Date: 2010-05-07
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I heard some coyotes I think last night. They sounded like animals laughing. However since they were far away, it didn't bother me. As you might see, I am scared of all animals and noises on the trail in particular at night. I am hoping that the 4 months sleeping out will help me overcome this fear. Otherwise I'll have insomnia for 4 months!! I got up at about 615 and getting organised in the mornings is becoming easier and easier. I know where my things belong and what needs to be put away first. Sounds simple but you can waste a lot of time in the mornings fiddling around. I ate the last of my baby formula (which is quite disgusting I can confirm) and muesli (granola in the US) and headed out at about 7. I've found I'm not too good in the mornings, I find it hard to get in a rhythm and perhaps my breakfast does not digest very well. I now have a blister on each foot and they were hurting. I tried to pop one last night but it has turned into a callous so no fluid came out. I'm hoping they calm down. I also have what looks like a tumour or growth on each shoulderblade from my backpack. Ladybird (who is so experienced in hiking, ultra marathons and mountaineering) says it is a build up of calcium and that women often get them. I got them on the Tour du Mont Blanc. It's quite ugly and frightening but they don't last long. I also have some chafing on my lower back from my backpack. San Gabriel says that chafing comes from unclean skin and that it's good to put alcohol (ie my hand sanitiser) on it. I did that and it worked, it's going away.Anyway, the boys I camped with last night were low on food so they were hitching into Hiawassee (always have trouble pronouncing that) to restock. I have enough food to get me into Maine without resupplying...I can't seem to let go of food! But the big news is that I am going into Franklin, North Carolina, on Sunday!! Woo hoo!! I need to change some gear like shoes, get some water purifying drops and some other bits and bobs. Due to timing of my hiking, I'll also be staying the night! That is so exciting! I have been craving and thinking about eating a hard boiled egg and lettuce sandwich for the last few days so hopefully I'll be able to get one. I have been told to visit Sonic when I go into town. It is a Southern fast food outlet. The sales ladies wear rollerskates. It is not compulsory for them but they get paid more if they do. The other big news for today was that at about 130pm, I crossed my first state border...from Georgia to North Carolina. I ate a beef stick to celebrate.Tonight I am staying at Standing Indian Shelter. As there are no bear cables, bear bags must be hung on trees. You need to put a stone on the end of your rope and throw it over an appropriately high branch. Due to lack of tenting area, I am staying in the shelter with Ladybird and San Gabriel. I realised today how little news I hear. Yesterday was the UK general election and I didn't know who had won. Luckily a man out for a couple of days knew and told me that "them conservatives won. Don't know the name but they'll have to form a coalition". I guess David Cameron will be the new Prime Minster. I also heard that there was a big drop in the Dow Jones.Thanks for the proposals of trail names. My fellow hikers have given me two and I am in the process of deciding between "Alps" (as my main long distance hiking experience was in the Alps and they make the Georgia mountains looks like hills) or "Tasmanian She Devil" (or "Taz" for short). I like both.