Long Branch Shelter to Wallace Gap

got up at 5:30 and it was pouring out. I hustled out of camp before sunrise in effort to make it to Wallace Gap before 9 am when Ron Haven was supposed to pick up hikers to go into Franklin. I arrived at 8:19am and waited till nearly 10 am to get scooped up. I sat in a downpour the entire time. I was shivering cold and super stressed. I scored a room at the Sapphire Motel (no precious jewels hidden in this place), and dried out all my gear and warmed up in the shower. Franklin was fun, but I mostly laid around all day , tired from the drenching I got in the morning. it was nice to meet Ron Haven, who has the most pleasant demeanor and really tried to help thru hikers . his southern twang is very endearing and filled with little cute phrases like "if you want to wet your whiskers, there is a bar about a block away." nice man. despite the motel , I still did not sleep well. 

Muskrat Creek Shelter to Long Branch Shelter

I got out of camp early and tackled Standing Indian Mountain before 10 am, I hustled all day because severe rains are expected and I want to get into Franklin NC as soon as possible. I got to Betty Creek at 3:30 ish and had a snack with the Ginger Ninja, Waldo, Goggles, Energizer, Nemo and Trish. Energizer and I decided to push on to Albert Mountain. it's a very tough climb late in the dark cloudy day, but we did it and we enjoyed some fruit left on top of the mountain. we shot down to Long Branch Shelter for our first 20 mile day. had a quick dinner and sat around a fire with Aqua Hero, Hoba, tiptoes, Pete, madcap, Pink Panther, and This Guy.

Hiawasee to Muskrat Creek Shelter

The Climb out of Georgia into NorthCarolina was very tough, I really struggled all day with sharp inclines. It was like somebody was stabbing my legs all day. I had lunch at plum orchard shelter and made to Muscrat creek Shelter in time for dinner with Pearl, Monkey Man, Trish, Waldo, Stormcrow, Energizer and Yoda. The campsites are crowded, and I know many of these folks will not be around for much longer. 20% of the thruhikers actually make it all the way to Maine, by a generous estimate and it could be much less than that. Most quit the hike within the first 400 miles, so I think the pack will thin out quite a bit. you can see some people are miserable, because the notion that this is some romantic adventure has begun to fade, and the fact that it's super hard work is starting to sink in. it's been so hard to battle these mountains and these elements, and to realize, despite all that, we are only 3% done! 

I tented creek side , and toured a plane crash site at raven rock side trail before bed. hard day but fun in camp. I finished the state of Georgia today! 

Deep Gap to Hiawassee

Short hike into Hiawasee and had a fun filled day that included breakfast at Huddle House, which is a poor mans Waffle House, a horrid lunch at a Mexican place that probably served me horse meat, and a room at the Holiday Inn that was littered with Bed Bugs! I did have a nice pizza with kelly, matt and Ryan, who caught up with me. I re supplied at a Ingles supermarket and bumped into a hiker named Monkeyman, a young and handsome fella from Arkansas, who is hiking with his wife Pearl. He Looks like Matthew McConaughey, and is a really sweet and interesting guy as well. My stay in Hiawasee ended as I was shuttled back to the trail by a beautiful Christian couple , David and Lois, from Atlanta,  who dropped me off at the trailhead and prayed over me before I left the pickup truck. What a blessing to meet such wonderful folks! 

blue mountain to Deep Gap

got a quick start and and was hoping to do two of the 3 big climbs today. I bagged Rocky Mountain first, after I got some trail magic at Unicoi Gap. I then climbed Tray mountain and sat at the top and had lunch with a section hiker and Stormcrow. Nemo and Dependable Pete followed and I headed out last. I pushed past Nemo at a water source and camped at Deep Gap with Giggling Bear, Solo Amigo, Ireland, Dependable Pete, and Bliss. good time in camp the hiking was hard but I accomplished all 3 of the large climbs today including Kelly Knob, so very pleased, rain coming tommorrow and only a few miles out of town. The trail has been hard so far, but I'm performing better than expected, hope that remains, but it may be just adrenalin. I have now left Kelly, Matt and Ryan behind, which is sad , but you have to Hike your own Hike as they say. I hung out on a picnic table at night chatting with Bliss and Dependable Pete mostly, and stretching while Bliss did her yoga poses. she is a nice young lady from Nova Scotia, who had some sort of administrative position in their government , but has given it up to hike the trail. she laughs a lot and her positive vibe is very nice to be around. Pete, is a long distance runner, I've been hiking with, he is tall, and can really bang out the miles, and it's a chore to hike along with him. 

Neels Gap to Blue Mountain Shelter

Neels Gap was super fun pigging out on food and listening to Baltimore Jacks stories till late. but the sleeping was horrid. older hikers with weight problems filled the bunk room and the snoring kept most people awake. I got up early and cranked out with a hiker from Austin named Ideas, and got to low gap shelter for lunch. I decided to push on to a 19 mile day. it was tough. Got super trail magic today from a family who provided donuts and fruit and root beer . it was there I met a family, who is hiking together including 3 young boys, the youngest Sam, who is only 8 years old, and a father who is a retired drill instructor in the Air Force. I met Animal who is a great guy who hikes on a super budget and buys his gear for real cheap and is thrifty with food and is a great forager. He carries a big bucket, which seems difficult, and I  hope to see him again. Also at camp was Dependable Pete, a very strong hiker from Chicago, Nemo, a diminutive talker with a hipster look and a wooden flute in his pack, and Gandolf, a funny, lovable, stoner type, but very handsome and with a bright smile. he seems to be having knee issues and may have to get off the trail. m tired and going to bed. 

Lance Creek to Neels Gap

woke up at crack of dawn, and busted out a half day hike to Neels Gap. super easy day, hiking over Blood Mountain was nice and not as hard as feared. Hung out with Ryan, Kelly, Matt, Baltimore Jack, hunter, Ethan, sheepdog, Butterfly, green Giant, Cape, Jesse James, Poppa, Turbo, and Poho, and others I can't remember all the names. We sat around the outfitter at Nells Gap, called Mountain Crossings, all day and joked and ate. the sun was warm, and the rest was therapeutic for our suddenly overworked bodies. my appetite was strong, I think I ate 3 lunches. At night, all the hikers gathered around "Baltimore Jack" Tarlin, as he told many stories from his time on the trail and doled out advice for eager beginners. Baltimore Jack hiked the AT 9 times from 1995-2003, and along with a hiker named Wingfoot, is the alltime Leader in total hikes on the the trail carrying their backpack. he is a very smart, opinionated man, with lots of colorful stories filled with comic flair, like the time he got a room at a Hostel in Duncannon PA called the Doyle Hotel, and opened the door to find a dead man in the bed. Although he doesn't hike as much anymore, he clearly loves the trail, and if he feels in someway the hike or the footpath is being compromised , he is quick to add his opinion. Sleeping at the hostel was a problem as the bunk room accommodates 20 hikers and some are simply not fit enough for the trail. One in particular is FedEx, who weighs 275 lbs, is older, and carries a 75lb pack. he snored and farted all night. nobody else slept.