Muskrat Creek Shelter to Winding Stair Gap

Friday 3/27 and Saturday 3/28

Friday:
AT Miles = 12.5 / 91.8
Other Miles = 0 / 13
Total = 12.5 / 104.7

Saturday:
AT Miles = 15.9 / 107.7 (I've passed the 100 mile mark!)
Other Miles = 0 / 13
Total Miles = 15.9 / 120.6

These posts are going to be a bit out of order. I have a post for
Thursday, the 26th, on my phone but for some reason Sprint has no
service in Franklin, NC, where I am tonight, so I can't send it. I'll
send it as soon as I get service again.

As a brief re-cap, I left Hiawassee, Georgia Thursday morning in the
rain, and on Thursday afternoon passed into North Carolina.

I am going to combine Friday and Saturday as they kind of blend
together in my mind. I left Muskrat Creek Shelter Friday morning after
a soggy night. It didn't actually rain overnight, but the humidity was
about 100% as we were in thick cloud all night. The tarp over my
hammock kept any rain and the water dripping from the trees off of me,
but the saturated air flowing through the hammock left everything very
damp.

Sometime during the night some animal ran under my hammock and I
actually felt him or her rub against the bottom of the hammock - and
my back - as it passed. There were some people sleeping in the shelter
that had a dog, so I think odds are it was the dog, but I'm not sure.
Mr. Ed thought it was funny to think it was a bear cub teasing his
mom. I hope not!

I started the day on Friday dressed for rain (shorts and T-Shirt with
rain jacket and rain skirt over them). After an hour or so it was not
raining and I was warming up so I took off the rain jacket and wrap.
Of course, about 15 minutes later it started to rain, and rained all
the rest of the day. After a long day of walking through the rain I
made it to Carter Gap Shelter. It was only about 3:00 PM, and I used
up as much time as I could getting water, cooking and eating dinner,
and cleaning up. It was cold standing around in wet clothes so about
5:30 I found a spot tucked behind some rhododendron bushes and out of
the wind to set up my hammock, then changed into dry clothes and
climbed in with my book. I managed to stay awake almost 'til 8:00PM,
then I was off to dream land. Just before I went to sleep I glanced
away from my book and out the netting of my hammock to see a rabbit
wandering through. I guess the hammock just doesn't register to
animals, since it's up in the air off the ground.

This morning (Saturday) I was awake about 6:00 and lay in my hammock
until about 6:30 when the first bit of light started to show itself. I
was up with my headlamp to eat breakfast and break camp, then I was
off on the trail at 8:08 (I usually glance at my watch every morning
when I start to hike). When I woke up this morning I decided that my
goal for the day was to get to Winding Stair Gap and get a ride into
Franklin, so I could have a hot shower, a dry motel room, and a nice
dinner. Within 20 minutes of starting my hike the rain started, and it
got heavier and heavier as the morning progressed. I was set on making
my miles, but I was also enjoying the day and the bits of scenery I
could see. As any of the photographers out there know, when it is
raining colors and very saturated and the diffuse light makes details
very interesting. There were a million shades of green. In a few
places there was a particular kind of tree that grows kind of short
and gnarly, and the trees were all covered with a green moss that was
very striking.

I stopped briefly at Big Spring Shelter, 6.8 miles from the day's
start, just to get out of the rain so I could dig some food out of my
pack. It was too cold to stand still for very long so after wolfing
down a couple of Pop-Tarts I was back out into the rain and pressed on
non-stop until I reached Winding stair Gap at 15.9 miles.

When I was maybe 4 miles from Winding Stair Gap the rain started to
ease and I could see some breaks in the clouds to the west. Soon the
wind was roaring as the high pressure started to push in, and the
cloud and fog that had enveloped us for the last three days started to
get torn away in shreds. When I finally reached Winding Stair Gap it
was 2:14, meaning that I had covered 15.9 miles in 6 hours and 6
minutes. My feet surely feel it!

I was offered a ride into town by someone at the Gap, and 15 or 20
minutes later I was chatting with Ron Haven and Miss Janet, two
legends on the trail who run a couple of motels and a hostel in town
and go to great lengths to extend hospitality to hikers. I have a room
in one of Ron's motels for tonight and tomorrow night. I'll spend
tomorrow (Sunday) getting all my gear clean and dry and shopping for
food for the next leg, which will be 2 1/2 days up to the Nantahala
Outdoor Center.

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Tray Mountain Shelter to Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)

Tuesday, 3/24 & Wednesday, 3/25

AT Miles = 11 / 67.5
Other Miles = 0.2 / 12.6
Total Miles = 11.2 / 80.0

As I write this it is Wednesday afternoon and I am relaxing in a room at the Hiawassee Inn in Hiawassee Georgia.

Yesterday morning I woke up in my hammock at Tray Mountain Shelter. It had been a very windy night with a heavy fog, and the trees were dripping big fat drops of water on the tarp of my hammock.

I had visions of a hot shower and a big grinder for lunch dancing in my head, so I wasted no time in eating breakfast and packing my gear. By 8:20 I was headed back up the side trail to the AT. (8:20 may not sound like an early start, but Georgia is much further west than Boston is, so the sun comes up nearly an hour later hereabouts.)

It was only 11 miles to the road crossing in Dicvks Creek Gap, but there were a couple of very stiff climbs along the way. It was also a warm and rather muggy day.

I passed a place named "Swag of the Blue Ridge". I've no idea what this name refers to. It looked like any other gap between two peaks, a multitude of which I walk through every day. On my map it is labeled "Blue Ridge Swag." If I get internet access again soon I'll try googling it, or maybe one of my readers could do that and let me know via a comment to this post.

So, I climbed Kelly Knob, descended into Deep Gap, and them back up to Powell Mountain. Finally, I started the long descent into Dicks Creek Gap.

I arrived at the Gap at 1:00PM. There was a local there who asked if I was planning to go into town. When I told him I was he offered to drive me for either $7 or a joint. I told him I thought I would try my luck at hitching instead. It took a total of 3 passing cars and 11 minutes before I got a ride from a gentleman who dropped me off right at the driveway to the motel.

I didn't do much Tuesday afternoon except shower, wash my laundry (NASTY socks!), and eat.

Today, Wednesday, I walked up Main Street almost a mile to find a diner for breakfast, then I walked to the grocery store and bought food for the next 3 - 4 day leg up to Winding Stair Gap and Franklin, NC, about 40 trail miles away. After the grocery store I stopped at the post office and picked up my 20 degree sleeping bag that I asked Jodi to send to me here.

With all my packages in hand I came back to my room, then after leaving everything here I walked up to the library so I coukd post my photos. The link to those in in the previous blog entry. On my way out to walk to the library I ran into Jersey Girl who was also here last night, but I didn't know it. She is heading out of town to stay at the Blueberry Patch hostel tonight. While I was at the library I ran into Leatherfoot. It looks like we'll all be back on the trail tomorrow.

When I left the library it was raining heavily, but it is a short walk back to my motel. Once back, I packed up my zero degree sleeping bag, which has had me roadting every night so far, so I could mail it back home to Jodi. I also made up another box of some of my heaviest clothing, along with some sp;are food and other odds and ends, so that I could mail it to myself at Fontana Dam, just before I enter the Smokies. All that done, I walked back to the post office to send my packages, then stopped at a mini-mart to buy a local paper, and the Subway shop next door for another grinder for luinch.

I love reading small town newspapers. The lead headline is a three page article about the new school gymnasium being built, which notes that at its tallest point it is 36 feet high, and is accomnpanied by several photos to show the progress of construction.

The weather forecast includes a wind advisory until tomorrow night. I guess if the weather is really nasty tomorrow I could head up to the hostel for the night. If not, I'll be b\ack on the trail tomorrow. It's supposed to rain on and off through Saturday.

The North Carolina border is only 9 miles away, so I will soon have completed one state. I look at short-term goals like that because thinking of 2000+ miles or six months is just too daunting. I should be in Franklin, NC either Saturday or Sunday.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Photos

I got to the library in Hiawassee this morning and uploaded the photos
I have taken so far. These are from the section from Amicalola Falls
State Park to Hiawassee, Georgia. They are located here:
http://www.allenf.com/gallery2/main.php/v/AT2009/AFSPtoHiawassee/

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Blue Mtn Shelter to Tray Mtn Shelter

Monday, 3/23

AT Miles = 7.8 / 56.5
Other Miles = .3 / 12.3
Total Miles = 8.1 / 68.8

After yesterday's tough workout I slept a bit late this morning and was almost the last one to leave camp this morning. The day started with a couple of hard climbs, and I was not predicting where I might end up at the end of the day.

The climb out of Unicoi Gap was a tough one, then I crossed Rocky Mountain and descended down into Indian Grave Gap, then up and over until I climbed down into Tray Gap. In Tray Gap there was a man named Bill who had set up a gas grill and was cooking cheesebrgers for all the hikers. He also had a couple of coolersa full of soda, and some folding chairs so we could sit and relax while eating.

I sat there for well over an hour chatting with Bill about marathoning, and he told me he is heading up to Boston in a couple weeks to run the Boston Marathon.

After finally saying goodbye to Bill I struck out up Tray Mountain. At the summit there was a great view down into the valley where Hiawassee is.

Now I am at Tray Mountain Shelter. There are four other hikers here, Jersey Girl, John Nascar, Turtle, and Leather Foot. Oh, I don't think I've mnentioned it yet, but a couple of days ago I was dubbed with the trailname of MonkeyWrench, due to the monkeywrench flag that flies from the suspension line of my hammock.

I got into camp at around 2:00pm and have enjoyed a lazy afternoon. Now we have a little fire going and are sitting around chatting until it's time to go to bed, which will be in about an hour or so.

Tomorow I have 11 miles to hike to Dicks Creek Gap. From there I will hitchhike into Hiawassee and hopefully get a room at the Hiawassee Inn for a couple of nights. A lot of hikers are heading for the Blueberry Patch Hostel, but I am feeling like partaking of some luxury so am opting for a motel room.

I hope to get internet access at the library on Wednesday, so that I can upload my photos. Once I do I'll post a link here so you'll know.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Neels Gap to Blue Mountain Shelter

Sunday, 3/22

AT Miles = 18 / 48.7
Other Miles = 2.5 / 12
Total = 20.5 / 60.7

Staying at the hostel at Neels Gap was a nice break from hiking. I don't sleep very well in a bunk room with a bunch of other people, some of whom inevitably snore, but the comraderie with the other hikers staying there made up for the lack of sleep.

Here's something for you, Denis. On Saturday evening we were watching "Deliveranbce" in the hostel common room while Pirate, the hostel caretaker, was wearing a shirt that said "HIKE FASTER, I hear banjo music."

I left Neels Gap at 7:30 Sunday morning and settled into a nice rythm climbing out of Neels Gap, enjoying the early morning sounds. When I was a half hour out of the Gap, maybe a mile and a quarter, I finally realized that the hat that was supposed to be atop my head was instead still hanging on a hook in the bunkroom back at the hostel. There was nothing to do except turn around and head back down. That little misadventure added about an extra 2 1/2 miles to my day. My Dad used to tell me that just because my head came to a point didn't necessarily mean I was sharp. I guess he was right.

My destination for the day was Low Gap Shelter, but I arrived there at 1:45, which was too early to stop, so I decided to keep walking until 4:00pm and see where I was.

As it turned out where I was at 4:00pm was on a beautiful piece of trail, but there was no water so I had to keep going until I reached Blue Mountain Shelter at around 5:00pm. Blue Mountain is 18 miles from Neels Gap. Adding in the extra 2.5 miles I walked to retrieve my hat, I hiked a total of 20.5 miles, my first ever 20 miler!

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

For Cassie

This one is for Cassie, since she wished a blister upon me! Love you too Cassie.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com