Date: 2010-06-24
From: Dicks Creek Gap, GA

To: Neels Gap, GA
Miles today: 36.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Hello all of our friends and family. Mo and I are preparing to SOBO hike the AT beginning with the summit of Katahdin on July 1. We fly to Maine next wednesday where will will take a bus to Medway then catch a ride with the owners of the AT Lodge to Millinocket. Then we will be driven to Baxter State park and begin the climb. But since we are in GA until then, we decided to warm up our legs by doing a section of the GA AT. Micah and I spent the last three days hiking from Dicks Creek Gap to Neels Gap - approximately 36.8 miles. 36.8 down 2142.3 to go... Day one: Began at Dicks Creek at 1:30, knowing we had to make it 11 or so miles to Tray Mtn. Shelter - didn't realize that the first two miles would be straight uphill on a very difficuly climb. Rested at the top of Powell Mtn and enjoyed some home-made cookies. YUM! Somehwere along the trail I was ahead of Mo and I startled a big ol' black bear - my first bear sighting...well I spooked him and he spooked me. My fight or flight instinct was definitely the flight and I back-tracked back to Mo saying BEAR BEAR BEAR...though very softly so as not to draw the bears attention. Turns out that was not exactly the wisest choice - running. Until we reached Tray Mtn every sound we heard or dark tree we saw in the woods we thought was a bear....don't worry the next two times I saw a bear I didn't run...Made it to Tray at nightfall...just in time to filter some water before dark. Sharing the shelter with us was a father and son group out playing on the AT to celebrate the fathers birthday. Experienced our first loud snoring shelter - thank goodness for ear plugs. Made our best dinner on the trail yet - pizza over an open flame...there was a fire already burning by the time we reached the shelter...nice.Day 2: On the trail by 8:30 - Goal was to get to Blue Mtn by the afternoon. Hike was pretty uneventful. Took a great 2 hour rest/nap at the top of Rocky Mtn. Made it to Blue Mtn Shelter by 4. Got our water, rinsed off...just in time for a great thunderstorm to hit. The rain was MUCH appreciated - it cooled off and the buzzing stopped for a few hours. As we were enjoying a pre-dinner snickers, we were joined by soaking wet Hippie Chick and Poet ('08 thru-hikers who you can search and find on here) and their two dogs Gypsy and Ringo. We spent the evening sharing stories and receiving great advice, inspiration, and encouragement for our SOBO hike. Turns out that Hippie Chick's parents own the AT lodge in Millinocket and we'll meet them in a week - small world!Day 3: WHAT A DAY!!! We thought we would do an easy 7.5 miles to Low Gap shelter and relax that evening and hike to Neels on day 4. Oh little did we know what we were to accomplish. We made it to Low Gap by noon. Feeling great we rested our feet, ate a classic but yummy peanut butter and honey tortilla, and decided we would go another 6.5 miles just over Cowrock Mtn to Baggs Creek Campground. While resting a group of guys gave us some deer sausage biscuits (YES!). Ate one there, saved the other to eat just before Wildcat Mtn.On the way to Cowrock, we crossed over Wildcat Mtn. On the way down we saw a cute and snuggly baby bear (HA!). I wanted to snap a photo, but Micah told me that if I were to do that and the Mamma is around we would surely die! So sadly, no photo - but I think if there is a next time I'll try to capture it. So we got to Cowrock...and realized - hey we are only a few miles from Neels Gap..why not go the whole way today? We were still feeling ok...and nothing is more motivating than the hopes of a warm shower and comfy bed. So we called upon our wonderful friends Amanda and Josh Hanke in Cleveland and they came up to Neels and took us to thier AMAZING home. On the way out we did have a slight delay by a copperhead....oh and we also saw another bear at the only water source since Low Gap...so we definitley ran out of water before we made it out. But we did accomplish our first 18 mile day.Over all - great hike...lots of bug bites...good times. GA AT 40 Mile Hike Share your Adventures with SpotAdventuresSee ya down the trail...