March 2, 2018
Destination: Deep Gap Shelter
Today’s Miles: 15.50
Start Location: Blue Mountain Shelter
Trip Miles: 65.40
When I woke, the rain was gone but the winds were howling and cold. I saw the most beautiful sunrise from my sleeping bag. The photo doesn’t do it justice. I was too cold to get out of the bag to take it! Finally I did have to get out. Matthias ( Mateus? Not sure) left as fast as possible. He wanted to get to the next gap to get out of the cold and wind before eating. Also, he’s a German ultra marathoner, so compared with the Alps I’m pretty sure he was peachy running down Blue Mountain. I opted for hot breakfast – two oatmeal packets and a cup of coffee. After eating, I felt better. Energized tike a Hungry Cat should be, I took off down the trail leaving Vermont the Penny Pincher and Storage Unit behind. Apparently Vermont has a YouTube channel of sorts. Storage Unit was not prepared for the cold. I fear his sleeping bag isn’t warm enough as he was almost hyperthermic last night, and slow to rise this morning.
No rain!!!! YES! That and the wind and the cold almost had me running down the trail. I hiked in my normal layers, but with rain gear for warmth. My socks didn’t dry out overnight – they just froze. But since my boots were still wet I wore the wet socks too. I needed dry ones for camp (which I’m wearing happily now!). Hike jogging helped warm up my feet. I noticed after about a quarter mile that my left ankle and right knee weren’t loving the downhills. Fortunately I knew I had a nero (near zero miles) day coming on Saturday. I also need new inserts for my boots. But it was also a good reality check. So far I’d had no real issues or pain, such that my ego was creeping in a little saying “you got this,” and whispering sweet nothings in my ear like “push a few more miles.” My wife knows how self competitive I am. Well, competitive in general. I like to pass people, not be passed! Well, today I took that garbage and threw it where it belongs – off of Blue Mountain! Ego will just get me injured out here. I want my experience to be driven by passion and enjoyment! So I slowed down to a comfortable pace and promised myself I would stop at Deep Gap no matter what, then nero in Hiawassee on Saturday. I’m really glad I let it go and settled in. If you see my ego peaking out from around a corner, whack a mole it for me won’t you?
It was a gorgeous day of hiking. Some long inclines and blustery ridge lines. Going into Unicoi Gap, I met the owner of Budget Inn in Hiawassee. He was waiting with a shuttle for hikers. Really nice guy. I should see him tomorrow. Kind of a funny cat, he told me he also does wrestling and dresses up in tights and a mask going as Snake, a Mexican wrestler. He said he speaks Spanish, but then just said a bunch of stuff to me in a Cheech and Chong voice. It was odd, but he seemed really into it, and I think he did that for me since I don’t speak Spanish. Anyway, i will try and learn more about his story tomorrow. I know he was a past thru hiker.
Ascending from Unicoi Gap I passed Candyman and his girlfriend Fifty. They helped take a picture of me, which was nice. I passed a few other hikers on the way up. I realized today that I love the climbs. I’ll take an uphill over steep downhill any day! It’s easier on my legs and knees, and I have the lungs for it from running. On the downhills I look like I’m using a walker with my trekking poles, cautiously feeling around for placement, sometimes flailing.
Ascending Tray Mountain was a long climb. I was rewarded with beautiful vistas at the top. Later in the day as I got close to the shelter, I met a kid named Noah who was headed that way as well. He’d stayed at a hostel there the night before and left his maps there. Said he had to grab them at Dicks Creek Gap in the morning. Later that evening I would learn that he was only 18 and decided to do the trail after high school.
Kelly’s Knob was the last big climb before the shelter. It was quite the treat! Straight up and long, but of course there were scenic views to be had. On the path to the shelter I grabbed two liters of water to filter. Fortunately there were spots in the shelter. I toyed with the idea of pushing a few more miles to make tomorrow easier, but decided it was a bad move. I would have to find a place to pitch my tent, and I wasn’t sure about the wind situation. A shelter was the smart choice, and my legs were beat. Two lively sisters were at the shelter – Bernadette and Margaret. Bernadette is a judge from Portland, and Margaret lives in McCayesville, GA near Blue Ridge. I called them trail moms because they took Noah in, trying to fatten him up. He’s not carrying a stove or cooking at all, so he largely eats granola bars, peanut butter, and pop tarts.
I unpacked my stuff and got settled in, right as one of the guys said that there were two mouse nests upstairs. I went to look. More like mouse condos!!!! Oh man, I hope nothing chews at my sleeping bag tonight….
I was starving, so I ate chili mac for two, two tuna packets, a tortilla and a cliff bar. I also ate a pack of m&ms – my last one for now. I chatted with Noah and the trail moms, then set about getting settled down. Sleeping with water filter and bottles at the bottom of my bag tonight so they won’t freeze….
I forgot to mention that last night I met Cole and Jim at Blue Mountain Shelter. Cole just graduated high school and is going to New York University in the fall for theater. His dad Jim was section hiking with him. He was hiking to Maine but skipping the Shenandoahs as he had hiked that section earlier this year. After I typed this I saw that Cole’s mom put an entry in my guest book! Too funny. Hey Cole’s mom, you’ve got a great kid there! Tell him to go easy on the chili though. I suggested a trail name for him as a joke that he can tell you about. Maybe a better one would be Gazelle. I heard an older gent call him that today and I never caught up with him. Sad to say I will probably not see him again unless he slows down!
Yesterday morning I also hiked with a guy named Steve-O from PA. He was gregarious and grateful to be on the trail as well. He asked what I did for work, whether I left, how old I was, etc. When he found out I left a career at 40, he said “wow, and you’re in your money-making years.” He said he was impressed and respected the choice. There are no guarantees in life. It got me thinking though, THAT is exactly why I needed a change. My 40s, or any other period of my life, should never be solely dedicated to making money. We all gotta pay the bills, but I never want to fear having adventures because I feel like I have to be on a hamster wheel with no exit, or part of some system that values income over experiences. Steve-O, thanks for giving me the opportunity to think about that! Also, his trail name was funny. He said his name was Steve and he just wanted to sound younger.
Tomorrow will be an early start to hike 4.6 miles to Dicks Creek Gap to get a shuttle into town. I need to resupply, clean my clothes and me, get some shoe insoles, and do a couple of field repairs and mods. I forgot a sewing needle so I’m going to ask at the hotel or an outfitter tomorrow.
Today was incredible. I’m grateful that I was humbled with some pain, but nothing horrible. I met so many people today, including many I can’t remember and Ben and Rose from the finger lakes in central New York. I appreciated all of the conversation and banter. Thank you all so much for the guest book notes and comments. Lots of friends and coleagues have posted support, and it helps keep me going every day. We are in this together!!!!
As I passed through the Swag of Blue Ridge today, I couldn’t help but feel like a king. A real king, full of the wealth that is life.
Postscripts:
#1. If you are interested in checking the weather on the AT, or interested in checking up on my wuss factor based on any of the comments I make about the trail weather where I’m hiking or staying, use this site: Atweather.org. It is absolutely amazing and I am trying to use it myself on the trail where I have a signal. Weather does change fast out here though!
#2. Someone from Ohio asked about cameras in the guest book. I use my phone. Unless you plan to do some kind of specialized video, or expect to be the next Ansel Adams, I recommend just using a phone if you have one that will take decent pictures. I have an iPhone and keep it in a Lifeproof case. Hungry Cat has to lifeproof his stuff off the trail too. Hungry Cat sees snack, runs to snack, drops phone…. You’ll thank yourself for not having the weight of an extra camera, and you really won’t want something hanging around your neck. You have to think about rain too – with a phone in a life proof case you can still take some pictures when it is wet, though I minimize mine for equipment safety, and also because it’s wet and I might feel less like taking a picture. That all said, Confucius said, “you do you.” You have to hike your own hike and carry your own stuff. If you really want a point and shoot camera, maybe try to get something as small and lightweight as possible that you can put in your pocket. I’m sure The Google can help you with that search. Check out Darwin on the Trail’s videos on YouTube – he brings a camera for filming and is a lightweight hiker. I really hope you make it on the AT and share some of those pictures with us!
#3 I got a science/physics lesson yesterday. I couldn’t figure out why my homemade gravity water filter system wasn’t working well (see gear videos for what this is). Well, this genius created a perfect seal between the filter and the bottle that the clean water runs to. So, as pressure builds the water stops flowing. The system still works, but the key is to screw the smart water bottle in all the way, then loosen it a tad to create an air gap. Voila! Sir Isaac Newton be not baffled! If you do this it will flow properly. I thought my filter was badly clogged. The good news is it is not! The bad news is, I would fail sixth grade science….
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