Date: 2016-04-18
From: Rock Gap Heady 

To: Mile 118 campsite 
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

4/18 - Day TwelveThe day started at 9 am in the Gooder Grove Hostel. I am confident I was the first one up. Where as at the Top of Georgia Hostel (TOG) the sunrise scramble was much earlier.... But then again there was not a half-keg of Slackpacker IPA to contend with at TOG. I was saved from falling into that keg trap simply because I do not dig IPA. Still, I was up late doing laundry and organizing my food bag (which I now call the blue brick). Someone popped in Clockwork Orange on the TV and I watched it. So it was a little late of a night.At Gooder Grove time moves in a different way. Escaping the vortex of any hostel can be a challenge...Gooder Grove is like Hotel California, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.However, leave we did at high noon. Our escape vehicle would be Tony's (Twin States) rented mini-van. Tony announced yesterday he was coming off the trail due to some personal things that he had to take care off. He was splitting back to Vermont and was kind enough to take us to the heady.On the way out we stopped at Taco Bell so it was 1 pm before we said our good byes and started to hike. We crammed 6 not so stinky hikers in Tony's van and 1 dog. At the heady Trek (The Vicious Rabi) was waiting for us.We all started where we left. There was a vote on whether to blow of the 4 miles from Rock Gap and pick up at Winding Stair Gap. Unanimously all hikers voted to go back to Rock Gap and stay true to the trail. The 4 miles between Rock Gap and Winding Stair Gap is one up and down and some hikers were debating skipping it.Right before we left Gooder Grove some of the Okie Hippies were playing Led Zepplin songs on their little backpacking guitars. I like Zepplin, but I don't reach for them much on my IPod... But damn I wanted to here some Zepplin! So I put the headset on and started hiking. I hit shuffle on some greatest hit compilation I have and enjoyed a song or two. Then I rounded a bend and I was faced with a set of long wooden steps in the trail ascending upwards. And guess what song started to play? Stairway to Heaven. That kind of shit does not happen when you stay at TOG!Since we are on the subject... I thought about the differences between the two hostels as I walked and listened to Zepplin. TOG is operated by Sir Packs-A-Lot and at Gooder Grove you get Zen who "is in charge".Packs-A-Lot had information, like how to trim a pound off your pack or how not to blow your knee out on a descent. Zen on the other hand deals with bigger issues and theories. Wanna know about chemtrails, ozone depletion and global warming? Hitch a ride over to Ingles with Zen. Zen also makes you part of the hostel and invited me into a skull session on what color to paint the hostel (The color that that sun makes when it passes through the red maple in the side yard seemed to get the nod). Having made the color schematic decision the conversation went back to the April heat and the floods in Houston and changing global temperatures. One other difference between hostels... TOG has a strict "no drugs or alcohol" policy in the list of rules (damn if I did not feel naughty sucking down a screw off top Coors Light during my stay). Zen on the other hand simply asks you to chip in for some ice for the keg while at Ingles.So I hiked to Winding Stair Gap. I saw Janett (now Hula Bear) and her dog and we discussed destinations. Being tired we agreed to go 7.9 miles to Silba Bald shelter. If we felt good we would go on to some unnamed campsite at mile 118 as AWOLs indicated it had water.I crossed to highway and hiked up the forest service road. Where the AT started again there was an awesome waterfall. I kicked it for a minute and chatted with a southbound section hiker. As we talked I saw a small trout in the stream rise ....that was exciting.Pending caught up to me and so did Shawn, Nemo and Tracie. Before I knew it it was 6:30 and Tracie, Pending and I were at the Silba Bald Shelter sign. The conundrum was that the blue blaze to the shelter was .5 miles away and we did not want to go down there to see who was there. So we decided to do 4 more miles and hit a campsite with water. (Shelters have water, a table, privy and tent spots. Campsites just have water and tent sites). The challenge was the 4 miles came with a grueling 1,000 feet elevation change. I knew if I went for it my hike would end in the dark.So I said lets go! The girls soon left me in the dust (I would catch up to them eating dinner in the middle of the trail). But after their dinner they once again smoked me. But getting smoked was cool! It was getting dusky and the heat was cooling off (it was very warm today and I truly believe Zen is onto something with this global warming theory). I was not worried about night hiking as the moon was already showing bright. I planned on walking with the moon light once it was dark.But as luck would have it I spotted Tracie and Pending's tent in the campsite at mile 118. When I walked up they were already getting into their tents (having already eaten dinner on the trail). The campsite is small and it has running water close by. There is one other tent (we do not know who is inside). The rest of the crew is who knows where.So I pitched my tent. I was so tired having done another 12 miles (starting in the heat of the day). I sorted through the blue brick and decided on a big thing of Lipton Soup. The campsite was quiet (no fire). Everyone but me was asleep. The moon came out and it was light (I could see my shadow) I was perfectly still, not too cool and beautiful.On a sad note I received a text from Larry (AFK) as I ate. He tapped out today. He did not give me a full explanation, but it's sad to hear he is done. So today we lost two hikers. Larry did mention to me several days ago that his wife was not totally comfortable being alone at home. It's speculation if that is what lead to him getting off the trail. Regardless, I wanted to take this time to thank Kelly for being so supportive and and independent. Without an understanding spouse a thru-hike is doomed.I am happy with my progress, but unhappy with how heavy my blue brick has become!! I will be at NOC in 2 days and I bet I have 4 days of food on me!!! Part of my problem arevthese damn hikers boxes! I mean, who is not going to snatch up an unopened package of Elk Jerky? I need to get this straight... Extra weight sucks.