Date: 2006-03-10
From: Woody Gap (Hiker Hostel)

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

I am writing this at 3:30 in the morning. I did not sleep at all last night. My nose is plugged, forcing me to breathe through my mouth, and my throat is very sore. I have a post-nasal drip and simply cannot get to sleep. About 1:00, I got up and went downstairs and sat in a chair. That helped the drip a lot, and even my nose unplugged a bit. I still couldn't sleep, though. Tinker and Golden Waldo are snoring like crazy. I can hear them all the way downstairs. They were snoring when I left, but it didn't bother me. I couldn't have gotten to sleep anyway.At 2:30 I went back to bed and laid there for a while, but the post-nasal drip drove me nuts, and I got up at 3:30 to start writing.About 4:30, just now, Tinker came out muttering something about letting people sleep. Maybe Brian had had enough of two guys snoring and one guy sniffling and sneezing all night and said something. Anyway, Tinker is downstairs with Maggie the dog, and I am up in the alcove typing away.The rain has stopped, and now I don't know if I will take a zero day here or not. While hiking yesterday, my calves, shins, thighs and shoulders were so sore I felt a zero would be a good thing. Then the cold made it seem even a better idea. But the rain has stopped and in 10.6 miles I could be in Neels Gap where I could buy lozenges.I guess I will wait and see after breakfast.****************************************Well, breakfast came and went and so did I. I packed up and got shuttled to Woody Gap by Josh, who was disappointed that I didn't take a zero. I promised to be back next year with my wife.I packed up the left over pizza and grabbed two Sprites that Golden Waldo bought but did not want. They'll make a fine lunch.First thing I saw on the trail was Mudflap and Daisy breaking camp. They had camped a hundred yards into the trail, in a circular area where rock had been quarried. Luckily they set their tent up on the highest ground, because the rest of the area was under water after the rain. They are heading to Woods Hole Shelter today. They walked all the way from Hawk Mountain Shelter and Daisy was beat.I was soon passed by a young man named Doug, and then by John and Lilly, a husband-wife team who are thru-hiking. Doug is hiking with them, but is going back to work tomorrow.The climb up Big Cedar was tough, but afterwards was a long gradual downhill. I stopped at Miller Gap and had a slice of pizza and half a Sprite, then resumed walking. I started getting a hot spot and stopped to apply duct tape. Glad I had the new stuff. My right toe is still cluttered with adhesive. I'll buy some Goo-Gone in Hiawassee.I leapfrogged Golden Waldo for a few times, then after passing him the last time never saw him again. And likely won't as he is staying at Woods Hole Shelter and hikes shorter days than me. I leapfrogged Lilly, John and Doug a few times, then never saw them again. They were ahead of me.I had more pizza and Sprite at Jarrads Gap, and walked on, passing by Slaughter Gap. Both Slaughter Gap and Blood Mountain are named for a huge battle between Cherokees and Creeks. Supposedly the mountain ran red with blood. The Cherokees won.The climb up Blood Mountain was long, but wouldn't have been bad if I hadn't been so congested. I had absolutely no lung capacity, and stopped for a breather every fifty yards of so.I finally made the top and stopped for a moment at Blood Mountain Shelter and started down. I wanted to get to Mountain Crossings before they closed, and hurried down. I felt a twinge in my knee twice, then realized what I was doing. This is where my knee started hurting last year! I was about to blow it out again! I slowed down and took my time.Mountain Crossings at Walasi-Yi was open. Walasi-Yi sounds really cool, but it only means Frog Place. I exchanged my matchbook cover for a bandana and a platypus-type bottle. I didn't get any frogs.I bought a Gatorade and an orange juice. I drank the juice and a little of the Gatorade.Tinker wanted to climb the ridge and camp up top. I agreed at first, and in truth I wanted to do it, to get the big climb out of the way tonight rather than face it in the morning. But more and more I realized it was a bad idea. I did 10.6 miles today and that was plenty with my cold. There was no need to push it, and lots of reasons not to.So I told Tinker I wasn't going. Brian and I gave him all our water (the water was shut off here at Walasi-Yi) and I told him where the nearest spring was. Then I signed in. I also signed up for the shuttle to town for an AYCE dinner. The hostel was $15 and the shuttle $4.Eight of us went to dinner: me, Mango, Mark, Brian, John, and Lilly from the hostel, and we picked up Ranger Cortex and Turtle Scout from Goose Creek Cabins.The food was okay. Winton drove us down. I rode shotgun and chatted about hikers and gear with him. He gave us an hour at the restaurant. I was through in 30 minutes and walked over to a CVS and bought some industrial strength Sudafed and some Robitussin with decongestant and expectorant and cough suppressant. This alone was what made staying at Neels Gap (rather than hiking on) a good decision. I hate to brag, but I'm rather proud of myself. .... Okay I like to brag, but I'm still proud I didn't give in to hike too much too soon.I'm now in the hostel typing this. Besides the group, Totempole99 is here. This is his first backpacking experience. He is doing great. Nean is working here at Mountain Crossings.This has been the best evening on the trail. Everyone in the hostel is friendly. Hikers bond so quickly.Well, people are making going-to-bed noises and I am super tired, and I was super-tired BEFORE I took the extra drowsy Sudafed. Now I'm zonked.