With lots of people on the trail, it’s very important to minimize the impact of each individual. It’s not easy, but here is what ATC recommends:

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/leave-no-trace
I said goodbye to North Carolina today: 

Me and “conductor” – he got his trail name because he does not like spiders and waves his poles up and down in front of him when He’s in spider web territory, an act that resembles orchestra conducting.

 
Nature shots of the day:

  
  
  
 
“Earl Grey” about to launch in to the largest burger I’ve ever seen

  
He washed it down with a milk shake and had a big bowl of ice cream for dessert. I was impressed. It’s called trail hunger and it’s hard to satisfy.