with my heart full feeling totally blessed. I can't say enough good things about those guys.
We did end up going tubing and spending the night in Max Patch, where our hike was to end but I'll save those pictures for the next post.

Unplanned Zero day

We took the breakfast shuttle said goodbye to our new friends and got ready to head out. The kids said bye to their buddy Gary who they became attached to at Uncle Jonny's. Gary runs the store and paid the kids in ice cream to do a few things for him.
Mayson complained a few times about stumping her toe and it hurting but she was walking fine and even running. She had been wearing flip flops the past couple days. When it was time to get hiking shoes on she was in tears. She had a blister on the same toe so we were treating it too. We got our packs on and headed out. Mayson was in tears and pain so we only made it about 1/4 a mile and then turned back. Mayson is pretty tough and even got another nickname "The Machine" on the trail bc she has been so tough. Anyway we get back to where we were staying and look at her foot and realize her toe is infected. She hit it on a rock while tubing and the nail came back and we think she got infection in it from the river. Needless to say we aren't currently hiking. We have nursed her and got the infection out but it is still painful. We may end our trip a little early.
Trey and I got shuttled to my car yesterday so that we would have a way to get around and possibly see some of the places we were planning on seeing.
We are still having adventures just not as planned, much like life.

Zero Day

Day 20: Today was our "Zero Day" meaning we hide zero miles. We hung out at the river and tuned a little and enjoyd the sun and chilled out the rest of the day.

The kids figured it out if you move while taking a panoramic picture you show up multiple times. So they spent lots of time doing that.

We ate at a yummy Italian restaurant that doesn't have their liquor license so they let you go next door and buy what you want to drink and bring it in so Sam brown bagged our wine at dinner.

There was another family staying here that are hiking the AT. The kids were thrilled to hang with their youngest 2 kids.