The B&B serves a delicious cooked breakfast of maple syrup pancakes. Three hikers join the group for breakfast - and we meet Stucco for the first time. She is a fit, powerful and strong, young woman, with a very gregarious and sunny personality. She has spent 2 years in Australia studying for a Masters in Web Design, in Sydney. We are to enjoy her company over the next 5 months, and share the summit with her on the final day of the trail.
Frank, the owner of Duckett House celebrates our farewell by playing nancy Sinatra singing 'These boots are made for walking' - I have new boots - a larger size than I am used to, and I tap dance to the music.
It is a late start. We stop at the Outfitters and weigh our packs on their scales. 31 lb for me and 43 lb for Digs. Heavy packs, a steep climb, and a hot day with temperatures to 90degrees F.forecast. We are very slow and stop to drink lots of water.
On the climb below the fire tower, we meet Sweet Tea for the first time - an older woman who is walking the trail as a day hiker, with her husband providing transport and back up each day.
We make it to the firetower and decide that is enough for the day, especially as we find a good place to camp. We share the campsite with 'Little Bill' from North Carolina who is hiking for one week, and 'Kindling' who reads late into the night on his Kindle.
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