Date: 2017-10-13
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Neels Gap Hostel
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Just to finish up from last night's journal entry, I stopped and filled all my water bottles about .3 miles prior to the Low Gap shelter and then stopped there for the night. There was a section hiker named Dan already there. He was a 50 year old from near Atlanta, Georgia; although he had grown up in the Schenectady, New York area until he was about 13. He said that he would be traveling to Unicoi Gap over the course of the next two days. After chatting for a little while with Dan, I had a normal evening dinner routine. Then another section hiker, also named Dan, arrived. He was a 64 year old from near Atlanta, and he said that he had been a musician as well as a nationally ranked bicycle racer. After several years of racing himself, he spent a few years training other racers. As a guitar player, he had toured with some big bands; and then after getting married and having children, he found a way to stay and play only in the Atlanta area, mostly wedding gigs. The first Dan had hiked in a couple pounds of what he called "fat wood", which were sticks coated with some kind of resin to make them burn easier. He had prepared a fire. So after dinner the three of us sat for a while, continued to chat, and enjoyed the fire. Both Dans were about to finish their hiking in a couple days and said they were carrying too much food, so they gave me a bunch of their excess. I went to bed maybe a little after 8 p.m.I slept in this morning until around 7 a.m., tired from yesterday's long hike. I completed a normal morning routine, said farewell to the two Dans, and then I hiked back up to the trail. I returned to the excellent water source I had used last night and filled another liter of water there. Then I sat for a while, taking a phone break to do this journaling, and examined my plan for the next few days once again. I realized that today I would need to make a decision about when to summit Springer Mountain and when I would be able to complete the approach trail down to Amicalola Falls. After doing this, I would need to communicate that information to my old Army friend Bill G., who had said he would come pick me up and that I could spend a couple days recuperating at his home in Alpharetta, Georgia.As I started the day, it was misty, damp and cold. The forest was blanketed in fog, as it had been the previous two mornings. It was also Friday the 13th. Spooky.During another break around 10 a.m., Vanilla Thunder (Stewart) passed by. I had not seen him since he left Hot Springs a day before me, to bike with his son, Seth, who had completed a through hike two years ago. We talked for a little while. Only a few minutes later, Sauce and Pickles showed up! We all took a break, chatted and I'm happy we had the opportunity to say proper farewells and congratulations for near completion of the trail. I asked Sauce and Pickles to relay the same sentiments to Sniffles. I then hiked south and caught up with Vanilla Thunder around noon, as he was finishing his lunch. I decided to try to slow down and enjoy my last few days on the trail a bit more, so I asked Stewart if I could join him for the final part. He agreed and we discussed strategy (summit Sunday afternoon, etc). Hiking up and down we caught some nice views (picture). Reaching Hog Pen Gap around 1 p.m., we stopped there for water. Then another up and down, and we reached Tenastee Gap about 1:45 p.m. before heading back up another hill. After a couple more peaks and gaps, we reached Neels Gap and stopped there for the day. I took a picture of the famous tree in which a lot of northbound hikers have thrown their uncomfortable footwear after completing the distance of about 30 miles from their official start point (My endpoint).From the store there I got the minimum additional resupply required for the remaining distance of about 30 miles to Springer Mountain followed by the 8 mile approach trail to Amicalola State Park Visitor's Center. I also got a shower, frozen pizza for dinner and a bunk in the hostel for the night. Stewart did the same. His knee was hurting and he was concerned about weight loss, having weighed himself recently and been about 138 pounds compared to his norm of closer to 160.I charged my phone and battery and texted Bill G., who I learned was in Florida. We coordinated a tentative plan in which I would summit Springer on Sunday afternoon (with Stewart), camp Sunday night on the approach trail and then we would link up on Monday morning at Amicalola. I felt physically strong but mentally and emotionally drained.11.5 trail miles .6 mi back hike for good water 12.1 mi total