Date: 2008-05-09
From: Sassafras Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: broken clouds

Whoooo hoo! We are at Cloud 9! Heavenly! So finally I have access to a computer so I can catch up on the journals. Hello to everyone out there keeping track of my progress! We left camp early this morning, after a rainy, windy and stormy night. Lots of thunder and lightning. (As I was lying in my tent listening to the rain pound away, I was trying to remember what the trees were like around my tent, whether any were giants or dead or had hanging limbs.) It was a wild night! I dreamed and woke up with the dream fresh in my mind... Dale and Ryan were in my dream, sitting with me on a rock, looking out in the distance at wilderness. We were sharing some great laughs. All day today I felt (as corny as it will sound,) like they were with me, encouraging me and giving me cause for celebration and lots of laughs. A deversion from the blisters and knee problems. So we left camp amid fog that made everything beautiful and silent. I loved it! And in my opinion we went through the most beautiful section so far--a spectacular old growth-type forest with towering trees and lush ferns and all kinds of wildflowers. I wanted to sit and do nothing but look and listen. Took some pictures and longed for my good camera, as I would have gotten some fabulous shots. (My new camera frustrates me!) That spot alone makes all the misery and pain worthwhile. I feel so lucky to be on this trail and witness this amazing world we live in. Words don't do it justice. I have never known such aches and pains! But of course I walk on. I have been trying,when possible, without falling over a cliff or down a ledge, to walk down the slopes backwards. This is tricky! But it is so much easier on my knees. We had a short one today, hiked less than 10 miles to reach the parking lot by Dick's Creek Gap. Doug arrived there before me and was sitting with Laura--the owner of the hiker hostel in the parking lot.So it is great here! We played some ping pong outside and a game of pool. I took a nice shower--heavenly! And we did laundry, so now, whoo hoo, my clothes, and especially my socks, will smell nice. (Not for long though) Laura drove us into town to grocery shop--what an adventure because we arrived at the store and she said we had 20 minutes! Yikes, that is hard for me! So many choices, so little time! (Absolutely no lollygagging allowed!) So I ran through the store like a chicken with its head cut off. I did mangage to get everything for four days of hiking. I think I finally am getting the hang of the food thing, think I chose some yummy things. With more calories than my last food stop, which is good since I am burning so many as I walk along for hours and hours and hours. Tonight for dinner Fran, (Laura's husband) caught us trout from the pond out front and then cooked it for us for dinner. To it we added pasta and sauce and I had a giant fruit salad. We ate like kings and queens!! Off early tomorrow for more hiking... will hope to do in three days, 13, 13 and 14 miles to reach the next spot to resupply. And we will travel though a place called Blyth Gap which Laura says is wicked hard. I will ice my knee and hope for it to be back to normal tomorrow.