Greetings from Gatlinburg

A post from Facebook:

Melissa Chamberlain

We hit 200 + miles today and the highest point on the AT Clingmans Dome! We're in Gatlinburg for the night. Still missing my J dog :( 30 more miles till I get him back.

We miss him too. Almost as much as we miss you, Melissa. If she gets a chance, I'll probably hear from her tonight. If so, I'll post details here. Jordan's next shipment was send to Standing Bear Farm in Hartford, TN. Jordan is already there waiting for his mommy to finish the 30 miles to get out of the Smokies.

Some more info about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
THE NATIONAL PARK
Hosting over 9 million visitors annually, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America's most visited national park.  It is a landscape that combines natural and cultural history beautifully.  History unfolds before the eyes, emerging from lush forests and rich lowland valleys. The national park was officially created on June 15, 1934.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the ceremony at Newfound Gap, a central point along the spine of the mountains that separates Tennessee from North Carolina.  Unlike the vast western parks, the Great Smoky Mountains had been inhabited for some time and parcels of land had to be purchased from settlers. Pioneers crossed the mountains from North Carolina in the early 1800s to reach rich, isolated valleys.  Before them, the Cherokee lived from these lands.  But by the 1920s, the verdant southern Appalachians had been damaged by fires and stripped of most of their timber.   A $5 million  investment from famous industrialist John D. Rockefeller, along with the support of concerned citizens throughout the region, helped attain the final goal of the park's establishment, protecting nearly 500,000 acres of land from development and creating a public space for the entire country's enjoyment.

This is such beautiful country,we can only be envious of the views they must be enjoying. This is also when we bid Farewell to Y-Knot and Y-Know aka Dennis and Melissa. Hollywood and Julia Child strike out on their own tomorrow. I can only imagine this is another new and exciting starting point for them because they no longer have anyone in their party but themselves. Although there are lots of people on the trail in case of trouble, this is the start of their independent days relying solely on each other. I think they have had the absolute best experience thru-hikers could have. Experienced people along to help them get started, then the majority spent experiencing the wonder of the Appalachian Trail trained and ready for tough stuff, but on their own.

Once Jordan rejoins the party, they will be whole again. The next 30 miles won't be as tough for Melissa  knowing Tripwire is at the other end waiting to get back on the trail.