Date: 2006-04-28
From: Saggafras Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: scattered clouds

As I write this, I am relaxing in the sun at Cloud 9 - a new hiker hostel just 1.5 miles down the road from Dicks Creek Gap. I started off the day hiking with Travis and Doug. It turns out we should have pushed an extra miles last night. We had heard rumors of a "Preacher Dude" giving out food at Addis Gap, but we didn't realize that he had his tent set up right next to the trail. Preacher Dude has hiked over 500 miles of the trail. He has been set up for over three weeks in Addis Gap, providing dinner and breakfast to hikers who camp there. We enjoyed some sodas from his coolers and thanked him profusedly for doing "trail magic." Preacher Dude plans to head to Trail Days in Damascus and may move locations thereafter. (check out a NYTimes article on Trail Days here - http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/travel/escapes/12trail.html ). The hike up to Kelly Knob was tiring and on the downward side we saw a turkey hunter heading up the mountain. Hopefuly he won't shoot any hikers! I said my goodbyes to Doug and Travis at the turnoff for the Deep Gap Shelter. I hung out at the shelter for a bit and talked to Lisa - amazingly without the call being dropped once. Bemis and Southpaw left a funner entry in the shelter log "H.H.T. #11" so I hope to read the other 10 as I head north. Travis and Doug were finishing up lunch at Dick's Creek when I arrived - these guys can't get rid of me! For the past 5 days I hvae been hiking and camping with them. They have been great friends on the Trail. As I was getting ready to hike down the road to Cloud 9, a car pulled into the lot and a woman got out asking if we were thruhikers. She gave us treats - trail mix, then offered a ride to Hiawassee if we needed. I asked if she would mind dropping me a mile or so down the road at the hostel trout farm. On the ride down I learned that she was a thru-hiker and she always stopped at the trailheads when she was in teh area for business to hand out food. Very cool story and I am glad I got to briefly meet her. Laura, the owner of Cloud 9, is very friendly and said I would probably have the place to myself. I am charging electronics (cell phone, camera, ipod) airing out my sleeping bag, washing clothes, my pot, nalgene bottle, platypus and getting ready to take a shower. It felt a little strange being indoors after nearly a week on the Trail (and without a shower). I am heading into town tonight to resupply - tomorrow I cross into North Carolina. Many other hikers arrived at Cloud 0 - Strider, Ron (Tarheel), Nine Lives, Holly Berry, Chigal and Celve. 7 in all. So much for having the place to myself, but they are all very nice folks. Frank and Laura, the owners of Cloud 9, have been very generous and Frank grilled up some trout for hungry hikers. Much appreciated. I took a few casts with a fly rod earlier but I wasn't very good. Frank had to cast for me and I reeled it in - like a little kid. They bought the property about 18 months ago and Frank has stocked the two ponds out front with rainbow trout. Laura drove me into town before the other hikers arrived so I am set with about 5 days of food to get me through to the NOC.