Date: 2003-03-21
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I awakened at 6 and peeked out of the tent. I could see for several hundredfeet, something that I had not experienced since starting my hike last Saturday.I was in no hurry to compete with the hikers that leave at 7am so I just laid inmy sleeping bag and watched the fog burn off and the sun rise until 6:45.I now have a system (which will surprise no-one that knows me) for breakingcamp. I also have one for setting up camp and for getting up hills.At 8am I started out wearing a short sleeved shirt, precip jacket, and rainpants over my mid weight long johns. I had gotten my shorts dirty and wanted towash them before wearing them again. It wasn't 10 minutes before the jacket cameoff, and stayed off until my break at Chattahoochee Gap two hours later. I hadeaten a Cliff Peanut Toffee Buzz Bar for breakfast that was really filling, somy snack was just a few pieces of jerky. I took several pictures of themagnificent view and had Scubaman take several with me and other hikers. ThanksScubaman. With me was Jake, Recycle, Mike from Calif., Dred, Footslogger (thefemale), and several others came through while we were there.I encountered my first mudslide today, a slippery drop of several hundred feet,and conquered it without falling! I haven't fallen since the first day out. Alsoexperienced for the first time was a rock walk, which was slow going butenjoyable. In just 2.5 more miles I was at the Blue Mountain Shelter, my destination forthe night. As it was only 1:00 in the afternoon, no-one was there yet. I hadstopped first at the spring just down the hill from the shelter and pickep up 3ltrs. of water to treat when I got to camp.I had the whole shelter to myself, but chose to set up my tent. Everything waswet from the day and night before, so the first thing I did was to set up myline amd dry everything out. While I waited, I made a small "washing machine"out of a baggie and with a little soap, water and elbow grease, my shorts werespanking clean.Hikers started coming in around 2pm and spots were being claimed in the shelter,but most tented. With me are: Jamie, Jason, Brandon, Gregg, and several otherswhose names I did not get.I made a Mountain House Beef Stew for dinner with Constant Comment tea and aSnickers bar.Today I met Sheepstuff who also lives in western PA. Her son Jake is hiking withher for several weeks. I also met Jasper when he came up behind me asking if Ihad lost a sandle. Sometime back the wonderful plastic (plastic is our friend)clogs that I had purchased at Walasi-Yi Center had dropped out of the bottomstraps on my pack. I would have been so sad to get to camp and find it gonebecause I lived in these most comfortable shoes for 2 days while I waited forthe storms to pass and now put them on the second that I get to camp. He hadcarried it for several miles for me. Jasper then showed me how he tied his tothe back of his pack, which is what I'll do for now on.It's now 7:20 and I've already written my journal so will have to find somethingelse to do when I awaken in the night. Maybe a rousting game of solitaire withmy miniature deck of cards.