Wildlife!

Hey ya'll! It has officially been a month on the trail.  We are starting to feel like woodland creatures.  We smell like them, we drink from the same water sources and we all poop in the woods. On several occasions when we have stopped in towns, we have filled our water bottles with what tasted like good water from a municipal source.  Pack that water about a mile up the trail and it tastes more like a municipal swimming pool.  It is promptly replaced with filtered spring water!
It is the simple things that we appreciate out here; a hot meal, the next shelter with a privy, junk food.  Included in a recent maildrop from Butch's folks were some Dum-dums lollipops her Dad thought we would enjoy. Sometimes when we are pounding out some miles, it is the thought that soon we can have another Dum-dum...and what if it's Mystery Flavor!!  ...that keeps us going. The idea of Mexican food fueled our foot steps to Erwin, TN.   ...that and the fact that we had walked 16.5 miles in the rain to earn it.  I feel insatiable. We cannot eat too much. When in town, we try.  As we are blogging here in the lobby of the Super8, the talk amongst our fellow "storm-dodgers" is of all-you-can-eat pizza buffets and which one is closer walking distance.  Thank goodness that folks down south truly appreciate a good AYCE restaurant!
We haven't seen a bear yet, though they are around.  The ass-end of a wild hog disappeared into the brush before the camera came out.  Here are some photos of the other creatures we have run into (without stepping on) on the trail.