2005 Thru Hike
WEEK TWO – 04/17/05
Did you know that the Appalachian Mountains were named by Hernando De Soto after the Appalachee Indians. These Indians lived in the northwest part of Florida, but hunted buffalo that roamed the Appalachian Mountain area.
The Trail certainly takes the stress out of life in a hurry. Sometimes you cannot remember if it’s Wednesday or Saturday, but it really makes no difference on the Trail. You don’t have anything to worry about, except to make sure you have enough water. I love the beauty of the Trail, the adventure, the mountains and valleys and gaps, the flowers and trees, spectacular rivers, and the wonderful people you meet on the Trail. There are none better. It gets in your blood, and if you’re lucky, it stays with you the rest of your life.
Sunday, April 17:
We hiked 13 miles today, still taking it easy. But we did get really sunburned, especially Jacko. We ran into a couple of old friends today – Texas Dreamer from Austin and Youngblood. Youngblood had some sunscreen which he loaned us, and we appreciated very much. Texas Dreamer was just doing a Georgia Section.
We passed Cooper Gap and Justus Creek and took a break at Woody Gap. It is only 2 miles West to Suches but we kept going and camped for the night at a place we call “the Stream”, just past Woody Gap. I made myself some tea while I was cooking my mac n’cheese, then ate dinner, wrote in my journal some, and got into my sleeping bag. It was a good feeling to be able to lay down, knees okay, and only a few blisters on my little toe.
Monday, April 18:
Jack got up and left early. He hikes a little slower than I do, so he leaves out early and I catch up to him about lunch time. I slept in until about 8:00. I’m no early riser and certainly in no hurry to meet my nemesis – Blood Mountain. The first time I climbed the Mountain, it almost sent me home. It is the highest part of the Georgia AT, rising 4,461 feet. Blood Mountain was the sacred peak of the Cherokee Indians. A battle between the Cherokee and Creek Indians on this Mountain left so many dead and so much blood that it was named Blood Mountain.
If you are not mentally prepared for this Mountain, it can cause serious problems. You just take it easy and don’t push yourself. If it takes two days, that’s okay too, just don’t ruin your knees trying to get up and over. I hung out at the top of the Mountain with Blaze and Janis from California. She doesn’t have a trail name yet. I also ran into Peace Pipe, who I met at Hawk Mountain Shelter. He was smoking a pipe and I asked him if he had a trail name and he said no – so I named him Peace Pipe.
We hiked about 7 miles that morning, and after our lunch break at Blood Mountain Shelter it was only about 2 miles to the Walasi Yi Center. We (by this time I had caught up to Jack) were glad to see Winton Porter, who runs this place. And Winton was glad to see that my pack only weighed a little over 40 pounds. This is the place where I first met Cornbread who was working here in 2003. When he got through with my 55 pound pack, it was down to about 45 pounds. So the urge was just too great this time NOT to send anything home. I packed a box with my extra fleece pullover, a small container of toilet seat covers, a wristband, my mapdana, and my big can of Gold Bond Powder (this is essential on the trail in case you get”Monkey Butt” which is a very serious matter), and mailed it home. Not much but mentally it was about 5 items gone from my pack.
Walasi Yi is a pretty place, located in an area called Neel’s Gap – 30 miles from our start at Springer Mountain. It’s a gray stone building on the side of the mountain, and they sell all kinds of gear, clothes, books, gift items, and food! I had a hamburger and two Gatorades. There is also a bunkhouse to the left connected to the main building by a “walk-thru space” which I call “the tunnel”..
A bit of history – this is the only time in the 2,174 miles of AT that
the Appalachian Trail goes through a building.
After about an hour’s break, we decided to ask Jerry to slackpack us so, with our two Okies (Josh and Brock) in tow, he took us about 6 miles North and we hiked back to the Center. Tomorrow we will have already done 6 miles before we start!
By the way, I got a call from Bohdi today. Those of you who were with me in 2003 remember him as the guy who rode a 10-speed bike from Canada to Florida to hike some trail down there. He sold his bike to finance his Florida Hike, and then traded his Golite backpack for a small L.L.Bean bag, got a one-speed bike and rode to Amicalola Falls, Georgia. There he traded his bike to a man for a pair of shorts, a cup of coffee, and a good night’s rest before beginning the AT. I enjoyed his Irish company the rest of my thru-hike, and we dropped him off at his Dad’s in Greenville, Texas in October on our way home. He was going to canoe down the Mississippi River in 2004, but ended up hiking the Yucatan Peninsula, I think, and then ended up hiking in Europe. He has just gotten back. I’m hoping I can talk him into coming to Trail Days in Damascus.
We borrowed Winton’s van this evening and drove to Blairsville for dinner at the Cookie Jar. Josh, Brock, Jack and I. It is an AYCE restaurant (all you can eat).
I had three plates. First I had barbeque, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and a bowl of vegetable soup. Then I had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and SWEET TEA! A Southerner’s gold! Then I had nachos and more SWEET TEA.
Before I turn in for the night, I want to tell you about this hunter who came through the tunnel this afternoon. He was wearing a camouflage suit and carrying a rifle and had obviously been out hunting. I asked him how he was doing, and his reply was “It’s been a long walk.” If he only knew.
Tuesday, April 19:
We got a ride this morning North to where we slackpacked yesterday. Josh had a 28 ounce jar of peanut butter, which is rather laughable when his pack (without anything in it) only weighs 20 ounces. Yesterday, when we were slackpacking, we went through Bull Gap, Swaim Gap, Corbin Horse Stamp, Cowrock Mountain, and Hogpen Gap. Don’t you love these names. How many people do you know who have been to Hogpen Gap? Do you also know that about a third of the hikers starting at Springer Mountain drop out here and go home?
It’s a beautiful day – 80 degrees. We are hiking with Peace Pipe, Kokomo (from Florida), Birdie and Muskrat – the Honeymooners who were married two weeks ago, Blade, and Janis, now known as Bear Cannister because she carries her food in a metal container with a lock called a bear canister. Birdie got her name because she loves watching all the birds on the Trail, and Muskrat got his name when a muskrat peed all over his pack.
I’m telling you – if you ever come on the Trail, you better have a name you like picked out before you start because you might not like the one given to you, that other hikers are going to call you whether you like it or not. Maybe we should have a contest to name Josh and Brock. I haven’t been able to come up with anything good.
We hiked 11.5 miles today and stopped at Blue Mountain Shelter. There is no privy here but there is good water. I sleep in the Shelter, and Jack tents. He can’t stand the snoring that goes on in the shelters.
Wednesday, April 20:
We have decided to by-pass Helen, Georgia when going through Unicoi Gap. Helen is old logging town which has been transformed into a Swiss Alpine Village. If you had a picture postcard of a small village in Switzerland, it would be a dead ringer for Helen. In fact, the Thru-Hiker Companion says it is home to the largest importer of European gift items in the United States. There are lots of motels and restaurants and plenty to see and do. I should know – I spent a week here in 2003 because my hiking companion’s knees gave out, and I had to ship her home.
After going down 1,500 feet into the Gap, we had to climb back 1,500 feet up Rocky Mountain which has a summit of 4,017 feet, down into Indian Grave Gap and back 1,500 feet up Tray Mountain which has a 4,430 foot summit and spectacular views. Don’t you wish you had been with me today? This is a good time to remind you to be sure and bring two hiking poles. It makes all the difference in the world when you are climbing mountains like this.
The Canadian warbler breeds in this area and has a very sweet song. The Indians and settlers of Unicoi Gap built the first road across the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. On Tray Mountain the Trail goes through rhododendron bushes that are hundreds of years old and as high as a tree. It is a beautiful area.
Jack tried to pull a fast one on me today. He had hiked on up Tray Mountain, and I stopped to use the privy at Tray Mountain Shelter, some yards down from where he was. Well, this particular privy does not have a door, and I caught him trying to maneuver himself into a spot where he could take a picture of me. I’m hoping I got out of there fast enough to keep him from it.
We hiked 14.8 miles today, the longest so far. We stopped at Deep Gap Shelter. This shelter sleeps 12 and has a privy and good water. At the top of the Mountain, on Kelly Knob, on a clear day you can see three states from here: Table Rock Mountain in South Carolina, Standing Indian Mountain in North Carolina, and of course Deep Gap is in Georgia.
Birdie, Muskrat, Josh. Brock. and I stayed at the Shelter. Jack stayed about a mile behind and tented on a ridge in a good place only big enough for one hiker. I’ve got some really good pictures which I will be sending home when we reach Hiawasee.. My sister-in-law and webmaster, Brenda, will put them on the website so you can see what you have been reading about and put a face to the names you have been reading about.
For dinner I had an appetizer of crackers and beef jerky, an entrée of beef stroganoff and another entrée of macaroni and cheese, and dessert of Snickers bars. Not exactly the Cookie Jar, but good nevertheless. I am so ready for the sleeping bag.
The good news is we are only 3 miles from Hiawassee, where we are going to take a Zero Day and sleep in a real bed. So tomorrow will be a walk in the park.
Thursday, April 21:
We had a good morning for hiking today and when we got to Dick’s Creek Gap, we hitched a ride the 11 miles into Hiawassee. A lot of folks stay at the Blueberry Patch Hostel only about 3 miles from the Trail, run by Gary and Lennie Poteat We decided to go on into Hiawassee and got a room for $29.00 at the Hiawassee Inn. We had a good hot shower and did our laundry and went to the library to check our e-mail. Josh, Brock, Blaze and Bear Cannister paid $3.00 to take a shower and do laundry, and then got a ride back to the Trail. Jack and I took a little nap, resupplied, and then went to Daniel’s for dinner. It is also AYCE. I had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and ice cream, and it was surely good!
I think I told you that Jack likes to watch Jeopardy but we watched CMT tonight and then got to sleep, on a real bed, early. We are headed out tomorrow on a tight schedule as we need to get to Miss Janet’s in Erwin, Tn. by May 10 and pick up my Yukon and make our way on to Damascus for Trail Days by May 11. We will meet up with our old pals, the Billville Gang, at the campground there.
Friday, April 22:
We hitched out this morning, got back to the Trail, and hiked about a 5 miles to Plumorchard Gap Shelter. There was a hiker who had been there three days! He had hurt his ankle and so was holed up there, I guess waiting for it to heal or get better.
We hiked on a few more miles to the Georgia-North Carolina border at Bly Gap where we stopped and took pictures and then continued on to the Muskrat Creek Shelter. This is where, in 2003, I met up with Bohdi, Dred, Lady Bug, Bam Bam, Nuke, Flasher, and “the Fifty Fivers”, whom I hiked with most of my journey in 2003. The Fifty-Fivers were Resstep, Hatteras, and BeeKeeper, all guys who were 55 years old and who had no trouble keeping up with anyone. In fact, they hiked faster that I did and got ahead of me after Trail Days so they finished before I did. I enjoyed hiking with them so much and wished I could have spent more time with them.
It has rained hard today, then blue skies, then more rain. We had only gone about a mile or so past Muskrat Shelter and were on a ridge line when the skies turned black again. I told Jack we should put our raingear back on, but Jack said it looked like it was about 20 minutes away. I said about three minutes away and about thirty seconds later the bottom dropped out and we got drenched. We put on our rain jackets and pack covers and trudged on. We were about three miles from Standing Indian Shelter where we planned to stay the night when Jack decided to stop and rearrange his pack. I went ahead and came upon a huge row of rhododendrums so I decided to hide and give Jack a scare. When he came into sight, I gave a pretty good bear growl, and he stopped dead in his tracks. I couldn’t help but laugh so he heard me. He was not amused.
We have been hiking today with Kokomo, Blaze, Bear Cannister, Josh and Brock. When the heavy rains came, Josh realized that he had left his rain jacket back at Plumorchard Shelter which was ten miles back so he had to backtrack to get it so it cost him 20 miles. We stayed at Standing Bear Shelter, and Jack tented about 50 feet out. About midnight it rained and sleeted and Jack had left his rainfly unzipped. He said it felt like a “showerhead” inside his tent.
I’ve got a feeling tomorrow will not be a good day, but for now I am dry and warm in my sleeping bag.
Saturday, April 23:
Standing Indian Mountain has a 5,498 foot summit known as “Grandstand of the Southern Appalachians”. According to the Cherokees (and the Thru-Hikers Companion), a great winged monster lived on the Mountain and the Cherokees posted warriors on the Mountain as lookouts. A bolt of lightning shattered the Mountain and killed the monster and a lone Cherokee warrior was hit by the bolt and turned into stone, supposedly for being a poor warrior, thus Standing Indian Mountain.
The ridge is fairly level for miles which is good because it has been sleeting all day. I do not like to hike in the snow or sleet. Fortunately, there is not much of it, and you get through it in the first 30 – 45 days, depending how early or late you start. We went through Beech Gap and decided that we were not going to hike all day in the sleet so we stopped at Carter Gap Shelter, only about seven miles from where we spent the night. There is no one here but me, Jack, and the Honeymooners.
There are two shelters here, the old one with its back to the wind, and the new one open to the wind, so we decided to stay in the old shelter. The Okies, Josh and Brock, came by later on and decided they would stay in the new shelter. Sometimes you can’t tell rookies anything. About the time Jack spread all of his gear out to dry, we suddenly had entertainment – The Mouse Olympics! They were bold, fat, and not scared of anything or anyone. This continued on into the night.
It started snowing again in the wee hours of the morning, and Jack awoke to a fat mouse trying to chew his boot to get food left nearby. He swatted and swatted until the mouse got tired of the battle and went away. When we woke up about *8:00 a.m., my digital watch said it was 26 degrees. I have a 20 degree bag so I was very warm. Jack has a 30 degree bag and was getting a little cold. There was about three inches of snow on the ground, and no one wanted to get out of bed (or bag!).
When we checked on the Okies, the snow had blown into their Shelter which was open to the wind.
The only thing worse about getting up and hiking is knowing that, if it continues to snow, it will be absolutely miserable tomorrow on Albert Mountain. The key today is to eat good and plenty, stay warm, and know that in another day we will be in Franklin, Tn. at the Haven Budget Inn, nice and toasty, and eating dinner at Mama’s. One foot in front of the other.
Mountain Dew (aka Frozen Dew).