Date: 2014-07-10
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Dick 's Creek Gap, Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I got a shuttle back to the trail to do a "slack pack" day. That means a day of hiking with no pack, which is not entirely true. I took my pack to carry water, water filter, lunch, rain gear, and the bottom pant legs for my zip off pants /shorts.My pack went from. 28 pounds to about 6 pounds. In retrospect, I should have skipped the rain gear. Once you are soaked from sweat, what is the pint of rain gear? Within the first hour I had lost my bandana somewhere along the trail. It is vital in many uphill climbs when the sweat flows freely. I decided to use the zip off lower pant legs to wipe my brow rather than turn around in search if the bandana.Today as I hiked I thought about my landscaping project at home. The hardscape is done. The next part is planting and that is my favorite part. As I hiked I noticed that the forest is predominately green - many shades and textures of green. There are flowers, but they tend to be understated, and surrounded by lots of green. That is the general feel I want in my garden. Basically I want to take the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail, or at least the southern half, and recreate it in my 1600 sq ft back yard and 60 ft walk along the side. I think with enough planning I can accomplish that.I saw about four kinds of ferns. I decided I liked the Lady Ferns and Christmas Ferns. I hated the thought of buying them when there are hundreds if thousands out here and I did have my little shovel with me - oh yeah - I also needed the pack to carry toilet paper and a plastic trowel for burying the toilet paper and the ... you know. But if I used the trowel to dig up forest plants, they would (1) add weight to my pack, (2) be dead before I got home and (3) possibly cost me hundreds of dollars in fines ... oh yeah, and (4) it's not right. I also decided I want Galax. I don't know why you don't see it in nurseries and garden centers. It is the best ground cover.This was also a day of seeing flowers. Of course rhododendron and hydrangea, but also anemone, black-eyed Susans, cardinal flowers, several different yellow flowers that I couldn't identify, tall pink phlox )that I thought required full sun), monarda in red, white, pink, and a pinkish purple color that only shows up in the Crayola box of 128 or more crayons. And spiderwort in an infinite number of shades between purple and blue. Of course there was also plenty of the Georgia state vine - poison ivy.I got a shuttle back into Hiawassee after hiking 17 miles. I had the shuttle driver drop me off at an outfitter store so I could buy a new bandana. I learned that polyester pant legs are not the most absorbent fabric for mopping sweat and it was all I had. I hopped out of the van, leaned my pack and poles against the side of the building by the door and bought myself an official AT bandana and hat. From there I walked a half mile back to the Budget Inn with my pack and then later three-fourths of a mile each way to supper, but I think according to "AT mileage rules" those don't count into total miles because they are off-trail miles. Oh well, it was a great supper and worth the walk.