A Family Adventure of the 2,185 mile hike from Georgia to Maine – 2014
Some sort of feral pig was squealing in the distance through the night, which was driving Orion bonkers. We had an early start to hike into Fontana Dam by noon to meet the lady who was picking up Orion to board him while we go through the Smokies (no dogs allowed). After a few miscommunications, some traffic and an unintended detour, she finally arrived around 3. We passed the time by joining yet another trailside BBQ for hikers (there is a strong tradition of this down here this time of year). A lot of the crew we’d been crossing paths with over the last few days showed up, and we lazed with them in the 80 degree sun while our regular Damariscotta Frisbee crew debated over email whether to call off the regular Sunday game due to the 40 degree rainy weather (they didn’t and played anyway). Nathan tried his hand at fly fishing the Lake. It was sad to watch Orion drive away in a strange car. Given the late hour that we finally completed our dog arrangements, we were swayed into enjoying some swimming in the lake and staying nearby. Mouse, a master at found-object fun surfed on a giant piece of styrofoam, much to the delight f the thru-hiking onlookers
A Family Adventure of the 2,185 mile hike from Georgia to Maine - 2014 
Beautiful Purple Trillium. At least a month ahead of ours. Lots of snow to melt before the trillium emerge around here although it won’t be too long. If you get a hankering for fresh greens, the leaves are edible and quite tasty, either raw or lightly steamed. They taste like a slightly spicy spinach. Don’t pick isolated plants but if there is a nice bed of them, picking one leaf off a couple of plants won’t hurt them. They will do just fine with the remaining two.