Date: 2006-03-21
From: Trey Mountain Shelter

To: Holiday Inn Express in Hiawassee
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day: 8   Date: 3-21-06   Mileage: 10.6   Total: 66.6Last night was really a dandy!!Going into camp with rain/sleet and wind. It was so nice, the PA boys had a campfire going. It felt really good. When I went to bed it was raining, sleeting and still very windy. The rain was freezing on the trees and everything was real icy. I spread my pack rain cover over the end of my sleeping bag as it was raining into the shelter. During the night the rain stopped and I was just sure it was snowing, but of course could not see out. Later it poured rain again. However, it had warmed up and melted the ice. It was still a cold start to the morning. Today we had a lot of fog. It is very discouraging not to see the top or the bottom of the mountain. You have to look down so much to avoid a fall. The trail is full of rocks and roots - and today lots of mud and wet leaves to slip on.I left the shelter this morning at 8:20 a.m. and walked out of the woods at 2:30 p.m. I was very happy to do 10.6 miles in just over six hours.I had to hitch to the Blueberry hiker hostel, 3.5 miles away. It took about 15 minutes to get a ride. Then I went on into town, Hiawassee.I am sharing a room with NEFFA (Sarah from Maine). I have done my laundry and we went to McDonalds for supper. That Big Mac was just wonderful!I am excited to sleep in a real bed tonight and not worry if I have to get up to go to the bathroom and actually have a flush toilet!Yesterday was a real crash and burn. Today is much better. It is amazing how good you can feel when you are in town.It is hard to keep track of the date and the day of the week. We don't worry about it - just walk!!A bit of information about bear bagging. When we are at a shelter there is a pulley system we hook our food bag to and anything else that has odors. If we stealth camp, we have to throw a rope onto a tree limb far enough up and away from the tree trunk that a bear cannot get to it. Then in the morning we get the pack down.I am sitting here on a real bed, watching American Idol. It's very comfortable.Oh yea, about last night, it was very cold. I had on most of my clothes. And NEFFA (Sarah) had a hand warmer she gave me to put in my sock to keep my feet warm. We were almost shoulder-to-shoulder in the shelter. So I did not mind being close, it was warmer!!I also had my wet t-shirt and second layer shirt in the bottom of my sleeping bag. The idea is your body heat will dry them. Well, it did not work!!! The rain got the end of my bag wet. So this morning I had to put those wet clothes back on and they were VERY cold. However, once you start hiking, you warm up fast.So far, I have no blisters. But I have had a few hot spots which I put tape on. I have read so much that you don't need to worry about conditioning, the trail will condition you. That may be true but I cannot imagine how you would feel doing nothing. A good way to make you go home early. With what I have done, it is still not easy.Tomorrow we go into NC. YEA!! One state down.Best get to bed now. Good night Mr. Marposa.********************Written log mailed by GG 3-22-06, received 3-25-06, entered 3-27-06 by Sarita for Gloria