Date: 2011-03-26
From: Hogpen Gap

To: Helen, GA
Miles today: 13.8

Day 5. Rain drops started to hit my tent at 5:30am but it was too early and too dark to get up and get going. So I laid there, slept off and on until 7:30am. I went out and got my food bag and repacked my pack completely in the tent. I strap my tent on the outside of my pack so in principle I can pack everything up and then take the tent down. I wrapped my big toes again, they are really tender but no outward appearance of blisters yet. I finally got up and packed my tent totally in the rain, once you take the rain fly off, the tent is just screen mesh so it gets as wet as hard as it is raining. In the back of my mind, I keep thinking how nice it would be to get as far as Helen for the day but that was 13.8 miles away and in the rain so I knew that was a stretch. I ate a cereal bar and was on the trail at 8:20am. It rained and it rained and it rained. Then there was an electrical storm. I would see the flash and within 2 seconds the boom of thunder was on top of me. Certainly, if I was officiating a soccer match we would be off the pitch. I know it was stupid but what does one do? I was below the ridge line but you can't turn around, I had not seen any caves or any type of shelter so you just keep putting your feet down and plod along. I kept waiting to feel the electrical tingle and I was going to hit the ground. Good thing I did not have to do that because I am not sure if I could have gotten back up. Again, little prayers are lifted up asking for safety and you continue. I got to Low Gap shelter at 11:15am after 4.4 miles and it was extremely crowded. A bunch of hikers who had spent the night there and had not left yet and a group, I am assuming boy scouts, who arrived while I was there. I contemplated about staying the night there but it was way too early, too crowded and I was already wet. I ate a packet of tuna fish, buttoned up my gear and headed north. Everyone was talking about getting to Blue Mt shelter which was 7.2 miles away. I walked and walked, occasionally humming Christmas hymns (I do that when I run too) to get my mind off the pain. I continued to walk and it rained every step of the way. Sometimes gentle, most of the time a downpour. I loved the 40% chance of rain that was forecast for the day. Tomorrow, Sunday, it is suppose to be 80%. My rain jacket and pants worked very well, keep me relatively dry other than the sweat and condensation coming off my body. My boots (Oboz Yellowstones) have been excellent. At great deal of the trail was underwater but my boots were outstanding. I never had water standing in my boots and they grip the wet rocks extremely well. Just prior to Blue Mt shelter I filtered and filled my water reservoir. I am drinking 2-3 liters of water a day and attempting to stay hydrated, other than day 1. I took off toward the shelter, really not wanting to set up camp in the rain, change into wet clothes and sleep in a wet tent. I passed the shelter sign at a trail junction but the arrow was broken off so I did not know which way to go. Whenever in doubt stay on the trail and follow the white blazes. I hiked for an hour and it was getting close to 6:00pm and I realized that I had missed the shelter all together. I was on a rocky trail and there was no place to set up camp even if I wanted to. I started to think how I would spend the night, maybe up under a rock ledge using my emergency blanket. It was starting to get dark when suddenly I heard a car on a highway. Oh my, another prayer of the day had been answered. I knew I was close to Georgia state route 75 which leads to Helen. I keep hiking as I was still several hundred feet above the noise but I was not going to let the highway out of my hearing range. There was no way I could see the highway as it was far too misty and foggy. After descending the mountain I was on the highway at Union Gap. I immediately stuck my thumb out, I should have asked my dad about that technique. I was pretty sure I knew the direction to Helen but was not totally confident. I did know that I did not want to start walking because I was not sure the distance. After about five minutes, I started to get my map and phone out, I knew that there were places in Helen that would come out and get you if you called, I was hoping I would have a signal. As I was doing this another car drove past and turned around and came back toward me. I ran across the highway and asked what direction Helen was and he confirmed my direction. He asked if I wanted a ride (another prayer answered !!) and I said yes but I hated to mess up his car. He said no problem and I got my gear and headed toward Helen. This was a wonderful family from Jacksonville who had come up to spend the week in the mountains and do some hiking. The 2 girls, ages 5 and 7, were cute but probably was questioning what their dad was doing picking up this smelly old creature that walked out of the woods. We talked about hiking for the short trip into town and they dropped me off at the Quality Inn. I was in a hot shower at 7:00pm After showering, I unpacked by pack, everything was soaked. I hung the tent, ground tarp (piece of Tyvek), rainfly, sleeping bag out in the room. It reminded me when my kids played in soccer tournaments and we would have to hang out clothes to dry between matches. Everything that could hold a piece of article had something drape over it. I gathered up my wet clothes, walked a short distance to town and ate and then to the laundromat. The laundromat was a fiasco, I could not get the washer to accept my quarters and no one was on duty. While walking back I passed another hotel which I knew catered to hikers and I saw steam coming from a vent. Where there is steam, there is a dryer and normally a washer. So, I walked in the back door, acting as if I was staying there and used their washer and dryer. I got back to my room around 9:30pm and started thinking, do I want to spend a zero day here on Sunday ?? I did not realize how sore and tender my feet were until I got up to go to the bathroom last night and was barefooted. That made my mind up, no reason to punish the main tools of a hiker. If the feet deteriorate early one is in trouble. I slept well, kept seeing rain drops when I shut my eyes. Since it was suppose to rain all day on Sunday I thought my decision made sense but as it has turned out, it has been a relative dry day in Helen. But I have been off my feet and the pack off my shoulders so that is good. I get my daily devotions from the Lutheran Hour ministries, today the bible verse was from Joshua 1:9, " Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." He certainly was and I have been blessed. One of those blessings is all the notes that I have gotten. From my family, my friends and from individuals that I have never met, I appreciate you taking time sending me notes. I have read every single one and it gives me strength to push on. Your thoughts and prayers are critical to my success, take care and thanks.