Date: 2003-04-14
From: Tray Mt. Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

Erin and I woke up early enough to watch the sun rise from our sweeeeeet campsite. It's probably only the third time in my life I've ever watched a sunrise (and probably only the fifth time I've been up that early,)and by far this was the most dramatic and beautiful I've seen. We took some pictures from a rock outcropping in front of our site then tended to the pre-hike business of taking down food bags,organizing packs,etc. I went back down to the shelter to get something I'd left behind and the 'creepy guy in the shelter' came up to me with an earing he'd found along the trail which Erin had unknowingly lost. How nice. We used the rest of our coffee up this morning, Erin took one for the team and went with the instant Foldgers coffee bag we scavenged out of a hiker's give and take box in a parking lot and I got the rest of the Blueberry. (Hey,I offered to switch but she refused....)Erin went ahead of me and I hung around and read awhile. In no time at all, as I lounged quietly in the tent the sun rose swiftly into the sky and with it the temperatures..and by nine o'clock it was getting hot. Then, like some piper in the forest had played some special gnat summoning melody, the bugs came out from wherever the hell it is they go at night and quickly found and feasted upon my foul smelling body. It was time for me to go. I don't know if Erin mentioned it already but the bugs are out down here and they are out in vast black numbers. They're not mosquitos, they're not blackflies, but they are bugs and they do swarm and they most definitely bite. Yesterday I got a bite on the back of my calf that actually drew enough blood for it to dribble down to my sock. They look like they may be a distant mutant strain of the blackfly, like something that escaped from the basement of the science department at UG and which I have aptly and scientifically named Damn! or sometimes Jesus! or Go Away!. More names are sure to come. Anyway, the sun was out and we were both hiking. I cought up with Erin at Sassafras Gap (I love that name) where she was lounging around in a nice breeze, swatting away bees and waiting for me so we could go down a steep side trail to get water. We did the arduous chore of filtering water and I took off my shirt and hat and let them soak down stream while we pumped. My shirt was so stiff from salt that I feared it would break if I tried to fold it. We pressed on to Addis Gap. Meandering down a moderate incline we began to see signs duct-taped to the trees for something called 'Feast in the Forest' hosted by a group that called themselves 'The Atlanta Angels'. They were advertising free sandwiches, soda, beer, fruit, vegetables, and a 'stiff shot'. I sped up and caught up to Erin again who was waiting at a sign with an arrow that pointing down a narrow logging road and read 'Feast in the Forest at Addis Gap .5 miles.' It took less than a second to start heading in that direction. Our feet were sore and it was over 80 degrees. It doesn't take much convincing.What a trip this place was. There were other hikers down there. The creepy guy was down there sucking on Schlitz already and Noam, a kid we thought was a day ahead was there, and a few other guys we hadn't met yet. We were quickly greeted and helped feel at home by a few burley friendly folks with very southern accents and about 3 hyper and equally friendly dogs. There was a large tent set up with a grill, fresh apples, carrots, papayas, soda, chips, cheese, eggs, wine, vodka, whiskey, bread, corn, and cans of bear floating in a stream nearby.(Somebody was off getting another keg after the first had been tapped during the party that raged the night before. Noam said it was pretty wild.) It was an absolute oasis to a hiker and it was all free just as long as you signed their guest book. I immediately went for the soda and the apples and Erin went for the chocolate. We took our shoes off, put out our mats, and laid around for a while. This was all in the middle of nowhere mind you. After about twenty minutes of observation and casually eavesdropping on the conversation it didn't take long to figure out that everyone who was hosting the part was completely toasted. Not just buzzed but wasted. It was wild. However, we learned that the "creepy shelter guy" is just a guy from Northern Maine. Erin went "Oh, well that explains everything!" He is just sort of gruff in his demeanor, but nice. This is his 3rd thru-hike. Creepy guy no more. Erin and I and hung out for a while, enjoying the conveniences then pushed off once again with Noam who was still hungover from the night before. Erin got a big hug from 'Gordy'(one of the hosts) before leaving. I guess the services weren't completely free.The hike up the next mountain was hot and brutal but the terrain following was fairly mild. Not too long after I spotted the Highway that ran through Dick's Creek Gap and led to Hiawassee. The seed got planted to go to Hiawassee that night instead of camping like we had planned and going the next morning. I couldn't help it. The pull was too strong. A shower! A bed! I mentioned it to Erin whose feet were slowly being tenderized to hamburg and I can't say she put up too much of a fuss. In fact, as we would pass a campsite and I would mention camping for the night again she would purse her lips and sternly point towards the highway. It was fun.....