February 26, 2005- I've been working on food for the past few days. I've packed food for the first 12 days and my mail drop for Fontana Dam Village. I'm not planning on carrying 12 days worth of food at the beginning but I am going to take advantage of my daughter's and son's desire to hike with me for the first few days. Once the determine for sure how long they are want to hike I will transfer that many days of food to my food bag. I will then resupply out of their car when they are ready to come back home.
Fontana Dam Village is the first "stop" without a convenient supply point. It is at the southwestern tip of Smokie Mountain National Park, which starts a 70 or so mile stretch without a convenient resupply point. The food that I am taking, along with planned in-town purchases along the way should should get me to Pearisburg, VA, about a third of the way up the trail. If I make it that far, I will regroup and take a day or two to figure out my food for the next several hundred miles.