Date: 2005-04-05
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Addis Gap campsite
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I headed out from the shelter early this morning; I'm finding it's easy to get my butt out of bed early in shelters because my fellow hikers make noise and I don't have to put my tent away. So far on the AT, I haven't used my tent once. I hung my food bag on the line last night for the first time, and guess what? A mouse or some animal chewed through it. It's only a small hole but I thought the food bag lines were to protect against this. From now on, I'm going to sleep with my foodbag on top of my pack and my feet on both, like I have done all along.The 7 miles or so to Blue Mountain shelter was not really steep. There were parts of the trail where it was all rock walking, the way I imagine PA to be. When I got to the shelter to take a mid-morning break, S.W.I.F.T (Sh*t, what did I forget today?) was there, cooking some food to lighten his pack. We hung out for a good while, and I relaxed, enjoying the company. He thru-hiked in 2002 with bad knees and made it as far as NH before they gave out on him. He was saying that hikers rely too heavily on their poles on the downhills and muscles around the knee don't develop enough and then they are more susceptible to injuries or falls when the poles aren't there for a second. This sounded like sound commentary and I vowed to do at least one big downhill a day without my poles to build up muscle and the rest with them to prevent excess strain on my knees.Getting down to the Unicoi Gap parking lot, I was crossing the road when this guy said, "hey, would you like some soda or snacks?" Well, heck yes.There were several doosies of a mountain today but my legs are quickly gaining more muscle and adjusting to the demands of the mountains. I'm generally enjoying the challenge. I'm finding it very difficult to drink enough water, I feel like I'm drinking all the time and still not pissing much. I am chugging a liter or so in the morning before I start my hike and a liter in the evening before I go to bed.Another gorgeous day, sunny skies and warm weather. I could not ask for a better day.At the parking lot in Tray Gap was someone else offering trail magic, soda and beer. Well, not just beer, but cold Yeunglings. What a sucker I am for Yeungling, I couldn't refuse one, even knowing it might dehydrate me a bit. I downed the bottle quickly and felt buzzed immediately. On just one bottle! I guess it's the physical exertion that lowers my tolerance. So I climbed Tray Mountain slightly drunk, did not fall over the edge or anything.Let's just say there were a lot of mountains today. I'm learning to love them (but I'm not there yet). I have never been in this good shape in my life and it honestly feels good. Heading up some mountain after Tray, my Platypus was getting near empty and I needed more water, especially since I was about to climb another mountain. There was a blue-blaze trail for water but it was 800 feet steep downhill. A bummer, but I needed water badly and what's one more mountain anyway?Getting close to Annis Gap, there were signs in the woods like, "The 12th annual hiker feast 3/31-4/6. The best trail magic on the AT." "Eggs how you like 'em, pork chops". Of course I went down and there was lots of good food. The AT is something else in this way. There about 15 hikers there, good times. One of them, named B-Man, hiked in 2001 and he was telling me about his experience. He's a former minor league hockey player and knows how to captivate an audience with his stories. He told me in '01 he started the trail with a 1970 external frame pack weighing 85 pounds. Some hikers at the Springer Mountain shelter told him not to hike that way, didn't make sugestions but told him the way he should hike. He told them to screw off and never talk to him again. He then felt compelled to carry that heavy pack just because they told him it was foolish. When he saw them in Trail Days, they said, "Oh, you made it this far with that pack?" He responded, "didn't I tell you never to talk to me again?" I love attitudes like that. He also hikes with a hockey stick, btw.I hear some nasty weather's on the way. I can't expect nice weather all the time. This has been another fantastic day on the AT.