Date: 2010-03-16
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Feel the Magic!I lay in the sleeping bag for an hour after I woke, trying to muster the courage to get out of my sleeping bag. The watch thermometer still read 35 degrees and I could feel the draft from the stiff breeze outside. I didn't have to worry about cooking breakfast as I was out of stove fuel. I finally got up and raced around attending to my morning chores. Things warmed a bit as the sun came up. It looked like it would be a sunny clear day at last!I hoisted my pack and began the final ascent of Blue Mountain followed by the steep descent into Unicoi Gap. The Gap was bathed in sunlight, so I stopped to take a break next to the sign and remove my jacket and rain pants. I ultimately stripped to a long sleeve T-shirt as it felt like it was in the 60's. I was later jointed by Ink, All Good, and Young One. All Good was out of food and needed to resupply in Hiawassee. He was about to hitch hike for the first time. I told him to collapse his hiking poles and stow them on the side of the pack and to stand further up the road where a vehicle could easily pull over. He was riding down the hill to Hiawassee in the back of a pick up truck within 15 minutes. I gave him a thumbs up as he passed by.I then started the long climb over Rocky Mountain. There was a tumbling stream surrounded by a thicket of rhododendron about a half mile into the climb. I used the cold water to wash out my bandana and wipe down a bit. During the climb, I was pondering how I should ration my last few granola bars and whether I could make anything out of the powdered milk and sugar that remained in my food bag. Surprisingly, I didn't come up with any good recipies. I was excited when I saw two large plastic bins and a cooler on the trail leading up from Indian Grave Gap. A sure sign of trail magic! I opened the cooler and found bottles of water, soda, juice, jello, and pudding. The other bins contain chips, cookies, candy bars, crackers, and other hiker resupply items including toilet paper (you never realize how important this is until you are out), bandaids, hands cleanser, and duct tape. This was supreme trail magic. As I saw Ink and the subsequent hikers comming down the trail, I yelled out "trail magic". I drank an orange juice and soda, then ate a bag of Cheetos, and two puddings. I stuffed several packages of crackers in the outside pocket of my pack. We all ate and drank happily together. I now knew that I could make it to Hiawassee without suffering hunger pangs. After a while, the trail angels who left the treasure drove up in a white SUV. They were Two Dogs (NOBO thru-hike in 2007) and his daughter who provided support during his hike. I thanked them and told them how they saved me from hunger over the next day and a half of hiking. The daughter responded by bringing some Little Debbies cakes and candy bars from the truck. Two Dogs was concerned about my pack size and weight (a recurring theme). He also was concerned that I was not packing duct tape, a common trail remedy for blister treatment. He insisted that I wrap a length of duct tape around my hiking pole. At that moment, I felt like I was baptized into the fellowship of thru-hikers. I bid them a reluctant farewell and headed up Tray Mountain with a full stomach and a happy heart.I had to negotiate my way over ice and snow going over the top of Tray Mountain. I don't know how some folks can do this safely without trekking poles. I was rewarded with blue sky and great views from the summit. Lake Fontana was visible far to the north with the Smokies towering behind on the horizon. White patches were visible on the Smokies indicating that the trails were snow-covered. I was later jointed by Disciple. We took pictures and headed down to the Tray Mountain Shelter trail.I found a flat tent site that provided great views of sunrise over the blue mountains. Life is good!Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.-Albert Einstein