Date: 2010-06-13
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Fish Hatchery Road
Miles today: 18.1

13 June 2010, Fish Hatchery Road   Two hikers came in after dark last night. They were Flag and MacGyver, they were not too bad getting settled in.   Christian left the shelter at 6:00 this morning. I left at 7:30. There was still fog throughout the woods this morning from the rain we received last night. I had problems keeping my glasses from fogging up. With the rain from last night it made the morning very humid. The climb up Bald Mountain this morning was a real butt kicker with the humidity. There were several false summits for the mountain, it was aggravating because just when you though the top was coming up another one appeared through the trees.   I was looking forward to lunch and getting some food in my stomach. I made it to Cow Gap Shelter but the shelter was 0.5 miles off the trail. I was not going to walk that far off the trail to eat. I sat at the trail intersection and fixed up a tuna sandwich with some wraps. While I was eating a deer walked across the trail leading to the shelter. My camera was not within reach so I could not get a photo. There was one issue with not walking the 0.5 miles to the shelter, I did not get water. I was out of water and the next water was 2.5 miles north. I took a gamble and decided to hike the 2.5 miles with about a cup of water I had left. While I was here I called the Dutch Haus Hostel to see if they had room for the night and Hana from there told me they should have room but it was a first come first serve basis.   When I got to Cow Camp Gap where the water source was suppose to be the sign was marked out with a black marker saying not to go down the road for water. If you looked at the faded marker on the sign it also said to use the water source in the field. I followed the water trail from the field and I think it was about 1/2 mile. When I got to it I was rewarded with a spring and it was cold. I refilled three gatorade bottles and mix them with powdered gatorade mix and drank them down. Then if refilled the two bottles again and filled my bladder more than usual. I wanted to make it to Seeley Woodworth Shelter without getting water again.   I saw my first stone wall today. This is the first one I have seen since I started my hike. These types of stone walls are all over New England but this is the first I have seen one since I started in Georgia.   I made it to Seeley Woodworth Shelter without getting water but only had 1/2 of my gatorade bottle left. I ate some nutty buddy cookies that I packed and finished my gatorade bottle off. I had about one cup of water left in my bladder. I made another gamble. It was 2.4 miles to Fish Hatchery Road and I wanted to get there fast so I could get a ride to the Dutch Haus Hostel to pick up my mail drop and stay the night. When I got to Fish Hatchery road, the walk down it seems like well over a mile but I could be wrong. When I got to the bottom and the parking lot, the owner of the Dutch Haus pulled in, what perfect timing. I found out later that this was pure luck and a lot of people had made the walk all the way to the hostel or hitched in.   When I got to the hostel I got my mail drop, checked into the bunk house, and showered. I made it in time for dinner. Dinner was fantastic, it was a full salad with all the fixings, followed by chicken, potatoes and green beans. I don't know what desert was but it hit the spot.   I have been getting a real bad rub spot on my right heal the last two days and it has been getting more painful by the day. I looked at it tonight and there is a hole about the size of a dime on my heel. I really should let it heal up but I don't want to take a zero day tomorrow. I had switched my super feet inner souls out of my boots and started using the stock inner souls. I think that is what is causing the problem. I kept my supper feet and have been carrying them so I could swap them back out if I have to. I think I will put my supper feet back in my boots and see if that helps. I am sure walking in the rain yesterday and having wet feet also contributed to this problem as well.   Here at the hostel tonight are Tiger Woods, Seabase, Sandman, Blue Sky, Indiana, Sabbath Keeper, Christian, Kiwi (from New Zealand).