Date: 2019-04-02
From: Chattahoochee Gap

To: Campsite .5 miles from summit of Rocky Mtn
Miles today: 5.5

April 2 (Day 10): The winds rushing through Chattahoochee Gap were 40-50 MPH. The night was long and very cold. I haven't had trouble staying warm until last night. It was as though the cold was seeping through the insulated air mattress. We ¢slept in¢ until 8:30 hoping the winds would die down. They did for the most part, but the day was supposed to be nice and yet it was cloudy and overcast. That and the slight breeze was enough to keep you cold. Diesel and Nash were long gone by 8:30. Katie left about 9. We decided to just eat a Clif bar and stop later to make a hot meal. We got going about 9:30.Another day of up and down. The trails today were really rocky and covered with tree roots. It was slow going. The sun would come out now and then in the morning but it remained cold.We got to the Blue Mountain shelter and decided to make lunch since it was 12:30. The shelter is really nice and had beautiful views. It seems that no matter where we hike there are mountain ridges 360 degrees around you.  It's really breathtaking. Spring is coming to Georgia. There are grasses and spring flowers popping out on either side of the trail. The trees are still pretty bare. Now and then you'll see some green leaves, like on the wild rhodedendrons.We ate and used the privy and met some other hikers, Brooke, Mike, Wild Violet, Amy, and Michael (from Vancouver). I have to say that staying at a shelter with a privy is now a luxury to me.When you're hiking you have lots of time to think and I'm wondering if my swollen eyes are from the Ramen noodles that we are eating at least once a day. They are really high in sodium and I rarely ever eat them. Hmm.Something I forgot to mention in a previous post was that we ran into the person who had registered just before us at Amicolola. His name is Bob and his number is 1394. With all the folks on the trail we were pretty surprised to catch up with the person that had registered before us.We continued down the other side of Blue Mountain and met a couple that were doing trail maintenance. They said the descent down the mountain was referred to as ¢mini Pennsylvania¢ because of all the rocks.Part way down we got a text from Diesel and Katie that they were in Helen at the hotel. Sunshine and Sarah had joined them. They wondered what our plans were. They also said there was trail magic at Unicoi Gap. When I told David the girls said there was magic ahead he practically flew down the mountain! ;)When we got to the gap about 3:25 there was no trail magic. David was really disappointed. He said next time don't tell him and let him be surprised. (We found out later that the magic was hamburgers and hotdogs.)Brooke, Mike, and Amy came down shortly after. A guy parked at the gap offered us a ride into Unicoi but we decided to get another mile or so in before stopping. I texted Diesel and told her we were going on. She's going to take a zero tomorrow but we would probably see the rest on the trail.We hiked up (of course) and finally found a spot about .1 up from a pretty stream. Today is the first day that I am really tired. I didn't really want any dinner. I just wanted to go sleep. We went to bed right after dinner. I usually journal for an hour before bed but not tonight.