Date: 2008-01-05
From: White Oak Stamp

To: Rocky Mtn, GA
Miles today: 14.0

I woke up this morning in time to watch the sky turn pink, then the sun come up while I brewed my morning Starbucks. :-)It was a mild morning at 30 degrees...the warmest yet.I laid in my sleeping bag enjoying my Starbucks and the last of the baked goods Carlene set along. Carlene is Chief's wife...I just don't understand how Chief got so lucky. :-)I started thinking about what I might have for lunch today...hummm, maybe I'll have the rest of that pan fried chicken that Queen Diva made for me! I even slept with it in a bag under my head last night just so no critter would run off with it. Ha! :-)I was packed up and walking by 8:45am. That's a new record for this walk!I got to the top of Poor Mtn and could see the sun shining on the summit of Brasstown Bald, but I had been walking in cloudy weather.I have had so many people sign my guestbook since I started that I've decided to wait till I get to Hiawassee in a couple days to answer everyone just so I don't wear my cell battery down out here in the woods...but keep them coming! I check them everyday and really enjoy reading what you have to say. :-)I did hear the owl one more time last night when I woke up once and I've been listening to a pileated woodpecker squawking on my walk today.I got to Low Gap Shelter and stopped for a break, I used more smiley face stickers when I signed the register, then I got water from the spring that was running nicely. I sat there for another 10 minutes and enjoyed the quiet before I walked on.There was a trail name in that register that I smiled about...Wuss-In-Boots. Wonder how he got that name? :-)I passed quite a few areas today where hogs had rooted up the ground along side the trail.The snow is all gone in the areas where the sun hits and the leaves have dried out. All I hear when I walk in those areas are my feet crunching the leaves.There is still some snow and ice in the shady areas of the mountains.You know how money burns a hole in some people's pockets? Well, Queen Diva's fried chicken was burning a hole in my backpack! :-)I couldn't wait any longer, so when I passed by a tree that had fallen and the trunk made a nice seat, I sat down and ate the rest of that fried chicken. Ummm, ummm!Thanks again Queen Diva!!Ol' Smokey Lonesome would have said; That sure was a "healthy" chicken. (It was an overweight chicken)It warmed up enough today that the rhododendron leaves came out of their tight curl they go into when it's chilly out.I got to Chattahoochee Gap and saw 4 day hikers. The oldest guy was telling me that the spring there is the beginning of the Chattahoochee River. I did not know that before.He couldn't believe it when he asked where I was heading and I told him Maine. He asked my trail name. I told him and asked his. He said he didn't have one before, but now "Wimp" might be a good one. :-)I stopped and got water from the spring about 3/4 mile before Blue Mtn Shelter because I wasn't sure how far I was going to go today.I stopped at Blue Mtn Shelter and signed the register, then walked on. It was too early to eat and too early to stop for the day.Stoikurt, if you read this, you were the last person to sign the registers a few days ago in both shelters I stopped at today.I also made some money today! I found 87 cents at that shelter. :-)I left the shelter and climbed the rest of the way to the summit of Blue Mtn before making a 1000 foot decent to Unicoi Gap.I took a break there, then climbed 1000 feet up to the summit of Rocky Mtn where I set up my tent for the night.I would have hitched into Helen, GA had it been Thursday or Sunday because Paul's has AYCE crab legs those days. Oh well, I'm not very good at this backpacking thing yet. Ha! :-)It's dark and fairly breezy up here.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)