Date: 2018-05-02
From: Blue Mountain Shelter 

To: Deep Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 15.5

Setting the alarm for 5:00 got me hiking at 6:30. I¢m getting more efficient with my morning routine. Taking down tarp and hammock, making coffee and oatmeal, putting on my hiking clothes and shoes, brushing my pearly whites, and visiting the privy all in an hour and a half under headlamp lighting seems ok to me. Since I go to bed early I don¢t mind getting up early, especially when I have a big day. Today¢s 15.5 took me over three big mountains. Rocky Mountain, Tray Mountain, and Kelly Knob, each featuring over 1000 feet of elevation. I was surprised to check the GPS at noon to see that I¢d hiked 10.9 miles. My third ¢10 by 12¢. I was thinking that with the two climes of the morning I¢d fall short. I¢m happy with the power and speed I can muster and sustain during the first five hours or so. With breaks for stretching and snacks I feel like a real thru hiker. I¢m hoping to be able to sustain that strength further into the day such that 20 milers can happen more frequently. Arriving at the shelter at 3:30 I realize I could have hiked the additional 3.6 to Dicks Creek Gap and the road into Hiawassee, but I¢d arrive too late to do the town chores and I don¢t want to stay two nights for a zero there. I¢d rather hike the short distance tomorrow morning and stay just one nigh, calling it a nero (near zero) instead. My first zero on this leg of the journey will be next week in Franklin, NC, a much more fun town. Town chores for tomorrow include laundry, shower, pick up the box Joan sent, resupply, and plan the next section into Franklin.Today¢s photo (when I can upload it) is of one of my favorite flowers I often see on the trail. Bluets are little blue flowers that grow in clusters. Their thin delicate stalks cause them to dance in the breeze in the most charming way.Here¢s a fun fact.  As of today I¢ve completed one quarter of the Appalachian Trail.  The AT is 2190 miles.  Hurray for me!As I write this there are a few people around the shelter¢s picnic table chatting and laughing, probably while preparing and eating dinner. Part of me thinks I should be more social and join them. But I chatted with the earlier dinner group and would rather be in my hammock. Tech MomentYesterday I wrote about my shelter. Today my clothing. I hike in a light weight wicking short sleeve t-shirt and a long sleeve synthetic shirt over that. Even though afternoons have gotten hot, I wear the long sleeved shirt. It protects my arms from the sun and breezes pass right through it. It also makes for less real estate for bugs. I hike in REI convertible pants, these days with the bottoms zipped off. I like the four pockets, two with zippers. On chilly mornings or when it¢s cold I add layers. I have a light fleece hoodie and a rain shell. Mine is waterproof with a hood and pit zips which I always leave open. I keep my Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer down hoodie in a waterproof stuff sack to wear at camp. In a separate stuff sack I keep camp clothes. A light weight marino wool long sleeve T, possum down socks for sleeping, spare undies, spare hiking socks, Patagonia rain pants, and a Buff.On my feet I wear Altra Lone Peak trail runners, thin liner socks with 5 toes, Darn Tough shorties aver those, and light weight gaiters. I like to keep dirt, sand and pebbles out of my shoes.I have a brimmed hat for hiking and a fleece hat for camp and sleeping. I have gloves and down mittens which I recently sent home.Right now my hiking attire is stiff and white with salt. Looking forward to laundry tomorrow.