Date: 2013-04-04
To: Hiawasee,GA
Miles today: 0.0

Thursday, April 4, 20134/4/13I'm alive! Due to copious amounts of snow, we ended up starting on Wednesday the 27th. Even though it wasn't snowing, it was still extremely cold. As in frost in my tarp from condensation, ice shards in my gatorade bottle cold. Having to wake up and pee in the middle of the night has become my most dreaded moment, especially if it's raining. Since I ended up starting two days later Kayla, Tanner, Jason and Eli all got off early at Woody Gap. I miss hiking with them, but I have found some really awesome folks to hike with. I'm going to try and post a photo of all of us at Neels Gap, we'll see how that goes. There's a hiker camaraderie between everyone. When you make it to camp everyone has gone over the same mountains as you and people even have blisters in the same spots as other people. We all complain about pooping in the woods. For some reason I never have to go when there's an actual privy. So far I've hiked 69.6 miles, and tomorrow ill be crossing over into North Carolina. I'm currently in Hiawassee, GA at the Budget Inn, watching a Steven Segal movie with Ali and Irwin, the two British guys, and Andy from Connecticut. We ordered two large pizzas, they were gone in 15 mins. I just got back from walking to the grocery store, a Ingles. I got gummy bears and fruit roll ups. Little things go a long way to make you happy out here. I met day hikers the other day that gave me a Hershey bar, I could've kissed them! We had a bonfire last night at the hotel, I introduced sweetwater beer to the Brits. As soon as we got out to the bonfire GreenLight, now dubbed Wicker Man, fell into the fire and caught his jacket on fire. This may sound awful, but it was actually quite funny (he wasn't hurt.) On the first day of my hike we made camp early, got a good fire going and over walks Bluejay Bob. He was an odd bird, he kept telling me to move his socks around the fire for him while he just sat there ha. Haven't run into him since. Eli also set his pack in dog poo the first day, we gave him the trail name That Smell. The second night at Justis mountain campsite I was showing Eli and Tanner how to hang a bear bag using the PCT method. I didn't really think it through and left the food bag off the biner while I showed Eli how you would pull up to the tree. Meanwhile, Tanner tried to warn me and I was like, "hang on I'm just showing him without it for now." Insert foot in mouth. Jason and I coerced Eli into climbing the tree so I could salvage most of the bear bag line. I finally got my trailname yesterday, it's Lost n Found. I lost my credit cards, drivers license, medical insurance cards. I called Kayla on my third night panicked And she called subway in Hiawassee. They had them!!! Perfect since I am resupplying here. Well, not when subway is mistaken and they actually don't have them. I had the brilliant idea to check online where I last used it and had a aha! moment when I realized they were in my jacket pocket at home. I also left my Spot at the campfire, but Andy found it and gave it to me. I got piss poured on that day as well and left my pants on my ridge line to dry over night. Well, it rained and I had to hike in rain pants in the only warm weather we had the next day while my pants dried in the sun on top of my pack while hiking. We have a guy hiking along that's from Estonia, named Low Rider, he's a great guy. He hung his bear bag pretty badly one night and all his food got eaten by a bear, he kept saying "bear is fussy eater, it eat ramen but not seasoning." He also does a great Borat impression, great success!!! Our last night before hiking into Hiawassee, we did 13 miles of brutal ascents and descents. Got to camp and the water was about a quarter mile down a very steep ravine. Sighhh. We all plan on walking 2,183 miles but even a tenth of a mile out of the way is a pain in the ass ha. Well I'm signing out. I should be in Franklin NC I'm 5 days, and at Nantahala outdoor Center by Saturday hopefully. Definitely taking a zero there, I've spent a lot of time boating there and plan on enjoying the river when I get there! Posted by Leslie Hutchison at 7:09