Date: 2012-03-29
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 2.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 4 - Thursday, March 29Hiking Days 3 / Nero Days 1 / Zero Days 0Start Location: Tray Mountain Shelter: marker 50.5Ending Location: Unicoi Gap - marker 52.9Time: 0h 55minMiles: 2.4Weather: unseasonably warm Day 75-78.  Night 47$ Room 45.29  $Food breakfast 12 juice 2 groceries 20.96 diner.  Sub.  Breakfast.  $ Lottery Ticket 5Hiker: Stinger, two section hikers at shelterOnce again set the alarm for 7. Never heard it go off bit now able to tell the time by the amount of daylight there is.  I knew it was past 7 so I looked at my watch and it was 7:12.  Got up, started to pack up.  Looked out and Stinger was already near completely packed up already.  The hiker in the shelter did not move at all.  Was packed up in 10 minutes, talked a bit, off to the trail.  On trail at 7:30.  Getting better.  I did not sleep overly great but still ok.  My legs felt reasonably ok.  My plan was to go to Unicoi Gap and take a nero into Hiawassi just to regroup and let my legs catch up to my mind.  But since my legs were feeling better maybe I will push on to Dicks Creek Gap.  There were two short but steep ups that convinced me to nero.  Once in Unicoi, called for the shuttle which came at 9:40.  Checked in to the Budget Inn where everyone staying os a hiker.  I showered, started my laundry and headed to the cafe.  Three eggs, three sausage, grits, coffee, and toast for $7.80.  Nice to be back on the trail.  Left a nice tip just to bring it forward to the next hiker that comes in.  On the way back I purchased a lottery ticket.  Jackpot is 500,000,000.  It always seems that an out-of-towner wins the Illinois lottery so now that I'm the out-of-towner maybe I'll be the winner of the Georgia lottery.  Now I'm headed to the grocery store to resupply for the hostel in 3 days.  Going to keep it light.  I can feel the extra weight that a pack of tuna adds so every once makes a difference.  The trail is very different so far this season.  It seems much less crowded then the other two hikes.  The shelters are all but empty.  Don't pass many other AT hikers during the day.  It's been nice and much less hassle with the over crowding of everything.  Also, now that I prefer to tent, the shelter situations and locations play a lot less of a roll in my hiking day.  It has been more freeing. Once again, the advice Greyhound gave me in 2006 has proven to be true.  The gossip on the trail is that the crowds are ahead of me.  I suspect that by the time I reach it, the numbers will have thinned out.  I know that once past Damascus, the hikers that move past that point are more serious about hiking the entire AT.  Done with grocery shopping. Total calorie count for my three and one-half days is 4210.  Way light since you are supposed to figure 4000 a day.  Not as bad as it seems since I will leave with a full stomach after breakfast and will carry half a sub sandwich for an early lunch.  In a three day hike  in this area I am anticipating to come across trail magic at least once. Was going to take an epsom salt bath but there is no stopper in the tub.  I'm sure this is intentional since the clientele are all hikers and would use a lot of water soaking in a bath.  So for now just resting untill diner.  Just back from dairy queen brazier, Swiss mushroom burger, fries, drink and of course a cone. Now headed to subway for my night snack and tomorrows lunch.  Then bed and a fresh start in the morning. Day four, I am feeling good about things.