Date: 2017-03-12
From: Unicoe Gap

To: Deep Gap Shelter, GA
Miles today: 13.1

Day 05: Unicoe Gap, GA to Deep Gap Shelter, GA - 13.1 miles:A decent night of sleep at the Helendorf Inn. Despite it still being dark out, my mind was awake at 6am, so I just busied myself online until I finally woke Sarah at 7:30am. We grabbed a quick breakfast - cereal, yogurt, a bagel, and coffee for me - before returning to the room to finish packing and make our way onto the main street of Helen. With it being Sunday, plus the addition of crumby weather overnight, we were planning for a decent walk and wait before we'd find a ride back into the mountains. As we were crossing the street to go snap a few cheesy pictures of the town, a man in a large white truck stopped and asked if we were heading to the trail. Just like that we were heading back to Unicoe Gap with a man named Kit and his two friendly dogs. Over the course of the windy road, Odin laid down by my feet in the backseat, gripping my shoes with his paws.Kit is a veteran and now retired from the personal protection line of work. He lives in an Airstream trailer at the base of a small mountain, complete with some land - his dream. His outlook on life was refreshing and it was a joy chatting with him during our 20-minute return to the trail head. Waiting at the trail head were a dozen or so hikers looking to get into either Helen or Hiawasee. Kit simply unloaded us, told half a dozen or so to climb in, and he was zipping back down the mountain. He really helped what could've been a time-consuming event, and I'm truly grateful.By 10am, the three of us were climbing out of Unicoe Gap and into the snow-covered mountains above. With fog hugging the peaks, the day would ultimately be a head-down-and-go kinda day. With no views to be had, plus the biting cold that would set in if stagnant too long, go is what we did. A foot-wide path of mud was the only thing to ruin the scenic hike through the snow-covered slopes, the trees bent over under the weight. As we walked, the sound of crunching snow filled the otherwise still mountains - life put on pause overnight. We soon passed the Cheese(cake) Factory where I first got to know the likes of General Burnsides and Moosehead. The fallen snow made the site appear smaller than I remember, and much more somber as well.As we approached Tray Gap, several figures began to appear from the depths of the fog. I first noticed some locals, standing around a mud-covered Jeep, accessing what under the hood needed repairing after being damaged during a mud run minutes before. I then noticed an older gentleman, Lion Hearted, standing by the bed of his truck. In the back he had a variety of snacks, handkerchiefs, and drinks. However, we'd heard about him nearly an hour before, as good things spread quickly along the trail, and knew he was offering hot chocolate and coffee. With hands close to freezing, Sarah and I eagerly accepted our steaming cups of hot chocolate, quickly relishing the taste as it sank slowly into our cores, heating us from within. After a much briefer stay than we would've preferred, Sarah, Odin, and me had miles to cover so had to get going. We said our thanks and crossed the dirt road junction, now nothing more than deep pools of mud the color of the hot chocolate we had just enjoyed.We quickly began climbing the south side of Tray Mountain. With no views to be had at the top, we had nothing to look forwards to and instead chatted and entertained one another to help pass the climb. Odin also helped pull his load on the day. After sleeping for around 15 hours, he was both well-rested and a fan of the snow. He spent the day running up and down the trail and zigzagging among the brush lining the sides, his nose always buried just under the snow. As Sarah lead the way, both of us listening to our respective music, I passed the time by watching Odin and his antics: digging holes in the trail, popping his head out of the snow, a bit resting on the end of his black nose, and his coming and going between Sarah and I when we walked at a distance.Passing by Swag of the Bluegrass and Sassafras Gap, we finally reached Addis Gap - the spot of the epic Easter trail magic feast of two years ago. Today, there were no colorful signs advertising bacon or any other form of deliciousness. Instead, only a lonely snow-covered gravel road leading down half a mile into a gap where only memories remain. The final leg of the day consisted of a climb up and over Kelly Knob and down into Deep Gap. I remember Kelly Knob not getting the credit she deserves, but I'm pretty sure she reminds each hiker that crosses over. The last time I did it was after two hours of stuffing myself with endless amounts of food and, after a few beers, was nearly drunk in the process. Today, however, was a sober reminder that she's a tough little climb in any circumstance. We strolled into the Deep Gap Shelter where we met several hikers we've seen at camps over the past couple days. Tents were set up, food was enjoyed in a communal style, a trip to the privy was executed safely and with no mishaps, and socializing was had by all.As the evening approached and the final hikers strolled in, the total number topped out at close to 40 hikers here which is insane. I chatted with a few cool people a while, but then kinda drifted back and enjoyed from afar - grabbing some pictures, watching different groups interact, and the overall performance that is camp life. Watching people both meet for the first time and reconnect after a couple days apart never gets old. It's a community out here unlike any other. One, for now anyways, I'm happy to have been welcomed back into. With cold temps setting in tonight and over the next several days, tomorrow will be a short few miles into the Top of Georgia Hostel as a way to be sluggish and be indoors for at least one of those nights. After that, North Carolina awaits.