Date: 2021-09-20
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

So after a night of very weird dreams involving floods, bus journeys, faceless creatures emerging from a bubbling pool, shrieking monkeys, and a fully clothed young Morgan Fairchild, I awoke at five and began going over mental checklists preparing for our 8 o¢clock shuttle. (Seriously: you people who don¢t remember your dreams, count yourselves lucky. The subconscious is a dilly)We went next door to The Huddle House for wake-up type food and then returned to the hotel for too much coffee. As I¢ve probably already said, I¢m glad we picked a finish date of September 23rd about six weeks ago. It¢s enabled me to not just focus on the end, but to enjoy the journey towards the end. We¢ve still been able to hike in a satisfactory way (in other words: more than 12 miles a day) without going too far the other way and getting burned out with day after day of big miles. Both Quiksilver and I are ready to get to Springer. Our shuttle driver John was right on time and had us back up the mountain to the trail at 8:30am. We knew there was very heavy rain in the forecast for the next 60 hours (as of this writing flash flood watches have been issued) so we had a plan but were ready to adjust when needed.  Out of the gate we had an 1100 foot ascent up Blue Mountain and right on cue at 8:45 it began to rain. It rained with authority, passion, and purpose for the next four hours, turning the trail into a series of creeks and ponds. I wondered at times if I was hiking the AT or swimming the English Channel. It was a day to release my inner six year old and just tromp through any puddle I saw. I was soon covered from shoes to knees in mud and leaves.  With the rain, temps in the low 60¢s and strong winds it had turned into a miserable weather day, and it was totally fantastic!  A true ¢This Is Fine¢ test case. As long as I kept moving I knew I¢d stay warm enough, though one of the hikers I crossed paths with told me I was nuts to just be in a t-shirt and shorts with no rain gear. Quiksilver and I planned a rendezvous about 10 miles in at a shelter .2 miles off the trail. I arrived a little ahead of him and then we took counsel on what we¢d do next. The original plan was to hike 17 miles to a campsite, but seeing as we were both soaked through and cognizant of potential hypothermia, prudence dictated we go to a shelter area at mile 14. (How Prudence came to be at the shelter is mystery - HEY-OH!!) we reasoned that having a structure at hand if hammock disaster struck would be wise. It would also allow us to eat and get organized as needed out of the rain. As luck would have it, the rain abated once we got to the 1.2 mile side trail to the Whitley Gap Shelter. I know, I know: two side trails in one day? Are we even thru-hikers anymore?!?  Once at the shelter we took advantage of the lull in precipitation to quickly set up camp, get water from the spring, change clothes, and eat. By 3:30 my teeth were brushed, my food bag was hanging from the bear cables, and I was tucked into my hammock-cocoon ready for a nap. So instead of a 14 mile day tomorrow, we¢ll hike 17 instead including a visit to Neels Gap and Mountain Crossings Outfitter (the trail goes THRU the building) and then our last big climb up our last 4000-footer: Blood Mountain. We¢re ready for a night of wind and heavy rain and another two days of hiking wet. We¢re not quite done with the trail and the trail is not quite done with us!