Day 2 update

We have unexpected service at a mountaintop campsite on day 2, so here is a quick update:

We are 2 days in and have completed 2% of the MST. Very satisfying. We have done our share of backpacking, and the trails so far are as challenging as any (hard as hell), but we have made it to our planned campsite both nights after full (wet) days on the trail. 

A little known fact: this part of western North Carolina is technically a rain forest. It rains - a lot. Moss grows on every surface and once something gets wet, it is so humid it never dries, which makes a multi-day journey a challenge. We expected the miles to come slowly, and they have, but with all of the rain over the last week the creeks are swollen and the crossings take some care to be done safely.

Today we saw exactly one other person, two deer, and one snake. Debra and I have not run out of things to talk about yet and the weather is totally unpredictable from minute to minute.