If it’s Big and Bald, it’s Bald Mtn

June 10, 2025

I woke up to it raining around 0600, so I snoozed for a bit, hoping it would pass. I didn’t cook this morning and got rolling around 0800. I’ve been getting frustrated trying to figure out logistics to see some friends. It’s hard to plan out days ahead where I will be in order to be at a road crossing where I can get picked up. There are so many variables to consider: weather, terrain, elevation, physical well-being, mental, how Bo feels, temperature, etc. All of which can influence how far I am able to walk each day. There are times when I think it would be easier to just keep walking and not try and meet up with people. But then I think more about it and know that I would love to see them and that’s not the issue. The issue is that I feel rushed to make it to places by a certain time and sometimes feel that it takes away from the journey of the trail. The point of the trail is to slow down, so I am hopeful that I’ll get to do so later on.

“Quill,” and Dude caught up to us while I was on the phone, so Bo and I took off again to try to put some distance between us once again. I thought they would be ahead of us today, so rushing to keep distance makes me feel even more rushed, haha.

Bo and I walked under an underpass, and then we saw the TN welcome sign in the distance. Bo and I climbed up and over Big Bald Mtn and then Little Bald, lovely 360 views and no trees on the tops. My body is feeling pretty good today, other than the 1 toe that’s rubbing, which I’ll tape later. I crossed high rocks, but missed the summit because I didn’t realize I needed to get off the AT and follow the blue blazes. There were sweet red flowers on top of the balls.

We followed little dirt paths through white flowers that had bumblebees on them. There was lots of helene damage, as indicated by the multitude of cut trees on and near the trail. It was a hot and sunny day with thunder rolling in the distance.

I found a secluded campsite near a road, back within the depths of rhododendron–only pitfall was that it was snag city. I eventually found a patch that I thought a tree wouldn’t fall on me. I took a little bird bath behind my tent in the stream flowing and air dried. Today was my 1st time rinsing off out in the woods, and I’ll do it more often. Bo ate bugs in the dirt while I journaled and had dinner–I guess Bo wanted more protein with his dinner. I am hoping to have nice weather in the morning so I can have a slow breakfast.