Date: 2014-03-23
From: Carter Gap shelter

To: Rock Gap shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: broken clouds

For the first time, the sound of rain in the morning didn't make me cringe. Because I was tucked neatly away in the trail provided shelter. No wet tent for me today!The downside to this morning was all the lolly-gagging I did in camp, presumably to delay the inevitable day of hiking in the rain. Luckily, about as soon as I threw on the pack and left the shelter, it quit raining. I have discovered one benefit to hiking the rain: when the trail gets muddy, the ground gets soft, and thus it's easier on the knees. Today's challenge was the Albert Mtn climb. There was some discussion about this climb in camp last night, with mixed reviews regarding its difficulty. In a way, I'm glad that those who knew the climb left those of us who didn't in suspense. Getting to the top of Albert Mtn was not easy, but it sure was fun.In terms of difficulty, I'd rate the Albert Mtn approach as moderate. It did involve a fairly steep up hike, on rock and root covered trail. The skies were cloudy and at one point the trail went above the cloud line. While the clouds obscured any views, it was pretty cool looking at a sheer drop off into the clouds to my immediate right. Of course, since the trail was wet, and rocky, and root covered, it demanded concentration as not to fall to a murky death. The last 3rd of a mile involved actual hands over head climbing, moving straight up from one boulder to the next. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a white knuckle experience, though one wrong foot placement could've meant big trouble. I actually had to stow my trekking poles for this last section...it was a blast. Because of cloud cover, there wasn't much of a view from the top. And, since it was there, I climbed the three story fire tower (which was technically closed) and snapped a few hazy pictures. Incidentally, the Albert Mtn fire tower is 100.1 miles from Springer Mtn in Georgia.Today was a good day to push the mileage: the trail was comparably easy, and the weather was perfect for hiking. There's something special about finding your rhythm while hiking. It's about your heart rate, respiratory rate, foot steps, and trekking poles all working together in a nearly perfect, synchronous fashion. For me, it's almost like a meditative state, where I'm completely relaxed, and my mind is free of thought. I managed to stay in the flow for about 5.5 miles, until my feet hurt bad enough that I couldn't ignore them any longer. When I crossed paths with two day hikers, I was mostly limping along, and they told me my day was over in less than half a mile. My favorite pieces of gear today? The Alpaca socks my niece gave me before I left, and my camp shoes! When I checked my feet, I found a blister under a callous on my left foot (ouch). I'll figure out a way to pad it before tomorrow's hike...which is thankfully an easy 4 miles into town.As for tonight, I'll be sleeping in the shelter again (Rock Gap) as there's no suitable place to pitch a tent. The forecast is calling for temps in the low 20s.On the dinner menu, 4 servings of mashed potatoes, and one foil pack of salmon. Im honestly pretty excited about eating, and then passing out!