After a really wonderful few days filled with happy moments and surprises - camp! wedding! Iron Chef! - I am back on the trail. I got up this morning and drove to my dad's, put my stuff in his truck, got Bix, and we left. We made it up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he dropped me off at Doubletop Overlook. I'm not sure if Bixby makes things THAT much better or if the guide is wrong or what, but the seven miles we walked were the fastest ever. We started at 2, rolled up to the campsite at an impossible 4:30. I ate blueberries growing along the trail, crossed streams, saw a great view, didn't get freaked out about going the wrong way - it was ideal. The camp was easy to find, and unlike last Tuesday's stealth camping, people have actually stayed here before. There's a firepit and everything. I still suck at hanging bear bags. That was probably the best part of the Smokies, those cables. It took a million tries to get the rock over the branch I'd picked, an d a million more to get the second rock over for Bix's bag, and tying them killed my hands, and after all that I'm sure a bear could just go up on its hind legs and knock the bags out. It's been thundering all evening, and just now it started to drizzle. Bix hasn't really worked this tarp situation out yet, so let's hope he does soon.