Date: 2003-03-19
From: Whitley Gap 

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: moderate rain

"Strange how hard it rains now, rows and rows of deep dark clouds, but I'm holding on - still alive underneath this shroud - rain."   Patty Griffin   "I know of no higher fortitude than stubbornness in the face of overwhelming odds."      Louis Nizer      This entry is again entered by Margies' dad. We have not yet received mail with any of her written messages. We spoke to her on the phone however this evening. Since she left Neels gap & Walassi Yi 2 days ago, it has been raining steadily. She got to Whitley Gap Shelter on tuesday night and holed up in the shelter. The shelter is open on (3) sides. She said that the rain was so heavy and the wind so strong that she and the (4) other guys in the shelter kept getting rained on. The fog was heavy and there was quite a bit of lightning and thunder also. She had the fly from her tent rigged up to keep the rain off of her sleeping bag but it kept blowing up like a sail and the bag got wet. On wednesday morning there were weather reports of continued rain and even tornado warnings in the northern Georgia/Tennessee area. The (5) of them decided to hike "back" (6.2) miles or so to Neels Gap and Walassi Yi to find a place to ride out the storm. The other choices were to stay in that shelter (not good) or hike forward over (20) miles to the next town accessible from the trail (also not good). When they got back to thr Walassi Yi trail center, they hitchiked up the road to Goose Creek Cabins. The (6th) car picked them up. It was a pickup and Margie rode in the cargo box with the other guys. Margie says that they have a (4) room cabin and it's just what they need to rest up and dry out until they all start hiking again on friday morning. They also got a shuttle from the cabin to a restaurant. The (4) guys helped her go through her pack to discard items in order to lighten the load. She says that she got rid of about (10) pounds including her stove and a down jacket. She is mailing some of it back to us. They rigged up a light weight stove from a Coke can and part of the stuff from the original stove and it works well. The blister on her foot continues to bother her. She had tried putting mole skin and duct tape on it. Some one told her that duct tape can be toxic??. She has decided to stop wearing the sock liner underneath the hiking sock and thinks that will help reduce the friction. The (4) hikers she is with did not know each other prior to the hike and they come from various parts of the country including Waterville, ME. Sounds like a good bunch of guys to me as they have been quite helpful to Margie. I have ordered a Pocket E-Mail gizmo over the internet and will send it to her at Fontana Dam, NC. or possibly to the Blueberry Patch Hostel in Hiawasse, GA which will be her next stop "off" the trail - after (4) days of hiking when they leave Goose Creek.Thats all we know at this time. Her spirits are "up" and she says that she is having fun.   "Good grief Charlie Brown."   Thanks again to all Margies' friends, cousins, aunts & uncles who continue to send her words of encouragement.   Margies' dad.PS: Check out some of the pictures that have been added to the photo gallery.