Date: 2018-03-04
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: DickÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0

The section of the Appalachian Trail that meanders through the North Georgia Mountains is often referred to as ¢the roller coaster.¢ It earns its trademark from the continuous rise and fall of the scenic path up and down mountains and knobs. Very few of the 78 miles running from Springer Mtn. to the North Carolina border parallel streams or ride atop ridges. There is also a noticeable absence of switchbacks, which means the trail, more often than not, runs straight up any given mountain, followed by a steep decent down the other side. Alone, none of the mountains we have crossed thus far have presented a challenge beyond what were physically or mentally capable of dealing with. That said, the endless ups and downs for 8 out of 9 days have impressed on us that we are not riding the kiddy coaster.Our day started on Tray Mountain, where we were up and packed before daylight. We walked 5 meters from our tent, stood on a slab of granite offering an amazing vista and had our very own sunrise worship. What an awesome experience.The hike started with a long and steep descent down Tray Mountain, followed by the usual ups and downs of the roller coaster. Then came Kelly Knob, treating us to a 1K¢ ascent over one mile. On its own, it would be a bit of a challenge, but after 65 miles on the Georgia roller coaster, it left no doubt who the gatekeeper was for this section of the AT. We passed several thru hikers on the way up Kelly Knob (and some of her predecessors) who frankly looked beaten down by the mountains. Seeing hikers gimping along on blistered feet or sitting on the side of the trail with their head down is becoming a daily occurrence. Further validating the difficulty of this section of the trail were Day Man and La La, who we met this morning before climbing Kelly¢s Knob. The duo were hiking the AT with a goal of completing their third leg of the Triple Crown of hiking. They had already completed the first two legs¢The Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. Both the PCT and CDT are longer and have higher elevations than the AT. When I asked how the AT compared so far, they did not hesitate in answering that the AT was the toughest due to the constant ups and downs and rocky terrain, both of which prevent hikers from getting into a good rhythm. We also passed a southbound day hiker, Coop, who had completed a SOBO in 2003, at the age of 55 (my age). He asked us if we were thru hikers. When we indicated that we were, he reached in his pocket and handed us several Starburst. We got a picture of Coop and his dog, ate one of the Starburst, and put the others in our pockets where they remained until we needed a little extra umph to get up and over a mountain. Our pockets were empty by the end of the day.We decided around noon that we were going to hike to Dicks Creek Gap and stay at the renowned Top of Georgia (TOG) Hostel, so when I got a decent signal I called to make reservations. Included with the reservation were two bunks, a shower, laundry service, and a shuttle ride to Hiawassee (food and re-supply). The shuttle to Hiawassee would depart at 4PM. It was noon when I made the reservation and we had six more miles to hike to Dicks Creek Gap. I figured if we averaged our typical two miles an hour, we could make it by 3PM, giving us enough time for a quick shower before catching the shuttle. Of course, that was before we realized that Kelly¢s Knob presented a formidable obstacle. Nonetheless, we somehow managed to trudge up the Knob and survive the steep trek down, making it to Dick¢s Creek Gap at about 2:45. Plot twist! The TOG was yet another 1/2 mile down a curvy 2-lane Highway. Sensing that Which Way was at the end of her hiking rope, I raced ahead of her when we were about 1/4 mile from a parking lot at Dick¢s Creek Gap. When I arrived I saw a man in a black pickup truck who was trying to wiggle his way into a tight parking spot, so I offered to guide him into the spot. He said ¢thanks¢ and I said, ¢Too bad you were coming and not going or I would have hit you up for a ride to the TOG.¢ He replied, "I¢ll be glad to take you anyway.¢ ANOTHER TRAIL ANGEL, showing up at the perfect moment. The trail will provide!About that time, Which Way stumbled across the road, looking like she had been hit by a Mack Truck. I motioned her over, letting her know that the nice gentleman was going to give us a lift to the TOG. She replied, ¢You are my hero!¢ Music to my ears. On the short ride down, the man (Jeff) told us he too was a Hostel owner. Turns out, Jeff is the proprietor of the Green Mountain House in Manchester Vermont, another ¢must stay¢ AT hostel. Jeff had come down to Georgia for the official 2018 AT kickoff. He had just came from Amicalola Falls and reported that 50 hikers had started their hike today. I sure hope we are able to stay ahead of that bubble.Once at the TOG, we got a quick shower and I picked up a re-supply package I had mailed to this address the day before we started our AT journey. We were shuttled into Hiawassee by a nice gal named Grace and dropped off at the town Mexican restaurant. Doug and Spirit Man, who both started their journey a couple of days before us, joined us at a booth. I ordered the Hombre Grande and finished every bite. Halfway through the meal in walked the Dynamic Duo (blind man and his wife from day 1). They were coming in from Unicoi Gap (two days back). She said they had skipped Blood Mtn because it was raining hard they day they planned to take it on. It is really neat how the trail keeps bringing hikers together.If all goes well tomorrow, we will bid farewell to the roller coaster and end the day in North Carolina. Much more to write about, but I¢m fading fast. Happy Trails! NS Elevation Data:Ascent ~ 2,430Descent ~ 3,870Grade ¢ 10.8  Weather:Day ¢ 60 degrees / SunnyNight ¢ 40 degrees / Clear  Over the Horizon: GA/NC Border  Anything worth doing, is better done TOGETHER--Which Way and Next Step!