Date: 2009-04-27
From: LOW GAP SHELTER

To: CHEESE FACTORY SITE
Miles today: 13.0

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING I SLIP OUT OF CAMP ALL STEALTH LIKE AND CARELESS. WHAT A DUMMY. I LOST MY 2004 RED SOX CHAMPIONSHIP SHIRT AND A BLUE SLEEVELESS SHIRT HERE. I FOUND OUT I LEFT THEM BEHIND BY ACCIDENT. LIVE AND LEARN. IVE BEEN KEEPING A KEEN EYE ON ALL THE FOOT ISSUES ALONG THE WAY. THERE ARE SEVERAL AILMENTS IVE BEEN NOTICING OTHERS ARE SUFFERING FROM. I'M KEEPING AWARE OF WHAT I MAY BE FACED WITH IN THE FUTURE AND WHAT I NEED TO DO TO AVOID THE SAME FATE. SHORTLY AFTER HIKING OFF I SIMBA WOULD CATCH UP TO ME AND WE WOULD HIKE TOGETHER FOR A SHORT WHILE. EVENTUALLY MEETING UP AT CHATTAHOOCHEE GAP WHERE I WOULD CHANGE MY SOCKS AIR OUT MY FEET AND CHANGE MY SHIRT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY. THERES SEVERAL HIKERS WE MEET ALONG THIS SPOT WHICH APPEARS TO BE A TRAIL JUNCTION. A COUPLE CAME BY AND SAID THEY WERE HANDING OUT TRAIL MAGIC AND I WAS GRATEFUL FOR IT. THEY GAVE ME SOME INFO ON THRU HIKING AND BLISTERS UPON BLISTERS. THEY WERE VERY NICE AND I WAS HAPPY FOR THE TRAIL MAGIC WHICH WAS SOME NUTRITION BARS AND CRACKERS. BLUE MOUNTAIN IS A GOOD CLIMB WITH SOME GREAT LOOKING TRAIL. BLUE MOUNTAIN WAS BEAUTIFUL AND STEEP. WHAT A GREAT MOUNTAIN, OVER BLUE MOUNTAIN AND THEN I HIKE TO THE ROADWAY AT UNICOI GAP GA 75.I ARRIVE AT THE ROAD AND SOMEONE THERE TOLD ME THAT SIMBA HITCHED INTO TOWN. SOMETHING ABOUT HIS BOOTS WERE MESSING WITH HIS ACHILLES. THIS IS WHERE I GOT SOME MORE TRAIL MAGIC, A DIET COKE. MMMM GOOD! MOTHER NATURES HUSBAND WAS WAITING FOR HER AS SHE LED A GROUP ON A DAY HIKE ON THIS SECTION OF THE AT. THEY WERE ABOUT TO COME DOWN THE TRAIL I JUST HIKED DOWN. HE OFFERED ME A COLD DIET COKE AS HE SAT IN HIS TRUCK. ROCKY AND TARZAN ARRIVED JUST AFTER I DID. HE OFFERED THEM BOTH ONE AS WELL. THIS IS WHERE ROCKY GOT HER TRAIL NAME. I LIKE HANGING OUT WITH ROCKY. TARZAN IS JUST AS NICE TO HANG OUT WITH. THERE IS A SPOT HERE TO PARK AND CHECK OUT THE VIEW AND WE WOULD SIT HERE FOR A MOMENT TO RELAX AND TAKE A BREAK. THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO TAKE OFF MY SHOES AND SOCKS AND AIR OUT MY FEET AND DRY MY SHIRT. WE RELAX IN THE SUN AND ENJOY THE BREEZE ROCKY TARZAN AND I. LATER I DITCHED MY JACKET IN A NEARBY TRASH CAN. EVERYONE IS OFF TO THE CHEESE FACTORY SITE SO AWAY I GO TO CATCH UP TO THE OTHERS. MILES CAUGHT UP AND PASSED ME BY ON THIS DAY. AFTER A WHILE I WOULD COME UPON INDIAN GRAVE RD AND TRAY MTN RD. I SAW WATER RUNNING UNDERNEATH THE ROAD FROM A GALVANIZED PIPE SO I FILLED UP WITH WATER. I FELT I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE CAMPSITE. I MADE IT. I SEE SEVERAL TENTS AND FAMILIAR FACES AND TARZAN SAYS FLETCH THIS IS THE CHEESEFACTORY SITE YOU ARE HERE. I ARRIVE AT THE CHEESE FACTORY SITE. WE ARE ALL CAMPED OUT HERE. ROCKY, TARZAN, ICEMAN, CHANDLER, CATTYWAMPUS, MILES, AND I.I MET MY FIRST BEAR OR WILD HOG LATE INTO THE NIGHT. IT MUST OF BEEN WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT WHILE EVERYONE WAS SLEEPING I TENDED TO A LARGE FIRE NEXT TO MY TENT. MY LARGE BAG OF FOOD BY MY SIDE AS I COOKED SEVERAL MEALS. I WAS HUNGRY. THATS WHERE I HEARD A LARGE BEAST ROAMING TO MY LEFT COME STOMPING THROUGH THE LEAVES AND RIGHT TO WHERE EVERYONE HAD HUNG THERE BEAR BAGS. OF COURSE MY FOOD BAG WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I WAS CUTTING SLICES OFF A LARGE SALAMI STICK. IT WALKED AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT BEFORE HEADING OFF THE SAME WAY IT CAME. I FELT ITS PRESENCE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMEONE GOING TO THE BATHROOM BUT THERE WAS NO HEADLAMP AND YOU CANT SEE ANYTHING AT ALL WITHOUT IT. I DIDN'T HEAR A TENT ZIPPER AND I REALIZED IT WASN'T ANYONE I WAS CAMPING WITH. I WAS A LITTLE TENSE. MY MACHETE AND I WERE WAITING. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I SHINED MY LIGHT INTO THE WOODS. NOTHING. FINISHED EATING AND LEFT MY FOOD NEXT TO MY TENT WITH SOME ITEMS TO NEXT TO IT TOO ALERT ME OF AN INTRUDER. I WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING AND IT WAS STILL THERE. GOOD THING.