Blissful crosses a high, exposed peak in fog and rain then discovers she needs to go further than she thought.   

1. Hiking south on the Appalachian Trail, it's the first high mountains since Katahdin, but the weather is manageable.  
2. And there are small surprises like twisted and stunted "krumholz" trees, wildly fluorescent fungus and wildflowers heavily laden with damp. 
3. Even high up, the birds are loud including a new bird t Magnolia Warbler.
4. When Blissful discovers she needs to go further than expected, crossing a river and steeply up, she goes for it.
5. The "Sibs" – a pair of siblings also from Minnesota – give her courage as well as spotting her first Red Spotted Newt as orange as a gummy.
6. The river crossing is easy and the uphills go one and on finally ending in a rock fall to climb up Chairback Mountain to a shelter shared with a barefoot thru-hiker named 'Shoes.' 

MUSIC: Poema del Pastor Coya by Angel Lasala  as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano

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