Date: 2013-03-09
From: Hiawasee

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 15.8

A perfect day on the A.T.I have tried to find the words all day, but I still can't come up with a good way to communicate the feeling that I had sitting around the breakfast table this morning with a group of nine eclectic hikers as we were treated to the very best in Christian hospitality. Gary and Lennie Poteat treated us as family. They loved on us. They humbly, graciously lived out and shared their faith. Biscuits, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, homemade blueberry syrup, coffee, and orange juice were served. Gary prayed for each of us as a blessing was given for the meal and he remembered each of our names even though he had just met all nine of us yesterday. Everyone was in awe of this couple and their kindness was brought up again and again as we hiked together that day. With a full belly, clean clothes and a pack full of food it was time to hike. Gary shuttled all of us back to the trail. The weather was perfect for hiking, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the upper 50's. I was comfortable hiking in a t-shirt much of the day. The leafless woods afforded constant, incredible views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. As Hoosier and I neared the Georgia/North Carolina border, a wild boar ran down the mountain in front of us. It was HUGE! We had a clear view of it crashing down the slope. We know hunters were in the area and the boar seemed like it might have been spooked and was fleeing them at break neck speed.As we hiked, we were leap-frogging with hikers we had met previously. We enjoyed catching up on trail news with them.A perfect day on the A.T. does not mean it was an easy hike. It wasn't. We hiked until the sun was below the ridge-line. It was our longest day yet. Obviously, the A.T. is not like a smooth, community park trail. Much of the terrain is very rocky and challenging, and constantly seems to be going either up or down. Late in the afternoon we reached our highest elevation yet on the trail, 4,600. We made camp, along with Woodrow, at Deep Gap. As we were preparing our dinners a college student and her mom hiked up. They started the A.T. near here this morning and over the next week will be hiking southbound toward Springer Mountain so the daughter can meet and interview thru-hikers for a college psychology project she received special funding for. Woodrow and Hoosier were the first thru-hikers she had met and she asked them both to fill out two lengthy questionnaires. She rewarded them with a candy bar which shows she had done her homework since food is the best way to bribe/treat a thru-hiker. I expect that her psychology study will "reveal" that despite what some people might think, thru-hikers are not crazy but rather are strong minded, independent individuals who are goal oriented and do not quit easily since they have a large quantity of "stick-to-it-tiveness". I also expect that to finish a thru-hike you need the assistance of many "trail angels". People who lighten the load with their generosity and kindness. People who add joy to the journey.I got a big fire going and with the paperwork completed the five of us sat around the fire sharing stories under a clear star-filled sky with temperatures much more comfortable than our previous nights on the trail. A full, perfect day on the A.T. What could be better?