Date: 2013-04-19
From: Tray Mtn Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/18/2013 - So I watched the movie which was a nice destruction from the rain. Although I had to move my tent when it let up. Appears that I put my tent in a pond area, and I was resting on a water bed for a while, lol. Since the rain held back for a while last night me, Cat, and Daniel just hung out and chatted. Then it was 10:00pm and we headed to sleep.Thursday morning I woke a little later due to the rain not fully being gone. I headed out around 7am with only 7.7 miles to hike. Daniel was just getting up when I left, and Cat was still in the tent asleep. The day was wet mostly, but nice and cool. I ran into Mike (well he passed me) then I passed Jim and Bill. It was pretty much like yesterday with up up up down down down then up the down again. It was a very peaceful day. The green is starting to home out and it's great. Lots of tree tunnels to walk thru makes it pretty nice also. Because my phone was almost dead I couldn't take pics with my phone or update yesterday, but I have some nice pics on my 3D camera!! WORD!!! Lol Made it to Deep Gap Shelter around 10:30am, was very strange being the first at the shelter. I also decided to set up inside rather than tent due to us leaving out early on Friday to catch the shuttle into Hiawassee. The couple from Maine showed up that is hiking to there sons wedding. Very nice people. Then Daniel came and left. He has a mail drop at Blueberry patch Hostel so we will catch him tomorrow. Country Gold (a deaf guy) showed up. We chatted, he reads lips doesn't sign. Which was interesting because he'll start talking and never look at you, so your not really having a conversation but rather listening to him talk. He's very nice and helpful tho, and it's his second thru-hike. And I think it's awesome he's going to learn ASL when he gets off the trail. I was hoping to get some practice in with him but hey that's life. More and more showed up at the shelter, all anticipating the bad storm to roll through. Guy from Japan, two guys from Germany, a group doing a section hike, the Michigan couple, and a new guy from Cali. Mason showed up also, learned last night he's a 18 year old guy whose mother in encouraged him to do this. Pretty cool. Then night came time for bed at 10pm again. I took sleeping pills to try and keep myself asleep as not to disturb anyone else. Did not work at all. Lol4/19/2013 - woke at 6am, Cat heard me so she woke up also so that we could make the 9:15 shuttle to the Budget Inn where we will be staying for the night. They said the 3.6mile trail was all downhill (LIES) it was up up then down then up then down then up then down down down, lol. No wild life this morning just some rain off and on. We got to Dicks Creek Gap at 7:45 and decided not to wait on the shuttle but hitch a ride into town. About 30 min later a can pulled up. Cat said nope we are not getting into that, it was an old white can with blacked out windows. Then this old guy jumped out with a big smile and asked if we needed a ride? Cat said yep then. Lol as we hopped in it started to downpour. Lonnie was a really nice retired Air force guy. He was our first Trail Angel and our First Trail Magic. He drove us in and bought us breakfast at the Huddle house. Yummy!!! His son lives in town and was at work so he divided to go check to see if anyone needed a ride since it was raining. Really great guy and a blessing today. Made it to budget in and washed up, cleaned clothes and now headed to go get DQ!!! Yay!!!! Fitbit stats for yesterday:Steps 21,106Floors 181Miles 9.40TodaySteps 11,757Floors 73Miles 5.24Later