Date: 2012-03-30
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Deep GapShelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: broken clouds

Day 5 - Friday, March 30Hiking Days 4 / Nero Days 1 / Zero Days 0Start Location: Unicoi Gap: marker 52.9Ending Location: Deep Gap Shelter marker 66.0 - tented Time: 5h 51minMiles: 14.1Weather: unseasonably warm Day 70-75 Night 47-50. Some  breeze light rain 12-6 then heavierJosh, earthlingFinally up at 6:45. Woke up at 1:45 by noisy neighbors.  They chatted till 11:00.  Sure it was a stoner fest  No issue but they should have kept it down a bit.  The 1:45 was the next batch being delivered.  Hard to fall back asleep. Showered, shaved, out to breakfast at 7:15.  The hikers certainly help with the local businesses.  In the cafe there are 9 hikers to 5 locals.  And I suspect the hikers eat much more.  Back to the room, finished packing and out to meet the 9:00 shuttleWhat a crap shout that turned out to be.  First at 8:55, one of the hikers took off the outfitters next door to have something shipped.  He had an hour and a half to do it but I guess 8:55 was the magic moment.  So we left late.  The. Dicks Creek Gap drop off was first.  A guy picked up wanted to be dropped off at the Blue Berry Patch hostel.  Then after we left another hiker remembered that was he had a mail drop sent to that hostel.  So after we were already down the road he asked the driver to turn around.  He reluctantly did.  Got there, no package.  Then to Unicoi Gap.  Started at 10:00.  A very late start. Had not only the first 1000 foot climb this morning, I had the first and second back-to-back.  All-in-all it went well.  Legs feeling so much better.  Taking a nero is proving to have been the right thing to do.  Actually, all day were consistently some  of the bigger ups-and-downs so far.  Hit Tray Mountain at 12:30.  Lunch time and since I carried a foot long sub with me up those hills, I enjoyed eating my pack weight down.  Although it was supposed to begin raining around 4:30, a light rain started at noon.  Not heavy.  Actually quite enjoyable. The rain persisted off-and-on for the rest of the day.  I hit the Deep Gap Shelter around 4ish.  With such a late start, I would hit the next shelter around 7.  With strong storms expected to begin in 30 minutes and feeling pretty good I decided to stay.  A short day but a good day.  Although there was some room the shelter was rather full.  With a heavy rain expected, I thought this might be a good test for the new tent.  All set up, ate my can of smoked Amour hot dogs, three string cheese and water.  Rain has stopped, nearly 6:00, in my tent and my journal is nearly complete.  One fun note is that the group of two girls and the guy who got their food bag eaten are here.  In fact The girl who gave me the half smile is someone who I had hiked with in 2010.  She is going to Vermont then cut off at the long trail and complete that up to the Canadian border.  Very cool.  One thing that I am am actually finding kind of cool is the use of my iPhone as a weight saver.  I no longer have to carry a pencil and paper for my journals.  I can simply type and paste it in my journal.  I don't talk on it much but it is also my camera and video recorder.  Oh, and a phone.  I'm not a tech head but it is a nice piece of gear.  I could even check the weather as needed.