Date: 2016-04-14
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicio Gap/ Helen GA
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

We started the day off early from Low Gap Shelter and got on the trail by 8am. The grade was so nice the first 4 miles. The trail was on an old road very similar to what we have back in the Catskill Park. The only difference is many of the old roads in the Catskill Park go up this one was flat and was a very easy grade. We were boogieing and had gone 4 miles before noon. We rested for a bit as we climbed up Blue Mt. We lept frogged Kate, Ompi, bubble head, no name and Hayden in some form or another. These were the group we spent most of the day with. Trooper was stiff and sore to start but the sun came out and she loosened up and was good to go. The climb up blue was steep but really rocky. This was our first real rocky climb on the AT. I said Trooper what does this remind you of and she said the Catskills. I felt like I was going up Westkill and not Blue Mountain. I got to Blue mt. shelter first and took off my bag, gaiters and unzipped my zip offs to make shorts it got pretty warm. I walked back to the trail junction to start going down the AT and there was trooper. Holy crap I said. I was coming down to help you and there you are good job. She was spent and beat tired. We walked over to Blue Mountain shelter and rested and ate snacks for about a 1/2 hour. We then debated on if we should stay in Hiawasse or Helen for the night as we needed resupply. My sister is in Georgia and is going to meet us on Friday. We decided on Helen as the hotel is closer for my sister and it had an indoor pool and hot tub. We called and made a reservation and began our steep 1.5 trek down Blue Mt dropping 1000 feet in elevation. We got to the bottom and were spent and were talking about ways to get to Helen. Do we hitch? Do we call a shuttle and then bam we crossed the street to trail magic. A group of past thru hikers 2010 had driven up from Athens GA and did trail magic since 8am. There were hot dogs, chips, soda, Gatorade, fruit, snacks and COLD BEER. Now I'm not a beer drinker but when I heard cold beer I was pumped. It was a nice surprise after a 10 mile hike in the sun. We sat in chairs that were provided and exchanged stories. Tumbleweed and company were wonderful. We called for a shuttle from a number the hotel provided. Trooper called and the guy who answered said he was sick. That's so our luck... Our shuttle guy is sick we laughed. I then said I guess trooper I'll stick you on the side of the road and pray someone picks us up. Just then tumbleweed says we all have 5 cars here one of us can give you a lift. We were overjoyed at the offering and said yes please. So we piled into the back of tumbleweeds car and Max her boyfriend and she drove us to Helen. She said that she had gotten a ton of free rides and trail magic that it was time to pay it forward. They dropped us off at the hotel and we checked in. We dropped all of our gear in the room, pulled all our clothes into one pile and did a wash. I had my pair of running shorts which I threw on and went in the hot tub to soak my legs. When I got back into the room I heard Trooper on the phone with her husband. I heard her say the words I'm coming home. She said goodnight to him and hung up. I looked at her and said its that time? She said yes it is! She said the trail is so hard and I'm in so much pain. In the coarse of 52.9 miles I have watched the pain on Troopers face but she pushed through it. Finally it was just too much for her.?So trooper will not be joining me back on the trail at Unicio Gap. She had said 6 times prior, I wanna go home and I would have her read the list of why she wanted to do the AT. If she had done all on her list then it was time to go home. The last time we stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn I thought she might not return to the trail but she did for another 16 miles. She is sad to leave and loved every minute but her body just is not liking it. Watching her grow over the last 9 days has truly been remarkable. From her first steps of panicked looking where do I put my foot, to me turning around to see how far back she is and she is right at my heels. Trooper was not a hiker or outdoors person before she did this. All of her outdoor experience has been with me and most of that has been since November 2015 when her and I started training for this. I'm going to miss her out on the trail and all the times we have laughed but I know she is still right there with me. She helped me get my trail legs, she helped me keep a slow pace and low miles and she helped me get smitty 52.9 miles closer to Maine. I think her 52.9 mile journey has been a success and has forever changed her. So to my super trooper thank you for the memories. Come visit me when I get to Virginia.