Date: 2011-03-25
From: Blood Mt shelter

To: Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 4. I got up at 7:30am and ate a little fruit, it was still bitterly cold and windy. The best way to warm up is to get on the trail and generate some heat. I left Blood Mt shelter at 8:30am, even though I did not use a tent, I still have to unload my pack and reload, attempting to put as much weight in the bottom of the pack. After 2.1 miles and at 10:00am I arrived at Neal's Gap and Walasi-Yi (I asked what Walasi-Yi meant in Cherokee and I was told something like "many frogs'). I walked in the office to pick up my food box that I had mailed to myself the prior Saturday. I immediately saw some hot dogs grilling so I helped myself to one of those, it tasted pretty good. The main attraction of Walasi-Yi is that they will mail home your surplus gear that you no longer need/want. In my previous post I had mentioned some luxury items that I had. Two in particularly, a wine pouch and a stool. I had actually poured the wine out on day 2 because I had no desire to drink wine at night and it was adding weight. Now for those that know me, you know that was a ultimate sacrifice but it had to be done and it was a nice Malbec. I knew the stool was going back as well. I totally unpacked my pack and took a more serious inventory of what I "really" needed. My food is heavy, the almonds and raisins are good for you but they are very dense. I got a box from the office and shipped back between 10-11 pounds, some of it which I had just gotten from the stuff I had mailed to myself. One does not need baby powder, 2 pocket knives, an ipod, an extra Under Armor shirt, peanuts, etc, nice to have but no longer essential. Anything that weighed an ounce was scrutinized because ounces add up to pounds and pounds add up to pain and discomfort. Walasi-Yi is a very nice place and very helpful. I asked how many pounds they ship during the year and he replied "tons". FedEX must love this place. While repacking my pack a local church mission group showed up and started grilling hamburgers for the hikers. What a great tasting hamburger and we all appreciated them doing this for us. I hit the trail again at 12:30pm and headed north, with no real destination in mind. I meet The Joker and Jingle Bells along the way, 2 nice gentlemen from Florida. Jingle Bells wears bells on this pant legs, either to scare the bears away or to attract them, the jury is still out on that issue. I passed Whitley Gap shelter on the trail but it was 1.2 miles off the main trail. I am not willing to expend energy to hike to a shelter and gain no real miles, so I passed up that opportunity and proceeded north looking for a camping spot. I got to Hogpen Gap at 6:15pm and found a nice little spot next to a creek. This spot was just off of state route 384 and I had to hike up a steep incline to get to this spot. I had passed a parking area earlier on the highway and I am sure if I had just followed the highway I would have reduced my distance and certainly the steep climb. But, the highway did not have white blazes on it so I stayed on the trail. I set up my tent but did not eat as I was still full from Walasi-Yi. Later, The Joker and Jingle Bells showed up. They actually sleep directly on the ground with no tent. Overall, I had hiked 7 hours for 8.8 miles, still not the rate I would like but I am making progress. My total mileage is 37.1. I was in the tent at 7:15pm. The forecast for Saturday was 40% rain. Speaking of white blazes, no, I am not counting them and I am not counting my steps. A lot of this journey so far is very similar to training for and running a marathon but much more difficult. In running, one can always quit and you know that in the back of your mind. Out on the trail there is no quitting because there is no where to go. I am constantly negotiation with myself, so many more steps or to that rock or tree and you can stop and rest and stretch your neck. It goes on and on. I am probably taking more Motrin then the medical community would approve but I have to stay ahead of the pain, all part of the journey. I think of all those people who are unable to do this or individuals who are ill and have many more problems than myself and I keep plodding. For that I am very thankful and grateful and appreciate all that He has provided to me.