Date: 2008-01-05
To: Stoopid!!!
Miles today: 0.0

Alright, this post is specifically about my little hike, then I might add one entry about thoughts concerning...whatever!We got to Woody Gap and started hiking on the first around 11am. The weather wasn't horrible as the sun was out and it was probably in the high 30s/low 40s most of the day. The wind picked up as the day went on and we did see some day hikers out, more than I thought we would anyways. We decided to hit the Freeman Trail as we wanted to hit Neel's Gap before the store closed and managed to get in about 4:45. Picked up some much needed sodas from the store and arranged to head into town for dinner as Pirate had to head into town for groceries. Dinner was excellent and we ended up coming back to enjoy a nice evening of conversation with Pirate and some younger folk that had just finished their hike, they were all from Mississippi and started going crazy when snow started falling outside. Finally turned in around midnight as Phil and I were not planning on leaving until after 10 the next morning. Speaking of Phil, he officially received his trailname from Pirate on the evening of the first as we were talking about his gear, and I made mention that all of it, meaning his pack, sleeping bag, tent, and most of his gear bags were orange. So his new name is now Creamsicle. Kind of funny when you realize that Phil is a 280lb former college offensive lineman.I went to be bed with a sore throat and this is where the stoopid comment comes from. When we got up in the morning I knew I was getting sick, it was colder than **** outside in the morning and the wind was crazy. Anyways, I debated in my head whether we should stop our hike, but didn't voice my opinion and instead we headed out close to 11am. The wind was brutal and the snow made it difficult to pick up speed as we headed north. As we got to Cowrock Mtn. I knew that that there was something wrong with me and so decided near the summit to call back to Mountain Crossings seeing if there was any way we could get in touch with someone who could maybe get to Hogpen Gap or Tesnatee Gap to get us out as I was pretty sure that I was fighting a fever at this point. I got some numbers and talked to a couple of shuttlers. Unfortunately, the road was closed, but I think I could have gotten one to come up and get us, the other simply lied to me and told me that you couldn't get up to the road because they shut a gate....the lie=there is no gate at either end of the road, just a big road closed sign that can be driven around.   Now I don't advocate breaking the law, I just didn't get the whole lying when it wasn't necessary. Yes, I do know who I was talking to, but I won't drag anyone's name through the mud, it's just a personal pet peeve I have in regards to lying. Anyways, we were standing at Hogpen Gap and had decided we were gonna road walk down towards Helen when we heard a pickup heading up the road our way. We got them to take us back to our truck at Unicoi Gap, and only spun out in the road once on the way, and yes it is kinda scary when your laying in the back of a pickup and the sky starts spinning as you slide to the edge of a mountain road. Anyways, we headed back south and just on the drive back to Atlanta I realized that I did indeed have a fever and how bad it would have been for me to stay out another night. By the time I got home and took a shower my fever was registering at 103, so I definitely made the right choice.