Date: 2008-01-06
From: Rocky Mtn, GA

To: N of Kelly Knob, GA
Miles today: 10.6

It started raining at 11:30 last night and rained for about 2 hours, then it just rained off and on lightly the rest of the night.I ended up sleeping well. I would wake up once in a while when the wind picked up, but would fall right back asleep.I finally woke up about 7am and decided to get coffee going about 7:30. I wasn't in any hurry because it was still sprinkling and I had called Hiawassee Inn for a pick up at Dick's Creek Gap on Monday at noon. That gave me all day today and half a day tomorrow to go about 15 miles. :-)I think Chief could almost do that! :-)I made a big cup of Starbucks and I had two apple pies and some powdered donuts for breakfast.I did a really good job at wasting time this morning because it took me till 10am to get packed up and start walking north.The rain had stopped by then too. :-)I had called my daughter before I left and wished her a happy 35th birthday. That's my baby!She thought it was cool that I was in my tent on top of a mountain and called her.It was very mild overnight at 38 degrees when I woke up.I walked down Rocky Mtn and was at Indian Grave Gap before 11am, then walked on to the old ruins of the cheese factory site and ate an early lunch.I walked on to Tray Gap after I finished eating and I took another break, then I climbed to the summit of Tray Mtn.I really had to work at climbing today because it got pretty warm out. I made myself go slower just so I wouldn't get too wet with sweat.I took a couple pictures from the summit, then walked on to Tray Mtn Shelter.I was hoping to sign the register and use up some more smiley face stickers, but the register was full. :-(I carried my pack down to the spring and sat down and ate lunch #2. :-)I spent about an hour there enjoying the quiet and eating. The spring is running good.It was 1:30pm when I finally left the spring. I'm not making many miles today, but I'm enjoying the heck out of the day. :-)I walked down the mountain to Steeltrap Gap and took a short break. I checked my email while I was sitting there and couldn't believe how many of you are signing my guestbook! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! :-)I started climbing out of that gap and realized that I've been having some awesome views all day long.I could even see a large lake off in the distance and I'm guessing that must be near Hiawassee.I walked up to within 20 feet of a large owl before he flew off. I didn't even see him till he started flying.I walked on down to Blue Ridge Swag and got to thinking about all the rooting I've seen on this side of Tray Mtn today. There must be a lot of wild hogs around right now.They've been rooting along the side of the trail and knocking rocks into the trail.I was walking up out of Blue Ridge Swag when I came around a corner just as a large sow pig came around another corner in the trail about 25 yards away.We both stopped still and were looking at each other. I reached for my camera and I could see two baby piggies just behind her. I got my camera turned on and that's when she decided I had won the staring contest.She turned and run off snorting. I could hear more hogs to my left, so I started walking fast up towards where she had been.The hogs on my left took off running. I couldn't see them and I couldn't tell how many there was.That's when I realized there were hogs on my right side and they were only about 15 yards away.I had just gotten to where the sow had been and I could smell her, when 3 big black buggers started running the way I was going.I watched them and when they got about 30 yards away, they crossed the trail and headed in the direction of the others.Those 3 were all about 250 and were identical in color and shape. They weren't shaped long and lean like a farm raised hog, they were huskier and shorter from nose to tail.I'm not sure how many hogs were around me, but I laid eyes on 6 and heard lots more. They were on three sides of me....that was cool! :-)Superstar asked me a couple days ago if I ever got a song stuck in my head. I told her no, but for some reason, I kept thinking to myself; Chili's ba ba ba baby back ribs. :-)I found a nice fallen tree just before I got to Addis Gap and sat down for dinner. I wanted to eat and empty a little extra weight out of my pack before I made the climb up to Kelly Knob.I had salmon and mandarin orange and used Fritos to eat it like a dip...very good!I did make the nearly 1000 foot climb to Kelly Knob. I had planned on sleeping there, but didn't want to set up close to the trail and that's all I saw as far as flat spots.I walked on and saw a ridge a little later and bushwhacked to that and set up the tent for the night.Quite a day today! I saw lots of squirrels and small birds, saw that huge owl and 6 hogs.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)