Appalachian Trail - Hot Springs, NC to Davenport Gap, NC

I've been bitten by the AT bug... after just four days on the trail I'm ready for more grueling climbs rewarded with out-of-this-world views.  I finished a 43(ish) mile section of the trail from just north of Hot Springs, North Carolina to Davenport Gap on the door step of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. 

The weather played nice and we had several miles of trail that transported us from thick, dark forest to beautiful mountain top vistas with views for which I'm at a loss for words to describe.  Myself, Curt and John listened to stories from several hikers who had been on the trail much longer than we had.  The three of us shared many thoughts throughout the trip, some deep... others not quite.  To say hiking a trail like this can be a spiritual experience is absolutely justifyable.  Having worship services high up on a mountain top as the sun rose is an experience I'll be hard pressed to ever forget and will remain one of the most fond memories of my life. 

If you haven't stepped foot on the AT, do it!  Hike it!  However start off small... it's a long trail.