Date: 2013-04-23
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 13.0

It was pretty cold last night and like usual I had to go to the bathroom about 3:30 am. This time it wasn't a simple sleep walk of eight feet to the bathroom. I climbed out of the shelter and stumbled about 200 feet into the woods and by the time I got back into my sleeping bag I couldn't fall back asleep. I got up about 7:00 am and started to pack up my garbage. It seems like whenever you need something you have to take everything out of your pack. I was in a hurry so I ate a couple of packages of oatmeal, purified my water and left the shelter about 9:00 am. Most people were going about 8 miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter. After sleeping a total of 7 hours the last 2 nights, I decided to hike 13 miles to Woody Gap and stay in a "Hiker Hostel". A hostel is like a boarding / rooming house for hikers. They usually charge about $20 and provide breakfast. This decision would prove to be a huge mistake and almost ended my hike on day two. I left the shelter with 32 ounces of water because every 16 ounces you carry adds 1 pound. For obvious reasons I'm trying to keep my pack weight about 32 pounds including water. Quite a few hikers are carrying 40 - 45 pound packs. I don't know how they do it - 32 pounds is kicking my tail. My backs been sore the last two days, hopefully I'll somehow develop muscles at my age. I guarantee you these hikes will trim down their packs before too long.On Sunday afternoon my pack weighed in at 33 pounds without water. We went through it and eliminated a few items: warm cloths like fleece jackets and sweaters - how cold can it be in Georgia (another mistake). I did everything I could to share ounces, I cut my bar of soap in half, decided i really didnt need a small bottle of Head and Shoulders and why in the world would I take hand sanitizer on the Appalachian Trail? I also decided at the last minute to purchase a new sleeping pad because it was only 11 ounces instead of 2 pounds. Getting back to my huge mistake. The day started out good and I was making great time. However there were no water sources until I hiked6 miles, so I finished my 32 ounces and hoped to find water soon. I really wasn't hungry so I didn't eat. When I found a creek I filled up my water bottle and forced down a Cliff Bar. I thought I had plenty of time to get to Woody Gap in time for the shuttle. But the next 7 miles were torture. Up one side of the mountain and down the other. I was exhausted but moved on. As I was climbing these mountains I started to feel sick and didn't know why. When I arrived at Woody Gap there were two other hikers there who said the shuttle was not coming today. So we hitched a ride to the hostel. I could believe how tired I was. I couldn't walk ten feet in the hostel without stopping because I was out of breath. I drank a cold coke and went to my room for a nap. When I woke up I still felt sick, so I ate a Snickers bar and had another soda. I tried to eat a Mountain House meal but I just wasn't hungry. Then it dawned on me that I was completely dehydrated. I only drank 64 ounces of water and didn't eat much during the day. From now on I have to drink a gallon of water a day and snack all day long.The Hostel was great. I had my own room and they provided breakfast for only $18.00. I got up in the morning and mailed my bear bag, folding bucket and part of my stove home. This is about 1.5 pounds that I won't have to carry to Maine. Sorry these posts are infrequent. I'm carrying a mini-IPad and write these notes each night and then post it to the Trail Journal when I get to town. Speaking of the mini-IPad - the print is small and I can hardly see it so excuse my typos. I'm starting my list of lessons learned in Georgia and will send that out over the weekend.DeanPS   So far no Dueling Banjo music