Date: 2017-03-06
From: Lance Creek Campsite

To: Baggs Creek 
Miles today: 11.1

Very early and still dark and I was awake and started to pack up ¢ mostly by the feel of things ¢ just to see if I could do it in the dark. It was still sprinkling and I wanted to pack up before harder rains might come. I heard other hikers moving around as well. We were set up on a long narrow ledge which went up and over small hills forming the creek bank, spread out single file for a long way. I was packed and eating before full daylight. Today the goal is Neels Gap ¢ a mental and physical milestone. They say a significant percent of the hikers who start at Springer Mountain will drop off by Neels Gap ¢ don¢t worry, I¢m going on. Motivated, I was out first and on a big climb right away. Lots of beautiful ridge line walking (all days so far) I had a very good walk alone. I led the pack until the turnoff to Woods Hole shelter where I took a break. Four or five hikers passed me there ¢ Strider, Tear Drop, EZ, Mammoth as I remember. Caught them at the start of the climb to Blood Mountain summit on their break and we went up together. Well, Strider went up in 11 minutes, so that must be some kind of a record. It was a very tough climb but I did well and am more encouraged. Blood Mountain is either the highest peak in Georgia or the highest one on the trail in Georgia. Either way a very big climb. It was foggy and cold with virtually no views. We had a good time taking each other¢s pictures in the stone shelter with fog and clouds blowing in the open window spaces in the stone walls ¢ very gray and eerie looking. We had our fun and moved out. I hiked with Strider all the way down from the rocky, boulder filled summit to Neels Gap. Good time talking and hiking together. Strider is 6¢5¢ tall so his stride is probably a foot longer than mine so I expect to say goodbye as we move along. Neels Gap has Mountain Crossings outfitter store and is a sort of mecca for hikers who make it to that location. The trail goes through the breezeway of their building and out the back to start uphill again.I got my mail drop box for resupply and bought a few items at the store, but first things first ¢ I got a PEPPERONI PIZZA, and ate the whole thing. Real food. Tastes so good after all that trail food. I hung out for a while and looked at all the cool gear and food, and talked with the hikers and the store folks. Met and talked with ¢Miss Janet¢, a famous trail icon who used to run a hostel in Erwin, TN, and now is kind of a roving presence in her van along the trail, especially this time of year as the hiker bubble moves north. Strider and I decided to hike on. I left first for Baggs Creek ¢ about 4 miles north ¢ while Strider did some chores. Baggs Creek is not in my guidebook. It was an entry in the guide Strider has on his phone but we decided to just go for it and meet up later. Turns out Baggs Creek is just a location, but not a creek. I had a very good hike alone to this unmarked and unknown spot. I finally stopped to wait for him and unpacked some of my gear to dry out in the wind ¢ dried very quickly. He came in about 5:00 and we hiked back about 14 mile to find a spring and set up there. Honestly, we have no idea where we are. Ate, hung our food on a bear bag line (suspended from a tree branch parallel to the ground to keep bears from getting it). We are in our tents and ready for sleep. It was a good day. Planning to get to Low Gap shelter tomorrow. Goodnight Sweetheart.