Just NC and GA left

Well, it's official.  Me and my pack have now hiked 2000 miles.  The term for someone who has completed the entire trail is a "2000 miler".  It's not exact (or even that close to the actual distance), but the trail was first estimated to be that distance, and since the actual distance is always changing, it's easier to just stick to one value.  So while I'm not a 2000 miler just yet, I'm getting closer every day.
I just came out of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park when I emerged at Fontana Dam last night.  It's a beautiful and fairly remote section that runs along at fairly high elevation.  I just reached the highest point on the AT, Clingman's Dome, so I guess from here on out it's all downhill!
I ran into some cool people yesterday, and enjoyed the limelight of being a thru hiker.  Many people respect and admire the feat, and it's fun to share the experience.  It was also nice to talk about gear with a few guys, including one planning for a thru next year.  I also ran into a guy who I met in Maine who completed his thru this year, so that was pretty neat.
However the rain that had been coming down all day turned into snow, and the trail was trickier to find than normal.  I probably didn't help that I was night hiking, yet again, in the stuff.  It was also very cool to pass the section that I hiked with my good buddies David and Jason for our spring break trip in 2005 (I think).  Unfortunately I had to do most of what we did at night, so I wasn't able to see it the same way.  It brought back fond memories of the thru hikers we met then, and how beautiful it was.
The rain and the wet snow however really chilled me, so it was very nice to meet up with ohMEGA at the end of a long day so that I could get dried out.  This is a really nice way to finish the trail; having a warm, dry place to escape to after getting soaked is the only way to manage with the chills of winter.  Well I'm not "thru" until I'm through, so it's time to get back out there.  Happy trails!

ohMEGA dropping off the homeless man at Newfound Gap. Don't give us change; we prefer Snikers

The view from Clingman's Dome, highest point on AT

Mollie Ridge shelter where David and I tried to kill Jason.  He was too tough though

Here is one of those awesome views I was talking about.  Notice how close to the edge of a cliff you can be!  Also, since there were no other hikers this day, I was the only person to see that view that day!  Kind of cool and now I can share it with you!