Date: 2009-05-01
From: CARTER GAP SHELTER

To: FRANKLIN N.C.
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

MY BIGGEST DAY! 15.9 MILESFRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINAI HAVE ARRIVED AND HITCHED A RIDE INTO TOWN AND I'M AT A GREAT HIKERS MOTEL. DOING LAUNDRY AND ABOUT TO HIT THE TOWN FOR SOME FOOD FOOD AND MORE FOOD! GOT TO RACK UP THE CALORIES AND RESUPPLY. LEFT THE CARTER GAP SHELTER. STARTED TO RAIN BEFORE I WOKE THEN STOPPED. I DECIDED TO GO ON ONLY TO BE CAUGHT IN A DOWNPOUR. BRRRR!!! I'M SOAKED. NOW I HAVE TO CLIMB ALBERT MOUNTAIN. IM DEALING WITH WATER POOLS ALL OVER THE TRAIL AND ITS HOPELESS TO STAY DRY. MY SHOES ARE SOAKED. ALBERT MOUNTAIN WAS ONE OF THE MOST TREACHEROUS CLIMBS SO FAR. ON THE WAY I CANT EVEN SEE THE BOTTOM TO MY RIGHT. THE CLOUDS ARE BLOWING RIGHT ON THROUGH ME. HAD TO CLIMB ON HANDS AND KNEES IN SOME SPOTS UP THAT MOUNTAIN TO THE OBSERVATION TOWER AND IT WAS COLD AND WINDY. THE RAIN PONCHO I PUT ON KEPT BLOWING IN THE WIND AND CATCHING ON THE CHAIN LINK FENCING ON THE TOWER AND SHREDDED IT. I GOT SOME PICTURES ON TOP. I CAME DOWN AND ROCKY SHOWED UP AND I ASK HER IF SHE COULD SNAP A PICTURE OF ME. ITS WINDY AND DRIZZLY. SHE HIKES ON. I RUN INTO HER SHORTLY AFTER EATING A SNACK. I CHAT FOR A FEW MINUTES WITH HER AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE HER ALONE AND I HIKED ON. TARZAN AND ICEMAN CAUGHT UP TO ME AND PASSED ME. SHORTLY LATER I HAD MY STRIDE AND I PASSED THEM BY. AFTER A WHILE THEY PASSED ME AGAIN. I WOULD LATER SEE THEM AT THE ROCK GAP SHELTER. I TOLD THEM THERE WAS A MCDONALDS IN FRANKLIN AND I WASNT GONNA STOP TILL I GOT THERE. I HAD 3.1 MILES TO GO. I SAID GOODBYE AND OFF I WENT.I PULLED IT OFF. I'VE PASSED ALL THOSE I'VE BEEN TRAVELING WITH. I WANTED TO GET TO FRANKLIN REALLY BAD. WENDY'S MCDONALD'S ETC. ETC. ETC. LOST ANOTHER SHIRT AND BURNED UP ONE SOCK BY THE FIRE LAST NIGHT AFTER I BURNED A HOLE IN MY FLEECE JACKET A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AT THE CHEESECAKE SITE. I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO MORE SURGERY ON MY RIGHT FOOT AGAIN. WALKING IN WET SHOES AND SOCKS DIDN'T BOTHER ME THAT MUCH, JUST WILL HAVE TO WORK ON MY FEET ONCE AGAIN AFTER THAT LONG DISTANCE HIKE. MY FEET I NOTICED ARE ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL. THE RAIN MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS ISSUE. I WILL LANCE AND DRAIN THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT AGAIN. THE WET CLOTHES CAUSED SOME RUBBING AND HAVE RUBBED A RAW SPOT ON MY INNER RIGHT THIGH. WE WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO FOR THAT. THIS HAS BEEN THE TOUGHEST AND MOST CHALLENGING ENDEAVOR I HAVE EVER DONE. THE MOUNTAINS OF GEORGIA ARE BEAUTIFUL AND RUGGED. MOST DON'T MAKE IT AS FAR AS I HAVE SO FAR. ATTRITION IS SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED ALONG THE WAY. I'VE MET GREAT PEOPLE AND TOWN FOLK SO FAR. SOME OF THE NICEST PEOPLE I MET SO FAR ARE HIKING ALONG THIS TRAIL. THE STORIES I HEAR AROUND THE CAMPFIRES ARE INCREDIBLE AND FUN. THE WILL AND DESIRE TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE IS AMAZING AND QUITE EXTRAORDINARY. OK, MY LAUNDRY IS DONE, SO I'M OFF FOR A WELL NEEDED SHOWER AND THEN I'M OFF INTO TOWN TO MCDONALDS. RESUPPLIED BY LUCK. GOT ME ABOUT 8 PROTEIN BARS HIGH IN CALORIES WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. WALKED DOWN TO MCDONALD'S ABOUT 10PM AND ATE 2 CHICKEN SANDWICHES 2 SMALL FRIES ONE FRUIT AND YOGURT PARFAIT. THE GAL TOLD ME INGLES WAS DOWN THE ROAD BUT SENT ME IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. I WALKED ABOUT A MILE OR SO IN THE RAIN. BOUGHT SOME FIG NEWTONS A HALF GALLON OF MILK SOME CHIPS. GUY AT THE LITTLE CONVENIENCE STORE LOADED IT UP IN A PAPER SACK. AFTER STROLLING THE MILE BACK TO MCDONALD'S I WALKED THROUGH AN ACCIDENT SCENE THAT JUST OCCURRED. BY THE TIME I GOT TO HARDEES MY PAPER SACK WAS FALLING APART. I STROLLED INTO HARDEES ORDERED A THING OF ONION RINGS AND LOADED MY JACKETS POCKETS ALL UP WITH ALL MY STUFF I LOOKED LIKE I HAD A SUICIDE VEST ON. I SHOWERED, DID LAUNDRY AND UPDATED MY JOURNAL. I'M HEADING BACK ONTO THE TRAIL IN WHAT IS EXPECTED TO BE A WET WET WEEK. LOST ANOTHER SHIRT, BOTH MY SLEEVELESS SHIRTS. ONE WAS LEFT WITH MY 2004 RED SOX CHAMPIONSHIP SHIRT AT THE LOW GAP SHELTER BUT THE BLUE ONE I HAVE NO IDEA. I WILL NEED TO GET SOMETHING AGAIN SOON. LOOKS LIKE ITS UP UP AND AWAY. I'M GONNA DREAD THIS NEXT SECTION. NOTHING LIKE RAIN AND MUD ON THE TRAIL. MIGHT NOT HAUL AS MUCH WATER THIS TIME DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY I THINK. RAIDED THE HIKER BOX AND YIELDED SOME HERSHEY KISSES, THREE HALF MELTED TWIX BARS, SOME TEA, AND COFFEE IN TEA BAGS, SOME MARSHMELLOS HIGH IN CALORIES. GRABBED WHAT LOOKED TO BE ANOTHER BACK PACK RAIN COVER MIGHT WRAP MY SLEEPING BAG WITH IT.P.S. DEAR RUTHI'M TOLD THE ONLY MAIL DROP I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO IS IN HOT SPRINGS NORTH CAROLINA. IT MUST BE LABELED A CERTAIN WAY FOR ME TO GET IT. YOU CAN GET THAT INFO ON WHITE BLAZE . NET