Date: 2009-03-24
From: Campsite at former Rocky Knob shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: broken clouds

I got up at 7:30 (still not sleeping well...), broke down my hammock, and cooked myself some oatmeal. While jotting down my recent mileage, I looked at my pot to see the handles on fire! Half of the silicone was already burned off... and this was only day 5! (My Platypus valve was also already clogged and not functioning well, and my hipbelt pockets on my pack are already wearing thin... I have 6 months to go?). I took my time and didn't get going until 9:20, and still had to get water as I was completely out. I passed a couple of sources, but the current was weak and the downhills steep, and I thought I would find an easier source to collect from ahead. I got to Blue Mountain Shelter, only to find, that I had already passed its water source 0.2 miles ago, and I didn't feel like going back. I thought I could make it a few more miles. I passed a father and daughter team from New Zealand and descended into Unicoi Gap (where I knew Certain and Persistant had gotten trail magic). But then, I realized that it was a Tuesday, and that most Trail Magic occurs on the weekends, so I lowered my hopes. But I saw some cars... and people...and a grill... and a cooler... Sweet!! I was mostly hoping for some water! It was a long and windy path to get down to the road and I wish I could have run through the woods and down the hill! But I remained calm, and crossed the busy road, and made my way over to the gathering, where Trail Angel Linda offered me some food! I had fig newtons, orange juice, and homemade Chop Suey! Delicious! Skip was there already and Martha and her Dad later joined us. I discovered that Obie had spent the night a mile ahead of me at Blue Mountain Shelter, and that he took off from Unicoi Gap an hour ago. I knew I could catch him...   I took off after Skip, stopped at a stream to get more water, and set-off, feeling strangely free... Then, I realized it was because I had left my poles against the tree! Back down the hill I went to fetch them...      I made it to the summit of Rocky Mountain and continued on...   As I made my way up Tray Mountain, I heard people and saw a red truck parked on the road above me. People were hanging out and I assumed it was just some local hikers. I made my way past them and headed up the trail, but then heard, "Would you like a cheeseburger?" You've got to be kidding me! (Again...) More food?! Why was I hauling around all of this food in my pack? We were already fed breakfast, and now lunch! Obie and Skip were sitting beside one another. I caught him at 1:53! I accepted a veggie burger and when Bill handed it to me, I saw that he had put two patties in it! Missile Man was hosting this Trail Magic and was so nice! He offered me some bottled water and Hershey candy, and then gave each of us something I had never heard of- a product called 'InstaCloth', which looks like a mint, weighs next to nothing, and becomes a face towel when combined with a little water! Amazing!   Obie and I took off together. His goal was to get to Deep Gap Shelter. Mine had been to camp at Sassafrass Gap.    Within the first couple of minutes, after the first few words out of his mouth, I knew it was not a good idea for me to be hiking with him. Our pace is similar, but the dynamics are way off (as is the level of courtesy).      I made it through the rest of the day and went all the way to Deep Gap shelter, not realizing that the steep uphill climb of Kelly Knob lay in the way! At the end of the day, it was a tiring, long, and unexpected climb! It had started sprinkling when we had 1.9 miles to get to the shelter, and we could feel the cool, refreshing breeze, indicating the change in pressure even before the drops fell. But Missile Man had said it wasn't going to rain until Wednesday night, and I believed him. I charged up Kelly Knob as best I could with the level of energy I had, leaving Obie far behind. On the downhill, I passed a nice older man who wanted to know if I was headed to town. "Not tonight! I've done enough today...", I said. He said he did, too. We watched a couple of pretty little blue and white birds flit around and then I took off. Finally, I reached the sign to Deep Gap shelter! I headed down the path, and down, and down... Where was it? I looked behind me. Where was that guy? Where was Obie? But then I smelled the smoke from a campfire and my nose led me to the shelter where several guys were already set up (at 6:10). They wanted to know if anyone else was coming. I said at least two were behind me and maybe more on the way. I dropped my pack and searched for some good trees. Josh brought out his tent to set up at the same time. Everyone else slept in the shelter, including Obie, which surprised me! The older guy went straight into the shelter and didn't come out until morning! I had a bit of trouble lighting my alcohol stove and had to ask a gruff military man for help! (I had no trouble lighting it on my own that morning or the night before... I lit it like a pro! Oh, well...) The flame was too strong and powerful again and lept at my hand and spork as I tried to remove the lid... I joined the boys around the campfire as I ate my chilimac and we shared the baggie of chocolates that Obie brought with him from Trail Magic. Then, I cleaned up and packed everything up before dark and went back to the fire with Josh (Tax Dollar), Fire Starter (or Heavy Camera), Stats, Obie, and the military guy (Mothwing). They were nice guys. We talked about our animal encounters, shared squirrel stories, and discussed the uprooting of the sides of the trail by packs of wild boar. The military guy really wanted to see these pigs! He kept shining his headlamp into the bushes and after wandering off for a minute, came back and said," I definitely heard some rustling in the leaves." Stats told his stories of bear encounters and being chased by a boar. The military guy joked they would come right under my hammock and lick my ear with their wet snout. Then, we heard a pig squeal!      The fire died down and I headed to bed around 9:30. Obie had retired earlier and said that he decided not to stop in either Hiawassee or Franklin after all... that he would blow through the next 67 miles to the NOC. "Okay," I said. "I probably won't see you again." (He still owed me money from Neel's Gap). He said he was leaving early the next morning. I was definitely hiking the 3.5 miles into Dick's Creek Gap, where I would find a ride into Hiawassee. I needed to start writing my journal!      Soon after I got into my hammock, the wind started picking up, and a tree would not stop creaking. I hoped Josh would not think it was my hammock making that loud, constant sound (he did!). I thought it was a neighboring tree. But again, I could not sleep! Then, I heard a pack of squealing pigs running nearby! I thought they were headed for our camp! It was 11:54. Then, the rain began... All night long, it poured, and the wind whipped through my tarp. At some point in the morning, I noticed the head of my hammock was wet! I got out of my sleeping bag, put on my crocs, and got out of my hammock (which was dangerously close to the ground). I found one corner of my tarp blown off it's stake, so I re-tied it and got back inside. I didn't worry too much about anything getting wet because I was heading into town where I could dry everything out.