Date: 2013-05-03
From: Woody Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 9.7

30.7 miles hikedAdministrative house keeping first. Yesterday when I tried to fix one problem I rested another. When I posted the follow up entry for 5-1 I created a double mileage posting. Neither butch nor I could fix it, and the automatic calculator had us traveling a total distance over thirty miles for two days. The calculated total now shows about ten miles short. If it doesn't correct itself with this entry I will use the above format to show the total distance on future entries. (EDITOR'S NOTE: I think I fixed this issue BPT)Now to the important stuff. I lost my hiking partner today. Patrick left the trail for personal reasons. I am going to miss the partnership. Now I will need to find the white blazes myself and I won't have anyone with me to share appreciation of things like the vista Pat was looking at one time that I caught up with him. Gonna miss him. I was set to Trail Name him The Quiet Man.Butch called early this morning to make sure everything was OK. He was enroute to pick up Patrick at the hostel and about ninety minutes out. I had texted the news to Linda and she called to make sure Pat was not hurt. Once I convinced her he was all right she became solicitous of my health and welfare. I assured her I was fine physically and that I was prepared to continue the journey alone. Left unsaid was anything about my mental state, but then again I'm a thru hiker so I guess that says it all.I can't say enough the folks at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, the owners and the folks who work there trying to make things better for hikers.Jason and Mike shared the shuttle back to Woody Gap with me and Hank got a ride back to Neels to pick up his car. This last would impact us very well.On the trail an older hiker, but younger than me, ( Isn't everyone?) paused to talk as he was passing me. When he started up again I noticed his gait was somewhere between a trot and a walk and he was making great time. I tried to emulate him and when I came to a gentle uphill I was stopped dead. I didn't have anything left in the tank to start the climb. After a short rest I did proceed reminding myself to HYOH. Even as it pertains to pace and gait."One must, after all, endure." Ernest Hemingway.A couple months ago I agreed with Mark when he told me the well groomed and switch-backed hiking and biking trails in the mountains around my home in Park City were doing nothing to prepare me for the steepness and ruggedness of the AT. I pointed out that the benefit of doing all the miles I was putting in was an increase in endurance. I have proven that point to myself over the last three days by doing better than I had anticipated on the trail. Real slo uphill, but I'm enduring.Today was a day of trilliums. They were blanketing the trailside all over the place. One such display followed the trail for about a hundred feet and descended an equal distance while climbing uphill on the other side of the trail about three hundred feet. Hiking poles. I am a believer. They saved me from a sure fall once each if the first two days and three times today. To say nothing about the numerous stumbles and slips that surely would have been worse without poles. Those near misses happen so fast that I have recovered before the sound of "Oh shit!" Can ring though the woods.At the top of Blood Mountain I met Doug from Saint Augustine and followed him down to Neels Gap. He will start his thru-hike in July SOBO from Katahdin. I will look for him in NH or ME.Only took one short break today about three hours in. Started 9:45 and finished 5:15pm. Showered, started laundry then ran into Jason and Mike who were talking to Hank. Hank had picked up his car a went to a hotel in nearby Blairsville. He now was checking up on his pals from the hostel last night and offered to take us to a Bar-B-Que joint close to here. My first Trail Magic! Trail Magic is an action or substance provided to a hiker by a Trail Angel. I told Trail Angel Hank that he had accrued a massive amount of positive Karma tonight.At the hostel tonight are Don, Dom, Mike, Jason, Aaron, Jeff, Andy, and Mac who is a member of the GATC, (Georgia Appalachian Trail Club) the group whose volunteer members maintain the AT through Georgia. I told him I was amazed and thankful for their efforts, especially marking the trail which has made my life easier. I'm hoping the other clubs in satiates along the trail can meet the standard set by GATC.In spite of the cold, wet, windy weather the flowers have made this a beautiful day. I'm tired and I will sleep well. You do too.ole slo