Date: 2017-03-05
From: Tray Mt Shelter,GA

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

3/5/17 Plumorchard Gap Shelter, GAMiles hiked: 73.8, Miles to go: 2116.0We awoke to a glorious sunrise on Tray Mt. The view to the east was incredible. Most people quickly packed up and headed out. I took my time and drank my tea and watched the sunrise. I knew I only had 11 miles to hike to get to the Top of Georgia hiker hostel to pick up my heavier sleeping bag, so I was in no hurry. Last night was a little warmer, so I didn't freeze. I was pretty cold; but, not teeth-chattering cold. The hike to Dick's Creek Gap, where Top of Georgia hostel is located, was pretty easy, with only one really steep climb over Kelly Knob. As a result, I reached the hostel by 1 pm. I was able to get my box (yay!) and pack up a few things to send home. I was also able to get a couple of hot dogs and a Mt Dew for lunch. I had planned to spend the night at the hostel and had reserved a bed in the bunkhouse the previous day; however, it was still early, it was beautiful, I felt great, and I had been in Hiawassee and only hiked about five miles the day before. Therefore, I decided to press on to the next shelter. I was feeling a little antsy about getting trapped in the gravitational pull of Hiawassee. The hostel is located slightly north of the town and ran shuttles down to the town several times a day. It would feel weird to be back in Hiawassee - like I was making no forward progress or something. I had already paid a non-refundable fee for the bed, so I "paid it forward" and let the next guy who arrived have my spot for free. He was so excited - my own little bit of trail magic. The only real downer was that I had passed Blood Mt and Courtney, who were also planning to stay there, earlier in the day and would be heading out before they arrived. I wasn't as worried about Courtney, she was just a young kid whose hike happened to coincide with mine for a few days. But, Blood Mt and I had really hit it off and I felt like I might be walking away from a good friendship. The problem is he hikes slower than I do. So, I either hike shorter days to keep with him or he hikes longer days (and risks injuring himself) to keep up with me. One thing I promised myself when I started this hike is that I wasn't going to get caught up in someone else's hike. I was going to hike my own hike. So, in the end, I left him a note and headed back out. The rest of the hike was uneventful and almost melancholy. The pretty sunny day had clouded over and the woods had changed from fairly open ridge tops to more dark and shaded valley. When I arrived at the shelter, I realized that they were all strangers and I felt a little out of place. But thru hikers being who they are, it wasn't long until we were all sitting together fixing dinner and getting to know one another. I am now sitting in my tent in my warm and comfy sleeping bag feeling content about my decision. One funny, almost tragic, thing happened last night that I probably shouldn't share; but, you guys have hiked this far with me, so I guess we're like old friends. Like I mentioned, it was really cold last night. I should also mention that, ever since I had a run-in with kidney stones a few years ago that put me in the hospital, I drink a lot of water. I realized after the kidney stones that I did not consume enough water and was in a perpetual state of dehydration, which contributed to the formation of the kidney stones. So, I have been consuming a gallon or more of water every day during this hike. Of course, at some point that water has to come back out - even if you are sleeping in a tent in 29 degree weather on top of a mountain in Georgia. Well, an acquaintance who hiked the AT last year had suggested to me that I should keep an empty bottle in my tent to use so I didn't have to traipse around in the dark and cold to relieve myself in the middle of the night. Keeping this in mind, I held on to a small orange juice bottle that I had bought in Hiawassee. Now, I consider myself a fairly intelligent person and I learned in paramedic school about how much urine is produced by the average adult male. Of course, I didn't take time to consider that when I chose this bottle. I just wanted something small that would easily fit into the outer mesh pocket of my pack (you see where this is going, don't you?). Anyway, during the middle of the cold, dark night I awoke to the feeling of needing to pee. Bad! I grabbed my bottle and sat up in my sleeping bag. Oh, blessed relief! As the level of the fluid continued to rise in the bottle, the magnitude of the impending tragedy began to soak in, as it were. I was in a sleeping bag in a zipped up tent and, I don't know about you, but I can't just turn on and off the spigot at will. As I watched the level of the yellow liquid increase with mounting horror, I had visions of carrying a pee-soaked down hiking quilt into the hostel and having to explain why I needed to wash it before I shipped it home. Luckily, the bottle turned out to be just large enough - tragedy averted! By the way, while I was at the Top of Georgia hostel today, I bought a Gatorade. It's a much bigger bottle than an orange juice bottle.