Date: 2015-03-20
From: Tesnatee Gap 

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It's Raining AgainAfter a hot breakfast at the motel, I received a ride back to the trail from Doug who operates a shuttle and cab service from Helen. In the "it's a small world" category, Doug told me his aunt grew up in Johnson City. He is still a committed Georgia Bulldog, of course. From Tesnatee north on the trail over Wildcat Mountain, the fog, mist, and mud continued. If you think AT hikers are obsessed with the weather forecast, you are correct. Rain determines so much from a muddy trail (slowing your speed usually) to whether you'll be setting up your tent in the wet and thus having your gear and sleeping bag wet or even soaked, and longer term, whether springs and creeks will be full with water. p>During a water break on Wildcat Mountain, I met a group of students from Appleton, Wisconsin. They were certainly nice young people. Also, Tom the Ridgerunner was there; he was asking hikers to tent at Low Gap Shelter to ease some overcrowding at Blue Mountain Shelter up the trail. Given the rain and mud, I thought that was a very reasonable suggestion.Onward I went until I reached Low Gap. As the dark skies threatened another deluge, I moved quickly to set up my tent at 3 p.m. It is definitely "Home Sweet Home" in about 22 square feet. There is such a great feeling if you crawl in your tent or shelter just in advance of the descending deluge. I executed my plan successfully except that when I slid in the tent and zipped the door shut, accompanying me was a generous heap of mud. After a few swipes on the tent floor with a pack towel, the mud was conquered, too. I stayed in the tent until the next morning. When I stuck my head out on Saturday morning, tents dotted the hillside. As the hiking was shorter for this section and thus the shorter journal entry, I thought it may be of interest to share at how I reached the trail name "Resolute." First, if you don't name yourself prior to hitting the AT, I can almost guarantee your fellow hikers will name you; moreover, that name will likely be along the lines of such terms of endearment as Moose Breath, Slow Turtle, Speedy Slug, or Galloping Sloth. More seriously, the dictionary defines "resolute" with descriptive terms as "purposeful" and "determined" in an admirable cause. I like that as it describes my aim to recover from heart problems and complications. The HMS Resolute, an 1850s English sailing barque designed to explore the Arctic, was trapped in the ice; however, she was rescued and her timbers were incorporated and repurposed in desks for Queen Victoria and President Rutherford B. Hayes (and almost all U.S. Presidents since have used the desk). So, although life may batter and even trap us, we can resolutely move forward for new purposes, not stumbling over the trails we've already walked in life.Here's an epilogue to my story. After I had set up my TrailJournals account, Beth and I were going through my medical paperwork from the good cardiology staff at Vanderbilt Medical. In one of the notes, there is a reference that I received a "Resolute" cardio stent.Coincidence? In my heart, I don't think so.