Date: 2015-04-12
From: Lance Creek

To: Blood Mountain Cabins
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

2157.5 miles to go.So I have decided NOT to include the Approach Trail (all 8.8 miles of it) in the 'miles total'. This was a very serious decision, worthy of significant contemplation (apparently, six days worth of contemplation). After all,the Approach Trail technically is NOT part of the AT. However, it IS miles that I've completed since I began this journey. In the end, my laziness won out: AWOL's "A.T. Guide", which I am using, counts mileage from the Southern Terminus on Springer Mountain, and I'm too lazy to try and remember to add 8.8 to my "total miles" each night. Ahhhh, the weighty philosophical deliberations of a thru-hiker ....Yesterday, two potential trail names were lobbied to me (well, actually more than two - the most verbal member of "the pod" seems to be on a mission to get everyone a trail name, and he threw quite a few at me to see if any stuck. A few were downright laughable). However, with a little help, he came across one that "the pod" really seems to want to label me with: Caveman. The first time they all saw me was Day 4, when I was relaxing in the natural rock cleft on Justus Mountain while they each took turns slogging past me in the rain in small groups of ones and twos. I even smiled and waved and greeted most of them as they passed, not knowing they were all part of a large group that had spread out over the course of a few hours. I joined them that evening at Gooch Gap shelter, which is when I began traveling with "the pod." The next day, several of them who hadn't caught my name yet (or who had forgotten it) referred to me as "Caveman," and they all decided they REALLY like that for my trail name. While it is true that I've been letting my hair and beard grow unchecked since signing out of the Army, I don't feel I'm quite at "Caveman" status .... yet. Maybe by the end of the hike.The other potential trail name was from Jillian (who is trying on "Espresso" as a trail name) and John Wayne (which has now morphed into "J-dubs"), who have apparently decided to call me "White Blaze." This because the first day we met, I spent the majority of the day with them following me on the trail, borrowing my guidebook, and asking me to take their picture. Since the AT is marked with white 'blazes' (rectangles) that all hikers follow, one of them quipped that they would just follow me the rest of the way and I could be their "White Blaze". Well, at least it has the virtue of being an uncommon trail name.As with all aspects of this journey: I'm in no rush to have a trail name. I've got 2157.5 miles to go; plenty of time for a trail name to find me ... as long as it's not "feces-foot," or "falls with style," or some other nonsense. For the record, I reserve the right to veto any trail name.The thought of warm showers and hot food must have really motivated everyone today - I left Lance Creek at about 9:40, and I was the last one out of there. I passed quite a few in the five miles up Blood Mountain, but several leap-frogged past me while I hung out on top of Blood Mountain and soaked in the view. Blood Mountain is still just as striking as the first time I went up it back when I lived in Georgia, and a view like that never gets old (at least, not to me).Another steep two miles down (we lost almost all of the elevation that we had gained in the five miles going up it) brought us to Neel Gap. Neel Gap is the site of the famous Mountain Crossings, which is both a gear store and hiker hostel. Mountain Crossings has the distinction of being the only instance along the entire AT where the trail goes through a building. I walked right inside, bought a cold can of Mountain Dew and a pack of Reese Cups, then sat outside and enjoyed my spoils of war.We are actually staying next door to Mountain Crossings in the Blood Mountain Cabins. The next few blissful hours consisted of a hot shower, dropping laundry off (they do your laundry here, for free? Yes, please!), and catching a ride into town to 'stock up on provisions' (i.e., eat our faces off). I joined J-dubs and Espresso at the AYCE (All You Can Eat) pizza and salad bar ($5.95 + drink), and I did as much damage as I could in the 15 minutes before they closed. I started with a mountainous plate of salad first, then followed it up with as much pizza and breadsticks as I can manage before they closed. I'm confident I got my $6 worth. Best of all, when they closed, our table of hikers were the only ones there. Right as they were closing, they put out a fresh mountain of breadsticks, several fresh pizzas, and a new dessert pizza - then they gave us to-go boxes and said "have at it!" We cleaned them out, and left them a very health tip on the table.