Date: 2016-02-21
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Last night did not go well. Despite being on top of a mountain where Verizon coverage is usually good, internet access was inconsistent. Numerous efforts to contact Beth had failed. Fortunately, contact with Subman revealed that Suds and he were camped at Steeltrap Gap, 1.7 miles north of Tray Mountain. I was able to get a weather update for my specific location via atweather.org. Rain was forecast with a possible thunderstorm mid-morning. Nothing else to do but sleep so I tried to sleep.I woke up shortly before 4:00 a.m. to a soaked down sleeping bag and all my gear was wet too. My tent, an Echo 1 Shelter System, was still above me so I was happy about that. What happened? It didn't matter. It was relatively warm outside so hypothermia wasn't a concern. That possible thunderstorm was troubling. Nothing to do but deal with this; so my day began.I was careful to not let the mountaintop's wind blow away any of my wet gear over the cliff that began 20 yards beyond my location - at least I had remembered the stories about others who learned the lesson the hard way about wind gusts separating gear from its owners. Now I had to quietly get my food bag that was hanging from a cable near the shelter. I didn't want to wake up Tripper & Slipper or the Dad and his son who were nearby. Really? My foodbag's cable is stuck with my foodbag a mere few inches above my grasp. Left hand pulling the cable released from its tree anchor, right hand on the suspended food bag trying to separate it from the cable's hook, stretching my toes to get as high as I can. Okay, that wasn't good. No, I was smart enough to not lose my finger as the cable took my foodbag out of my grasp, but what just happened to my finger? Doesn't that look like I dislocated my ring finger somehow? Okay, my finger looks straight again and it doesn't hurt. Try again. Got it. Wow, I don't think I woke up anyone.Was feeling good as I left theTray Mountain Shelter area but it really is dark. Guess there won't be any moonlight tonight to augment my headlamp. The rocks are wet, making the descent down the trail a bit harder than normal. Wish there was a dirt path instead of these rocks. In the darkness it seems that the path could lead here or over there. Slowly picking my way I came to my first white blaze. The AT uses white blazes painted on trees or rocks to identify its path. Good, another blaze - go slow and maybe I can do this. The trail becomes a dirt path and that is very helpful. Hikers are asked to stay within the trail, despite its state of difficult tread, in order to not expand the width of the trail. The washes, created by trail maintainers to remove runoff from the trail, slow me down but I am able to pretty comfortably see the trail ahead. White blazes can be near or far - there is no standard length between them. Good to see that fallen tree separated up ahead - that is a clear sign of the trail maintainers' hard work. I am still on the trail. Stop. Where did it go? It's got to be here. Do I go back? Probably not the best idea since I now find myself uncertain if I've lost the trail. Okay, that was a test. Branches had fallen across the trail, probably in last night's weather up here. 6 or was that the 7th white blaze? No matter - I think I am off the mountainous tread for good now. Lights ahead. "Is that you Rabbit?" YES!!! Good morning Suds. Subman is heating water for coffee off trail. They'd had a good night in a nice spot - stayed dry and had surprisingly good internet access. We talked about the coming rain with Subman pretty sure we were going to get wet. I wanted to avoid the thunderstorm, particularly when climbing Kelly Knob and its 4,126 elevation, so off I went. It was still dark, but my confidence had grown. I made it this far night hiking by myself. Good thing it started to get light because my headlamp was noticeably fading to display less of the trail. What was Dad's homily? "Where there is darkness, give us light. Where there is ignorance, give us knowledge. And for those of us who think we have the truth, give us humility. The need for my headlamp was gone. My left hand kind of bothers me, but it's no big deal. Moving pretty good now. The sky looks much better than expected. Maybe I can beat the storm. Another location noted in AWOL's AT Guide, Kelly Knob is just a few miles away.This must be it. Kelly Knob climbs 800 feet in a mile. Subman had told me that it just goes on and on - and he was right. Just keep moving up. I met Two Peas - nice people from Florida. I mentioned that Subman, Suds, and I were probably going to eat at Daniels All You Can Eat restaurant tonight and invited them to join us if they'd like. No rain or even a sign of it yet - just maybe I can stay dry. I am relieved to be past Kelly Knob. Not much more than 4 miles to go.I pass a Boy Scout troop who are section hiking Georgia. Dicks Creek Gap is here; I can hear the cars.I take a break in the parking lot that is filled. One car pulls in. A family of four is doing a hike today. He offers me various kinds of food but I decline them because I will be eating in town shortly. Yogiing is the art of separating people from their food that a hiker covets - remember the Yogi cartoon bear that always wanted food? The couple are asking non-stop questions about my intended thru-hike. The husband and father clearly intends to thru-hike after his children get through college. The more he talks it makes me think he'd like to begin soon. The boy scout leader passes by, but stops and gives me a bag containing energy bars that he said he doesn't need. Maybe I will be good at Yogiing. I haven't even tried and strangers passing by are giving me food. The couple moves on, but then he comes back saying he's decided to carry his pack today as he takes it out of his trunk. I really think if we'd talked any more that his wife would have to talk him out of starting his thru-hike today.Moving on to what I thought would be the big personal challenge today - hitchhiking. The 5th car to pass stops to pick me up. He is a nice 83 year old man who wishes he'd hiked when he could. He thinks he could've hiked two years ago, but didn't. He drives me to the hotel that has my resupply box. Before checking in, I confirm that the box is there because the lobby doesn't look familiar. It's only been a week since I was here but it has been an eventful week.Talk with Beth to let her know that I safely arrived. I had called her after daybreak as I wanted to give her an update that she could share with Peter. Peter is an ex-Marine that I see at LA Fitness on the weekends. Peter had given me a retirement gift one month ago consisting of a nice card, a gift card, and most importantly - his full name, address, and phone number. Over the last couple years, Beth and I worried if we didn't see him at the gym. We only knew him there and he keeps to himself a lot. It was a major breakthrough obtaining info to be able to contact him directly. Before Christmas, he was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks and we knew something had happened and had wondered whether we'd ever know. Beth said she hadn't seen him yesterday but had printed out these journal pages so that he could catch up on my activities. Can't wait to have some time with him after this hike is over.My hotel room looks like a hurricane hit it. Tent, sleeping bag, footprint - they are all strewn about to get them dry and clean. Wet clothes are pulled out of the bag as laundry is the next agenda item - even before eating. Subman confirms plans to eat at Daniels at 5:00.Subman is pretty far along with ideas on what to do in the coming days. I show him my finger - it is now getting worse and worse with the bruising turning uglier, more swollen, and now the awareness that I have no chance of slipping my wedding ring off. Subman says it's settled as he sees my finger. Suds apparently has some bad blisters that can use rest and recovery instead of possibly getting worse in the coming days of rain. The offer is extended for me to go home with them to sit out the weather while Suds' blisters heal and I can get medical attention for my finger. We'll talk further after getting info and input from Papa Monkey and Two Peas, who Subman also invited to Daniels tonight. Dinner is great and enough is eaten by each of us to put us over the comfort line. Two Peas arrive just as we were leaving so we sit back down to share the plan to wait out the storm. Peas are going to continue to hike saying that they have the gear for the weather. Subman and Suds depart but I stay to get to know Two Peas better. Real nice people who I hope we'll see again up the trail. Papa Monkey is also going to continue to hike. Subman and Suds return. Change in plans. Trail Chef is picking us up in the morning and has invited all of us to do what we need to do from his place.What a day. I hiked 11 miles, some at night in less than desirable conditions. Now kindnesses beyond my thinking are upon me by these wonderful people. I feel like I've experienced, confronted, and hopefully learned a lot today. My dad's homily repeatedly streams through my head. I am grateful for all of it.