Date: 2007-03-21
From: Cheese Factory Site

To: Deep Gap Shelter, GA
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Man did I pass out last nite. I woke up sweating and took my down jacket off. Slept in thermals, fleece pants, wool socks, and thin l.s. hiking shirt with myknit cap half off...and was still on the warm side. I never zipped my bag up allthe way either. It was still 54 when I woke up at 7:00 a.m. I feel so spoiledby the spectacular weather...makes me scared of the Smokys and the almostdefinite chances of snow...but hey, that is still up the trail, so why worryabout it.Every nite I set up camp there is at least one person who is curious of myhammock. I "give them the tour" and I guess I am getting it down, becauseDances with Slothes told me I sounded like a commercial for Hennessey Hammocks...LOL! It is hard not to be enthusiastic when you love your gear.There were these birds or owls or some thing last nite making this very distinctcall. First it started with 1 or 2, and then suddenly it sounded like I wassurrounded by these things. It was really cool. I'll try to find out what itwas.Right now a bird is acting as an alarm clock, chirping at exact intervals and inthe same tone..6 times in a row over and over and over. It is cracking me up.Mother Nature has a way of taking care of you out here, and providing what youneed. It is too bad we, as a culture, have essentially chosen money (a man maderesource) over nature (a natural resource) in many instances. At nite, I have been elevating my feet over my clothes bag. It is weird, whileI am hiking....they feel really good now, and almost never hurt. It is when Iget to camp and sit down that I can feel them pulsating and aching. I have beentaking Vitamin I the last few nites, but I sort of expected it to be worse. Only other physical ailments is blister prevention. It is super helpful to take shoes\socks off breaks, and let everything dry out. Apparently I did have a small blister on each heal...but I never knew it. I putduct tape on my feet every morning...on the spots that are tender to the touch,and retape throughout the day as needed. Nicole and I believe we are preventingproblems by doing this and it seems to be working great so far.   So today, I was up at 7:00 and we were ready to head out by 9:30....but didthat happen? Heeeeeeelllll no....not when our trail angels, Slick B and HollyTrout were up cooking eggs and pancakes! What's funny is that I had alreadyeaten my breakfast of poptarts and honey cashew nuts...I then proceeded todevour 2 eggs w\cheese, 1 pancake, a doughnut and a big glass of orange drink. I think my appetite is increasing slowly! LOLWe finally pulled ourselves away at 11:00 a.m. and started up Tray Mt. The topof this mountain was neat because it made me think of those science classeswhere they explain how mountains are formed by two of the Earth's plates wedgingagainst each other. The top of Tray was all thin layered slabs that weresticking up at a 45 degree angles. Really cool. We then went to Tray Mt. Shelter to sign the register and get some water. Nextthing I know...a friend that I had been emailing for months showed up askingabout me...it was Stealth Blew! What is funny is he started like 5 days afterme, and caught up already! ha haWe hiked together for a while but he was headed all the way into Dick's CreekGap today....way too far for us. It was great meeting him, after we had enjoyedso many emails about this hike. Today was full of PUDS, but I actually like them because just when your bodyhurts from going up...it is time to go down and vice versa.We decided we wanted to get all the way to Deep Gap Shelter, so we stopped forlunch around 3:30 at Sassfrass Gap and then hiked on.Today, the trail was a friendly trail. It was mostly a nice soft dirt pathminus the rocks, so we were flying (for us).We started up the last big climb of the day at 5:15 p.m., Kelly Knob, at about4200 ft. It was a long climb, but if you know it is the last one of the day, ithelps. Got into Deep Gap Shelter around 7:15 p.m. and are here with Dances withSloths and a section hiker from Virginia.So, we totally did not realize we had gone 9 miles! We only have 3.5 in themorning and it is into Hiawasee for resupply, showers, laundry and another zeroday YIPPY!!!I had a talk with my fat rolls today while going over Kelly Knob. I told themto enjoy the ride and soak up the view now, beause at this rate they weren'tgoing to be with me for long! LOL They didn't have much to say, but I know theyheard me.Many male hikers wear hiking kilts...yes, as in Scottish kilts, but they aremade for hiking and you can keep stuff aired out I guess. Wellguys...seriously, if you are going to where one of these, then those "how to bea lady in a skirt" rules apply to you now (a little different following therules ya'll made for us ladies 2 centuries ago huh?) LOLSee, today while eating lunch, a gentleman, who was wearing one, decided to walkover and stand 5" away from Nicole and bend over to get something. Ummm, trustme, we really don't want OR need to see your "junk"(as my friend Heather callsit), so please be aware...and poor Nicole...my God, she picked the WRONG time tolook over at him..and I have been laughing about it all day. We were hiking behind this guy the rest of the day, and the thing was hiked wayup in back, and we just kept laughing and laughing......and yes...crack kills!LOLIt was a perfect hiking day, and even better that showers await us tomorrow.Nicole got in her tent tonight and said she couldn't stand to be in there withherself..ha ha. I, on the other hand smell like roses...as long as they areb.o. scented...LOL!! I took a picture of what I thought was a tan line aroundmy ankles (we hiked in shorts today). Then I spilled water on my leg andrealized it was an even coating of dirt! I feel like that 7 year old kid againwho comes home filthy after playig in the dirt all day...only my mom isn't hereto make me bathe (and I can't anyways) LOLOh, speaking of my mom, I want to wish her luck with getting her new grilltomorrow...she's getting 19 teeth pulled and dentures...OUCH! I hope you arefeeling better and that you got some good pain killers!   Well..off to water the leaves and to bed. It is 9:45 p.m.,and I'm pooped. It iscooling off here and I am getting chilled. Oh, this shelter is a great site forhanging! Still having an incredible time!!~Certain