3-15-12

Fontana Shelter tonight under an awesome elecrical storm. We made it into Fontana village today. Nothing at all in the hicker box, so I had to buy food. Got a hot lunch at the pit stop gas station and a sprite, my first soda this whole trip. I may have made a miscalculation and bought  fewer breakfasts than I need but with what was left over in my food bag I should be o.k. if I portion it out right.
But we did make sure to get the important stuff. BEER. 48oz a piece of Miller Light, being saved of course, for St. Patrics day in 2 days.
I found a morel mushroom on the trail today and picket it and added it to my dinner suprisingly good. I inspired Four Spoke to pick wild onions for his dinner. He's another Floridian, (?) but slower than I so we probably wont see each other much more.
The "triplets" are here too, and this is the most I've talked to them thus far, even though they are quiet and keep to themselves, I like them, they're an interesting bunch.
When I picked the mushroom  earlier I left my knife laying there, whooops. Luckily when I got to the shelter today Gur Spoke gave me one he found along the way. Nothing fancy, but still just as good.
We found a spectacular rock to jump from about 15' high into Fontana lake, our first swim on the AT. COLD water but too much fun to resist. Got pictures and videos of that.
Definitely needed this short day. Felt good, even though we walked the 2 miles into Fontana village, we got a $13 shuttle out.
The past few night I've been sweating in my sleeping bag, so tonight I'm going to just throw it over my feet, and not be inside it at all. Last night I left it open but it didn't really do anything. It's relatively warm out despite the storms passing through. The trees are howling in the woods.
I also spent the last of my first $200 that I started off with today. I'm doing o.k. at stayinng on the cheap side but could be better. Still way, way, way under budget though (??) good.