Date: 2017-04-03
To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 52.9
Weather: broken clouds

A lot to catch up on, so the following is a cliff notes version of the last five days. The details of each day may vary, but the overarching message is that this experience overwhelms the senses. There are amazing views at every turn --from the glittering rocks on the paths to the incredible mountain landscapes, from the sweet sounds of mockingbirds to the barking sounds of owls in the clear air. The people are wonderful and so helpful--a real community.so, today, Hey Jude and I are waiting out a storm in Hiawassee GA, about 52 MIles in the trail. On Day 3, Hey Jude had to break trail b/c of gear problems. She hitched a ride into Neel's Gap, and I continued pressing on. First solo hike took me up Sassafras and Justus Mountains. I was so grateful God gave me the strength to reach my goal destination of Gooch Mountain Shelter--only 7.7 MI from Hawk Mountain--but they were brutal miles. Fresh spring water meant no filtering--a blessing for this tired soul. Did not sleep well b/c I set up the tent on uneven ground, and I kept rolling into the side of my tent. Woke up to the hooting if owls --sounded like they were arguing!Lance Creek was my next goal destination. Not as rugged as my previous challenge. I was welcomed by trail magic at Woody Gap. I must have looked like death warmed over when I finally reached camp, b/c two sweet fellow hikers --Joyce and Elki-- set my tent up for me!! Best night's sleep to date, which was needed for the challenge to come--Blood Mountain.Blood Mountain challenged every part of my being--legs, lungs, ankles, knees. My reward at the top was the incredible views. The reward at the bottom was reuniting with Hey Jude, who greeted me on my arrival at Neel's Gap. We celebrated by spending the night in a cabin, which felt like the Ritz Carlton. We roomed with fellow hikers "Cheese" and "Turtle," a sweet young couple whom we met at Hawk Mountain Shelter.Hey Jude and I lightened our load by returning some unnecessary baggage home--unfortunately, the weight was replaced by a needed resupply of food. We returned to the trail together, met up with "Trooper" and reached Hogpen Gap without incident. We tented in a makeshift campsite. The strong winds almost sent us parasailing when we tried to set up the tents. BIll helped us with our bear bags. The night was frigid and the howling winds were relentless, still we heard the sounds of drag racers on the mountainside-- scary to think anyone would take those risks on dark,winding mountain roads.The trek from Hogpen Gap to Low Gap was short, but Hey Jude's blister was screaming, and it was best to give it a rest. We spent the night at Low Gap Shelter with Skip and Linda--an older couple, each 72 years old, who have been married for 41 years. What a delightful pair. The next day we headed to Unicoi (our current location). It was strenuous, but the thought of a zero day in Hiawassee kept us going. We waited out a storm in a very budget Budget Inn, and plan to hit the trail again tomorrow after Hey Jude's pkg arrives --she had her son send another pair of boots, hoping they will not produce the ugly blisters she got with her current boots. Hopefully pictures will follow. Thank you all for your continued orayers, messages of encouragement, and support! Love you!