Date: 2006-03-10
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

The most demanding day on the trail so far. I'm now in North Carolina, a litle sad to leave Georgia behind. One state down already. Lots of hikers are out here to bag the miles, already doing 15-20 in a day. That's not my goal. I want to see what I'm walking through, remember the experience. With that said, I did like reaching the sign on the border, a very simple wooden plaque with NC/GA etched on the front.The day did not start the way I'd planned, but no one was surprised. The hotel manager shuttled us to the trailhead. After he pulled out, I realized I'd left my hiking poles back in Hiawassee. After everyone's initital moans of "Oh, Boulder.", I sent them on and put out my thumb. I knew I'd be at least a couple of hours behind.Hitchhiking is actually a lot of fun. It is one of the best ways to meet and talk to people you wouldn't ordinarily meet. I interact with hikers every day and they're great. I also interact with people who serve hikers like desk clerks, managers, waitresses. The folks who pick you up on the road have no real interest or motive besides doing you a favor. My first ride was with a local contractor. He likes picking up hikers. He told me about a lot of the new construction in town. The town is actually a resort community half the year for rich Floridians. Burt Reynolds flies in in his helicopter.My ride out of town was with a great good ole boy. He inititally asked m for $5 for the ride and I turned him down. He came back around and picked me up anyway. Big round guy in his 50's with a sweaty bandana on his head, driving a red pick up truck. Actually, you always get rides in trucks. The usual SUV and minivan crowd fly on by.When I told the guy that we had 8 miles left to cross into North Carolina he said, "You really shouldn't leave until you've smoked some of our prime Georgia home-grown stuff." He didn't offer any but told plenty of stories about it. I think he'd had some for breakfast the way he tore up the winding mountain road, sometimes even in the right lane.Before leaving town, I hiked up to the Hiawassee Inn looking for a hiker called Helium. He'd come out of the storm the night before with his injured dalmation. I heard when he got to Maine he was going to grad school there. If he was still around I figured he's make a good hiking partner. Really nice guy from Tennessee. But he was waiting for a ride for his dog and didn't know when he'd hit the trail.So I got to the trailhead alone and started walking. A little time off the trail may be refreshing, but you get out of trail condition fast. I was already puffing after the first hill. Zero days should be avoided as much as possible. We all felt like we were doing something we shouldn't and genuinely missed the hike. A little way in I caught up with Bush Wacker whose trail journal is a link or so below mine. We filled each other in on trail news. He said there was a guy doing trail magic at one of the trailheads asking specifically for me. Must have been a journal fan. Hope he follows me to North Carolina.Bush Wacker's 53. His knees were killing him, his head was in completely the wrong space and he was thinking of leaving the trail. I encouraged him to give it at least another day before making a decision. He said if he did get off he'd regret it the rest of his life.I was alone for most of the hike but kept leap-frogging with a young guy, maybe high school, from Arkansas. He was going slow and having a tough time like me. It was a hot day in the 70's, no shade yet from bare trees, steady upward slopes. I started taking my tiny baby steps just to keep moving. Usually I save that for the very end of the day, not the beginning. And the new shoes are worthless. They hurt my feet in the same old places plus some new places. Really not my best day on the trail. I took several breaks and had to stop and refill my water. I needed a lot. Like Bush Wacker, I was tired and in the wrong head space. When I crossed the state line, I hung around for a few minutes waiting for someone to come along and take my picture. Didn't happen. From the sign it is 3 miles to the Muskrat Creek Shelter. Absolutely the toughest 3 miles so far, especially in bad shoes.Whereas Georgia was rolling with some steep inclines, North Carolina greets you right away with mountains. The trail twists up and up and up. Over the miles there are steep ups and downs ending with a 1000 foot elevation gain. Views are spectacular, top of the world. When you see a high imposing peak in the distance, assume you will eventually be on it. Had my feet felt better, I really would have enjoyed it, especially after all our bitching about it not being as tough as New Hampshire. I think the whole state will be this way. All of the 6000 footers are here until you get to Mt. Washington.I passed Turtle M and Turtle D, the retired couple I'd met first day at hiker hostel. They were in fine spirits, and said it was one more mile to Muskrat. What a mile.I met up with everyone. They were all exhausted too. We all watched the sunset together from a rocky lookout. Just beautiful, best part of the day. Then smores around the fire and early to bed. Full site tonight. 5 in the shelter including Bush Wacker, several more tenters including Josh from Arkansas and a couple with 2 dogs. Oh goody.As usual I woke at 2 to journal and am getting back to sleep.