This mornings hike started along the Laurel river…with the rhododendron starting to bloom.
Laurel Falls was quite impressive.
Salty negotiating some tricky trail.
It rained a bit in the late AM then the clouds started to lift. We will hike around and along the lake in the background for much of the afternoon.
After a long descent we made it down to the lake and had a snack as the clouds lifted.
It was in the mid 70’s today with 90% humidity which made for some steamy climbs.
I felt surprisingly good at the end of a 22mi day with a lot of climbing, but I’m definitely ready for bed !
GoBugJuice.com 
Your photos & comments indicate you avoided heavy rainfall (1-2″)predicted for the cental
Appalachians into Monday, so I hope that continues. Glad to hear you are feeling good
and up to the challenging terrain. I keep thinking of Andrea’s comment about your
hiking last year: “He’s a machine!” Well, whatever physical & mental challenges you’re
achieving so far, you (& fellow thru-hikers) deserve a daily award, altho I’m sure you’re
happiest with the RE-wards of good views, good weather, minimal aches & pains and
re-fueling with real food in between camping rations!
(Correct yourself on mileage achieved: you chopped off 100 miles in your count for
the past 2 entries, repeating mileage in the 300’s when you’re really in the 400’s!)
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Thanks for the heads up on mileage. Usually kind of late and tired when I’m typing on my phone in my tent!
Luckily the worst of the rain has come at night while asleep or under cover.
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