Date: 2014-03-22
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: snow

Breakfast at the hostel is about 8:15am. Gray will ring the bell! A table was set with 7 places. We all took a spot then Gary lead us in prayer. WOW! That doesn't happen very often. He hiked the AT in 1991 with his son and that God inspired him, through his son, to live closer to the trail to help hikers. This is what he and his wife do now, and love it.The plan today is to do about 8 miles AND cross into North Carolina! We'll decide if we want to camp at Bly Gap, just after the border, or press on 3 more miles to Muskrat Creek Shelter.Of course, everytime we get off the trail, it seems that we get back on with an imediate uphill climb! Generally, it wasn't too bad, just slow. About 2 miles in, at Cowart Gap, we saw one of the young German guys, whom we've seen on and off, sitting on a log with his boot off. He had a serious blister and asked Buffalo if he had a needle, like a sewing needle. He wanted to pull a thread through to help it drain. Buffalo got out his magic medical tool bag and helped Tilman relieve the blister, including little strips of moleskin and tape on it. Tilman was most appreciative.We pressed on UP to Buzzard Knob. Then a relatively easy hike to the GA-NC border. We took a picture and opened a bag of chips to celebrate! An older guy came hiking up. He was from a Georgia AT hiking club. Although he was just out on a day hike, he heard dirt bikes, which are illegal in the Wildernes Area. Off he went to see what he could see.He came back (we were STILL eating chips) and said that one got passed him but did get a picture of the second one's license plate! Good for him! We hiked on to Bly Gap campsite. It seemed rather exposed AND it didn't have a privy. Buffaalo did fill up with water. We decided to press on. What's 3 more miles, right?That 3 miles (just a walk around our neighborhood at home) involved a hoof up Courthouse Bald. I was swearing at this point. I didn't care that I was hiking with my son! (He later commented that I am finally regressing into "Hiker Trash"!) It was yet ANOTHER rough 3 miles. I was crying inside, swearing on the outside.We got to the shelter area and were told that it was pretty crowded up at the shelter and surrounding tenting area. Buffalo hunted for a tarp site and we put it up. While he went for water, I sat on a log and moped. When he came back, I spilled it all out to him. "I want to do this but I don't think this body of mine can make it. I like hiking but some of the terrain is NOT my idea of hiking. I hate living out of a suitcase AND having to set up the living space. I need to talk to Dad when we get into Franklin. I don't know what I should do.""Mom, by the time we get into Franklin, YOU will have hiked 100 miles! And YOU DID IT!" He talked me out of my funk, yet again! I'll still talk to Marty while in Franklin because I need the Voice of Reason (and encouragement)!A tough day for The Mum!Buffalo says: I felt unnecesarily fatigued today as well. I dragged our breaks on longer than I should have and just did not feel like walking. I would have been complaining if I hadn't been so busy trying to encourage Mum up the steep hills. But hey, one state down! At least we're still moving north.