Date: 2004-04-20
From: past Unicoi Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at first light, with intent to make Dick's Creek Gap and a hotel in Hiawassee tonight. Several campers were at the top of Rocky Mt, including Chad who is the first thruhiker that I met at Springer Mt. He caught me at Indian Grave Gap before the climb up Tray Mt. He has a neat water purification "stick" that uses salt and battery power to create ions that destroy the critters in your water. Very high tech. I'm using old-fashioned chemicals to blast them. A cool and overcast morning made for good hiking.I took a break at the Tray Mt Shelter to sign the register and water up. The shelter has a three-sided privy, with the throne overlooking the woods off the mountain. I met the Swedish Pimp at the shelter, gearing up for a slow hike because of sore knees. His trail name was given to him by felow hikers after he shared the tidbit that his last name translates to "pimp" in Swedish. Now that they've moved on, he may change it.Tricked by the weather again, I didn't put on suncreen, and the sun came out to bake my neck and calves. I passed two section hiker friends, one from VT and the other from MT. The VT hiker only needs 100 miles to complete his sections of the entire AT. On through the Cheese Factory Site where an early entrepreneur once ran a cheese factory. If I had a cheese factory on this mountain, I would make the cows bring the milk to me.At a break for more food (i.e.fuel) I met Doc, a dentist from FL who has someone else covering his practice while he thruhikes this summer. I broke my rule about resting during the heat, and paid the price during the tough climb to Sassafras Gap, and the endless uphill out of Addis Gap over Kelly Knob. The things the thought of a hamburger will make you do! I lost my bandana yesterday, so I didn't have any air conditioning. Wet the bandana, drape it over your head and neck, put on your cap, and you're 10 degrees cooler. Not too stylish, but who is after a couple of days on the trail?Dignity takes a big hit on the trail. I came up behind one hiker on an uphill bent at a 90 degree angle over the hiking poles, feet splayed, knees locked, blowing like a winded horse. Another took off the pack, in the process pulling down the back of their shorts a couple of inches, adding to the expansive display of drawers that had crept up while hiking. Reminded me of the classic picture of Bubba sitting on a bait bucket. One hiker, tired of humping the pack back up after taking it off for a break, put it on while sitting down. He started to stand and fell over backwards in a great clatter of hiking poles and gear, looking for all the world like a turtle on it's back. Undeterred and unembarassed, he tried again with the same result. Success on the third try. But the thing is, you don't care!! Dignity is a luxury sacrificed for comfort or less pain. And no one laughs, because you know the same thing will happen to you at some point.I skipped the Deep Gap shelter since it was 0.3 miles off the trail. Stopped again for a delicious can of deviled ham. Remember that stuff? Mostly fat and salt, flavored with a little ham. Delicious. I made it to Dick's Creek Gap a little after 6pm, and caught a ride into Hiawassee and the Holiday Inn Express from the second car. Thanks very much to Link, who lives nearby, works for an outfitter, and teachs kayaking part time. After a hot shower and washing up clothes, I walked over to Daniel's Steak House for the buffet. No steak, but the salad, fried chicken, pork chop, crowder peas, turnips, hominy, cornbread, banana pudding and coffee were worth a 15 mile hike. Off to bed.