Camping/Hiking on the AT!!!!

We're back, we totally missed the hurricane! I can't believe it got here so quickly!
Camping and hiking was amazing! We heading up to Atlanta Thursday night to my dear, dear, friend Stephany and Mack's house. Our trip started Saturday morning, we drove up to North Carolina to a opening of the AT. Our original plan was to do an easy 8 mile hike, 4 miles each day mainly downhill. We wanted to do this for many reasons - Mack and Steph have been doing sections of the AT for the past 4 or 5 years and this was one section they hadn't done yet ( a much smaller section then what they usually do). And of course other major reasons for an easy hike - I'm pregnant, we had babies, and well it's been a while for Alan and I to do this! But all that said our plans changed a few times. First we had to move to another location b/c the bear activity was very high deep in the Smokies where we originally wanted to go. You have to reserve a spot in a shelter and they closed all shelters. So we changed our plans to the location we went to - totally of 9 miles, mainly downhill with a few good mile long climbs....that is if we hiked through the section.
On the way up there the dilemma of car seats came up - see we were going to hike through a section and have a car waiting for us at the end... but we couldn't transport both kids without car seats so we would have to have the guys drive back to the cars and then come and get us- possibly an hour or more wait for the car after a good hike and two babies...... um we didn't like that idea.
So the great final plan came.... since Mack and Steph weren't trying to do this particular section (they had done it before) we thought we would leave both cars at the beginning of the trail, hike in to our camp site, camp, and just hike back. Great idea....right? Well, in all actuality it wasn't that bad except we didn't realize it was a 5.7mile hike in so that meant another 5.7 mile hike out. And if the way in was mainly downhill, yet with some major inclines - then the way back would be primarily uphill. It was great though if you don't hurt a bit after you finish for the day then you don't feel like you did anything! We had a few mishaps though, Alan hurt his knee on the hike in so he was in major pain on the way out - to the point that he almost fell multiple times... his pack was very, very heavy - he had Stephen plus stuff. So before we hit the 1.5mile summit climb to the top/end I took the pack - wow that was heavy! Steph had to grab the sleeping bag just to help me out a bit.
All that said - we had an amazing time! Loved it. The babies had a rough evening and didn't want to go to bed - and Stephen took a few falls at the camp site, but isn't that what campings all about :) We had so much fun with our close friends and Stephen had a blast!! He kept laughing and giggling when Alan picked the pack up to keep moving! :) He is soooo cute..... Here are some pics..
Check out the link on the right of the screen for the full album