Wuss-face

I just went to the doctor and had an X-ray done and then the doctor came in and talked to me (more so than he listened to me) and then had me lay down and moved my legs around. He told me it was simply over exertion and I need to refrain from any exerting activity for a while and that it should get better in a couple of weeks (up to 8) and then if its not better at that time to get an MRI.

So now I just paid $XXX to have him tell me to wait and see if it gets better. I wonder if he got his doctor license at the same website where I became a minister.

I only say that because I’m frustrated, I felt like he wasn’t really listening to what I had to say, that he had made up his mind before he came in to see me. When I asked him what I could do to not have problems in the future, he inquired to my preparedness for the trip and when I explained to him all I had done, he was quiet and offered no solutions. He said “some people just aren’t made to do certain things”. I would think that if some people can and others can not than something could be done for those that can not. Not that I want to have surgery, or to have anything permanently wrong. I guess what I wanted was to feel like he cared and was certain and could offer something helpful for the future.

As for my future since it can take up to 8 weeks to get better and then after I do the preventative exercises the doctor mentioned (of yah, he didn’t tell me anything to do, I’m just someone who’s not meant to do this) that will make it too cold for me to finish my trip and get to Maine before they close Baxter State Park. However, I don’t currently have a job and I do have money saved up so I’m going to do something. I’m not sure what, but it will certainly have to be easier on my knees.

I have been storing all of my stuff at my Mom’s house and they just found out that they are being transferred to California, so I need to get all of my stuff out of their house. I will be spending the next little while resting my knees, going through my stuff and moving it to another storage location. While trying to figure out what I should do. I have some ideas that I’m considering and looking into but if you have any other suggestions shoot me an email or write it in the comments to this post.

Back to civilization

I’ve been back in civilization for a few days now and I already have a cold sore, which I get when I am stressed, I’m not sure why I’m stressed, I’m not working and people are happy to see me. Maybe it is because now I have running water, that I can use to clean my clothes, body or tooth brush so easily and frequently or maybe its because I don’t have to plan where water is and then filter it, I can pretty much get to a clean water source within 10 yards from anywhere in my mom’s house. I doubt it is either of those, probably just the uncertainty and the drastic change from being in the woods to being at home. I am still waking up everyday at 7am, but since I don’t have anything to do, despite my mom offering to let me do chores at that time, I stay in bed until it gets to be a little bit later.

Now that I’m back, I was able to use a Q-tip for the first time in a while and I thought I had been keeping my ears cleaned. The Q-tip tells another story, and by Q-tip I mean LOTS and LOTS of them! It was pretty gross!

On Friday I went out with some friends to a Bar Crawl sponsored by a law firm to benefit Autism, 12 bars with a free drink at each for $20. It was an awesome deal and I had a lot of fun. I’m not sure what the law firm specializes in, but if they specialize in DUI cases, I think that was a great business strategy. There were cops everywhere around the bars, getting car after car after car.

I have an appointment for Monday afternoon with an orthopedic doctor to look at my knees and see if we can figure out what is wrong with them. I’m a little nervous about going because I don’t want to have it be something really complicated that cannot be fixed without surgery or lots of rehab, but on the other side I don’t want him to say “There’s nothing wrong, you are just a wimp”. I guess all I can do for now is wait and see.

On the Lighter Side

The other day I got a text message that said "call me" and I assumed that it was from someone interested in my car because I've gotten a few texts from people who are interested in it but when they call my phone it goes straight to voice mail because my phone is constantly off.

I forwarded the message to my mom so she could call them and provide them with any information they needed. When she called the number it was a friend of the asian man who used my phone earlier in the week and he wanted my mom to get a message to me and then to the man. Since I wasn't traveling with his this wasn't a realistic expectation.

While in Gatlinburg Tuesday night we went out to a bar and had a couple beers and then on the way back to the motel, Matt decided he wanted to go to the quick stop and grab something. Guess who else was in the store?!? The asian man! I tried my best to tell him that someone wanted to talk to him but he didn’t understand. Eventually I dialed the number that texted me and handed him the phone. He talked for a few seconds and then handed me the phone and I talked to an elderly asian woman who's son was trying to contact the hiker to tell him he was getting picked up in hot springs. I'm not sure if she didn't speak the same language as him or what but he didn't understand and I spent 10 minutes trying to get him to understand. I don't think he did, or he didn't like the message because this time I didn't get hugs or handshakes, he just walked away.

As I walked down the street with several other hikers on Wednesday on the way to Shoney’s for breakfast, my knees were killing me. Then I went to the visitor center to see if it was even possible to get out of Gatlinsburg and found out there was a bus leaving 40 minutes later to Knoxville for only $9. I decided to go for it and then started making calls to see how I could get from Knoxville to Saint Louis. Half the rental car companies do not allow one way out of state rentals and the ones that did, didn't have any availability. A plane ticket the same day was nearly $300, so I got a ticket on greyhound.

I've never ridden greyhound before and I was excited. I got to visit Chattanooga, Nashville, and Paducah on the way to Saint Louis. Riding the bus is like hiking really fast with lots of other people around me. While riding on the bus the driver slammed on the breaks and then started to back the bus up on the shoulder. Apparently there was an accident ahead and he decided to take an off ramp that he had already passed.

Also while driving, the bus driver comes over the intercom "there is no smoking weed on the bus, be smart people there are babies on this bus". Everyone started looking around, no one was smoking anything. Then a woman near the back starts banging on the bathroom door and a young guy steps out of the bathroom with bloodshot eyes and a plume of smoke. The bus driver comes over the intercom that there will be drug dogs at the bus station when we stop and anyone with drugs is advised to flush them in the toilet. Suddenly a panic breaks out on the bus as at least 10 people scramble for their bags and start talking nervously. The bus driver pulls over and a cop gets on the bus. I'm not sure how one got there so quickly it seemed like seconds. The cop walks down the aisle and asks "Does anyone have any marijuana? Who was smoking". A guy speaks up that it was the kid behind him and the bus driver confirms that he was the one coming out of the bathroom. The officer asks the kid If he was smoking and he denies it. Then the officer searches him and finds nothing. The officer tells him to sit back down and while walking off the bus says the quote of the day "Don't smoke weed on the bus, if you need to get high, snort some coke instead"

After that nothing too exciting happened and I made it to the new Greyhound station in Saint Louis around 1am where my mom was waiting to pick me up.

Knees knees

Knees knees the magical fruit the more I walk the more they hurt

My knees haven't gotten any better with a few days rest and thinking about it logically, I doubt they would heal in a couple more days, they probably need weeks, or to go to a doctor and have a fancy machine look at them.

I talked with Blues, who thru hiked last year, and he said his knees started hurting him near the end of his trip last year. I asked him how long it took after he got home for them to heal and he told me they never did.

I came out here to enjoy myself, but painful knees and the possibility of constant knee pain/problems for the rest of my life terrifies me. That is not why I am here.

When I first started my trip my biggest concerns were that my allergies would cause me a lot of problems or that I would lose too much weight, I never thought it would be my knees. I've never had a problem with them in my whole life.

After spending the last couple of days thinking it over in my head I have decided to head back to stl for now. I'm not sure if this adventure is done for good or what will come. I need to do some more thinking over the next few days and when I figure something out I will be sure to post that decision here.

Gatlinburg

I woke up Monday morning with revived energy, my plan was to make it to town today. The weather looked like it might not be bad which is always a good sign, there haven't been too many nice days yet on this trip.

By the time I hiked 5.5 miles to Silers Bald shelter the weather had turned to the same cold, misty rain. As I walked into the shelter a large rat scurried away. I ate a snack and headed back out. Another 1.7 miles down the road I stopped in at the next shelter where I found a mouse and a bird, who both scurried away.

After 2.5 miles I made it to the Clingmans Dome bypass trail. I decided that I'm out here to enjoy myself and Clingman's Dome is the highest spot on the trail and is supposed to have spectacular views, but with the mist I wouldn't be able to see anything. That combined with my continual knee pain, sent me down the bypass trail/river. I say river because it was so full of water that I was basically walking down a river.

I made it to the visitor parking lot near Clingman's where tourists can drive their car and then walk up a half mile paved road to the top. I was able to get a 20 mile ride to Gatlinburg from a nice couple vacationing from Detroit.

Gatlinburg is probably the most detested city along the trail by hikers because it is a tourist town in the middle of the woods. They have a space needle, ripleys believe it or not, a wax museum, an aquarium, motion rides and all kinds of shops, restaurants and motels.

My first stop was McDonalds, I have been craving it since I started but for one reason or another haven't been to one yet, it was as amazing as I remembered and hoped it would be. I went to the GranPrix motel, they offer hiker discounts, and got a single room.

Earlier in the day I had talked to Blues and Matt about heading into Gatlinburg and Matt thought it seemed like a good idea, but Blues was going to wait another day before heading to town.

Fast forward to two hours after I check in, I get a call from Blues. He had gotten off the trail because he knew I had and thought Matt was going to also, only Matt didn't come down, probably because he didn't think Blues was going to. Blues and I split a single room, me in the nice wooden twin bed and Blues in his bag on the floor.

I hear the first 400 and the last 400 miles are the hardest and everything in between, isn't as bad.

I'm going to spend at least tuesday and probably wednesday as well resting my knees, to see if I can improve them at all, if not I'm going to have to reevaluate things, I don't want to have knee pain for the rest of my life.

Last few days

1539-Fontana Dam Village Lobby
1544-Gas station/bar bathroom
1547-Lizard with a blue belly on the way to Fontana Dam
1548-"The Hilton"
1550-Fontana Dam Runoff
1551-On top of Fontana Dam
1553-Just as the sign would suggest, on my way on
1554-The only picture in the smokies that wasn't clouded by fog/rain
1558-These two deer came up towards me to eat some of the newly grown flowers

Amazing View

Quote of the day

"When walking in the rain, if you pace yourself properly you can avoid getting hit by rain drops" - AT ridgerunner

Cold, wet and sore

Written sunday night:

The forcast was for thunderstorms this afternoon. I woke up to rain hitting the roof of the shelter at 7am. The rain didn't really let up all day and it made the temperature drop, its in the 40's, which isn't bad if u are in ur sleeping bag but being out of the sleeping bag is very cold.

I hiked 12 miles today and my knees are very sore. I slipped 2 times and fell once. I didn't hit anything when I fell but it was very frustrating.

The trail goes up and down and at the top of the ups are balds, basically a mountain top without any trees for spectacular views. Unless of course its raining and foggy and then u just climb up to get battered by the wind, the cold and the rain as was the case for me.

When I made it to the shelter I got the last spot available inside the shelter and everyone after me had to set up their tents in the cold/rain.

Blues and Matt are planning to head into Gatlinburg on Tuesday which was my initial plan, but now I'm going to try to make it to gatlinburg tomorrow and take at least two zero days.

Poor cell service

I haven't really had much reception at all the last few days and I doubt it will get much better while I am in the Smokies. The only way I've gotten the last two blogs through is leaving my phone on while hiking and it sends when it can get a signal.

This morning I tried to sleep in but was pretty much unsuccessful. I had to wait until 11:15 to go to the post office and check for my mail drop from my mom. Matt, Blues and I went back to the Bistro(where we ate lunch yesterday) and had breakfast, I had orange juice and a cheese and sausage omelette. Then we went back to the room and Blues headed out, Matt was waiting to see how he felt and I for the mail.

My package was there and then I went to the general store to buy some stuff for lunches and snacks.

I'm sure you have noticed that I write on here a lot about food, well its what I'm thinking about 75% of the time I'm hiking.

Matt was feeling better so we grabbed lunch at the gas station/bar and got a shuttle back to the trail. We hiked 1.1 miles to the Fontana Dam shelter AKA "The Hilton" since its a double decker that sleeps 24 and has restrooms and showers close by. Then we went and looked at the Fontana Dam, the largest dam East of the Rockies.

While hiking I met an Asian man who spoke very little english. "Camera, take" he kept saying. I told him I'd take his picture and put my hands out to take his camera but that wasn't what he wanted so her kept repeating "Camera, take". I didn't know what else he wanted so I pulled out my camera and offered it to him thinking maybe he was offering to take my picture. He didn't want that either and became frustrated and kept hiking.

I stopped for a pre dinner snack and to get some fresh water at the Birch Spring Gap. I called my mom since she is trying to help me sell my car and had sent me several emails and text messages. Once I was off the phone I powered off my phone and started to take the battery out as I do out here to prolong the life. The asian man had caught up and wanted to use my phone. As he spoke little english I was worried where he wanted to call. "Atlanta" he said and showed me the number, so I let him use my phone. When he was done, he was very appreciative he kept shaking my hand and giving me a half hug. Then he saw I was trying to put my phone away and he helped me and then gave me my trekking poles and a final handshake/hug.

I ended up hiking 12.4 miles today to get to Mollies Ridge Shelter in the Smokies. They are very particular out here and a permit is required to stay in the park. Camping is only allowed in specific spots or at a shelter. At the shelter there is a person called a "ridge runner" who checks for permits and makes sure that people fill up the shelter and don't camp around it.

3am

I woke up this morning at 3am, like every morning on the trail. This morning however was special, I could hear something rattling around. There were many people tenting near the shelter, but I was the only one sleeping in the shelter. I had both my backpack and food bag hanging from mouse cables.

These are basically rope, with an upside down can tied to the middle and a stick at the end to hang stuff on. The theory being that a mouse can climb down the rope but will slip on the upside down can and fall to the ground, or not attempt it and move on.

Anyway, my bag was making rustling sounds, which meant there was at least one mouse in it. I got out of my warm sleeping bag, put on my crocs, headlamp and glasses and approached the bag. When I pointed my headlamp directly at my bag, the mouse would stop but when I hid the light I heard him again "scratch, scratch". I picked up a stick and started hitting my backpack, as if it were a pinata. The rustling stopped. I moved the headlamp and the scratching came back. I hadn't scared him out.

Then I took my backpack down and turned it upside down, dumping all my stuff all over the place until my bag was completely empty. I still didn't see the mouse but my bag was now definitely mouse and contents free. So I started putting things back into my bag one item at a time. I finally thought that everything was back in my bag but still there was no mouse. Then as I was trying to rehang my bag I stepped on a bag that was still on the ground and felt something squish and I jumped. I looked down at the bag and there was a lump in the bag. I bent down and picked it up and there was no mouse, it was only a rock under the bag. The mouse had disappeared and I went back to my sleeping bag and went to sleep.

In the morning I was woken up by some section hikers who were tenting and decided to make their breakfast in the shelter where I was sleeping. How very considerate of them.

The hike today to Fontana Dam was only 5.9 miles and wasn't overly challenging. I don't have reception here either. Last night I talked to Matt and Blues about getting a room together tonight in Fontana Dam because the cheapest rooms they have are $60. We got to the Fontana Dam village and it is very nice, I would highly recommend this place. The guys who woke me up paid $100 for their room. What goes around comes around I suppose.

Matt checked into the room and was filling out the standard form with his name and contact information and then handed back the form to the guy at the front counter. "Since you obviously don't have a car I'm going to need you to put the brand and size of your boots in the make and model section for cars". He was joking of course. Then after matt finished getting everything, the guy walked away like he was done without giving us our keys. "Do we have keys?" Matt inquired. "You can just use your thumbprint, I captured it when u used my pen" the attendant joked. "Pretty fancy" matt replied. "Yah, we just got these new fangled computer boxes last week" the clerk said while touching his monitor. It was good to see someone intelligent having fun with his job.

First thing Blues and I went to get our mail and his was here but mine wasn't so I have to wait until 11am Saturday to check for my mail again and hopefully it will be there because they are closed on sunday. Then we went to lunch and I got a burger with fries and 2 32 ounce beers. Then I had a coke, chips and a twix for dessert.

We did laundry and mistankely stole someones bag and a womans see thru shirt. We found the owners of both and returned them. Blues and I went to a presentation on the history of the fontana dam. We were the only ones at the presentation, but there were some interesting pictures. Matt hasn't been feeling very well for a few days and spent most of the day in bed watching tv.

The cheapest thing on the dinner menu was $17 so Blues and I went to the gas station/bar down the hill. Yes, a gas station that serves hot dogs and has a bar. Then we went and heard a musician from Atlanta playing guitar, had another beer and ate some free cookies.

Today was a good day all around, easy trails, cold beer, warm food, sunny skies and a warm comfy bed. Tomorrow I enter the smokies with or without my mail drop.

Amazing view

Last night before I went to bed in the shelter I noticed that someone had screwed a full size doritos bag into the wall of the shelter. I assumed it was meant as a mouse trap and once it fell in it would be unable to escape.

During the middle of the night I hear this LOUD banging, that sounds like a demolishing crew tearing the walls down. I opened my eyes and looked at the source of the sound an elder gentleman out with his teenage daughter is banging the Doritos bag against the wall. "Its okay he's just killing a mouse" I thought as I went immediately back to sleep.

I was awaken 2 more times to the same sound, but I didn't look either time, I knew there was a fresh mouse cake being made.

In the morning I was up and out of camp by 7:40, normally I would be the first one out by leaving at this time, but the group at this shelter must have all been early risers as I was almost the last out. There was one guy still there however, who had been in the shelter and in the middle of the night (probably as a result of the mice killings) and moved himself and his sleeping bag out by the fire.

1.2 miles out of camp I came to the top of a hill called Cheoah Bald, it was spectacular, the view!! I took a couple of pictured, but they cannot convey the beauty. The only way to get to this spot is to come either 5 or 8 miles from a road up a steep hill both ways, so I doubt too many people have seen it but it sure is spectacular.

Often when I get to views like this I think, this would be the perfect place for a house. Hopefully no houses will ever be built though because instead of looking spectacular it would end up looking like the hollywood hills and all would be lost. Its not beautiful to look at someone else's house.

Then the day started to get long. Hot on the uphills, cold on the downhills, knees acting up, searching for my breath, feeling exhausted, wanting water, in pain all over and then came this mountain that got steeper and steeper by the step. I know it was over 1000 ft climb and I'm not sure in how fast but it sure felt like the steepest so far. I hear the smokeys are also very hard and are harder than anything we have done to date.

I ate lunch at the Brown Fork Gap Shelter. I had 2 packets of instant oatmeal, pretzels stuffed with cheese and beef jerky. I learned today that one can pour hot water into an oatmeal packet and not have to dirty a whole pot. Genius! Some shelters have privys (outhouses) and this shelter had one but it was just a toilet with a roof and no walls, very comical looking.

After lunch I put my music on thru my phone for the first time music combined with the good lunch gave me a burst of energy and I easily made it the last 6.1 miles to Cable Gap Shelter where I am staying tonight. I came to a spot after lunch on top of a mountain where the sun was shining, Lady Gaga was playing (thanks Kadin) the wind was blowing in my face and I had some really pleasant thoughts and it felt absolutely incredible.

A couple more random thoughts: I have no reception at the shelter tonight so I will send this tomorrow from fontana dam. My stomach feels much better, so it was NOT Girdeah. I hear the John Muir Trail in September is incredible.

Quote of the day

Being sung "I'm so cold, I bet you think this song is about you". It didn't make any sense when he said it either.

NOC

1524-NOC river, I don't know the real name of the river
1529-Squirrel/Chipmunk
1527-People say, I don't understand why it takes you so long. Its hard to show the height and incline of the trail in 2D. You can however see that the trail in many places is all rock and adds to the difficulty of travel.
1533-Near "Swim Bald"

Nanthala Outdoor Center

I woke up this morning and only had, .8 miles to go to get to the NOC a place with a outfitter, a fly fishery and a restaurant.

First thing I went to the restaurant and got a 1 lb breakfast burrito. A pound of food doesn't look or fill me as much as it used to. Then I did some laundry and took a quick shower. I was supposed to have a maildrop, but it wasn't there yet so I left a note to have it forwarded to my next town, fontana dam.

I am now at Sassfras gap shelter and I'm very cold and my stomach is upset, I hope its not giradeah.

More rain pics

1516-John Byrne Memorial Tower
1519-the woods are on fire!!
1521-view from wesser bald

Statistics

WARNING: the following blog uses shady math and made up statistics.

Approximetly 1/7 of thru hikers are girls so a person sharing a shelter with 4 girls has a likelihood of 1/(7*7*7*7) or 1/4000 chance and last night I won the lottery. I shared the shelter with "itchy", "constant", "jessies girl" and "yard sale" and boy did we have some exciting conversations. We talked about menstration, menopause, weight and other exciting topics. Slightly different from the night with 8 male firemen a few days back.

I was able to sleep in a little bit this morning, until 7:30 (the last one up from the shelter) and yet I was the first one out of camp. There was the Cold Spring shelter 4.8 miles north, where I stopped for lunch and then the Wesser Bald shelter 5.8 miles past that shelter where I was planning to stop for the night but the water was nearly .5 miles back down the trail and I decided to keep going to the next shelter another 4.9 miles north. I ended up going 15.5 miles to the Rufus Morgan Shelter. I was hoping to convince someone to go the .8 miles to town to buy beer but noone was interested, ill have to wait till tomorrow for that.

I went to bed early and let the girls talk. I fell asleep and then was woken up by lights and people moving around. I didn't have my glasses on and I had ear pluggs in so I had no idea what was going on. Apparently mice were crawling through all of the bags and the women were moving them to the mice cables. They nicely moved mine for me as well.

It rained during the night and during the morning. In fact it rained until around 2pm today. I think it will probably rain forever.

I was thinking about something interesting today but I have since forgotten.

Rain Rain Go Away

I ended up being the only one at the shelter last night which was a first for me. I slept in until 8:30am, my latest ever and didn't get on the trail unti 9:30.

It rained last night and all today it has drizzled and been very foggy. I didn't take any pictures today because it was so foggy that nothing would come out. I took my time today and made it from the Siler Bald Shelter and went 7.8 miles on the trail to the next shelter and got here around 2pm and will be spending the rest of the day reading "staggerford" by Jon Hassler, its a decent enough book so far and I'm over half way done.

Tomorrow should be another short day and then I'll make it to the next town by wednesday.

Easter pics

1508-waterfall
1509-to string up food so mice have a harder time getting it
1510-Happy Easter
1513-inside the shelter

Happy Easter

I decided to get back on the trail and take it easy for a little while. My right knee is feeling a lot better but my left one still hurts pretty badly.

I stayed in my motel room as late as possible and finished up all my food and then I headed towards the trail. An English guy and his wife offered to give me a ride back to the trail after they unloaded the groceries in their car. I kept walking towards the trail head and then the English guy came back and gave me a ride to the trailhead. He was very to talk with and for going way out of his way to give a stranger a ride.

When I got to the trailhead there was a couple there doing a trail magic barbecue. I ate a hotdog, drank a soda and got some meds for my knee, 2 beers for the rode and a bag full of goodies and headed out on the trail.

I decided NOT to take the chunky gal trail back to where I had gotten off but instead to skip that 20 mile section for now and to simply come back and do that part if I end up making it all the way to maine.

The weather forecast for the night was rain so I had to either go 5 miles or 13 miles to a shelter and since I'm taking it easy I only went the 5 and got there around 2:30 I spent the rest of the night reading a book I got, making a fire. Eating dinner and relaxing.

I still do not have a trail name and I spent yesterday thinking of one and only came up with one idea "Simply" I don't know if I like it or not I still have plenty of time to get one, but I haven't really been hiking day in and day out with anyone else to make them feel comfortable enough with me to give me a name yet.

Fill in the Blank - Answer

He said he used to be a "superhero". Some people sure are strange, but at least there is no shortage of entertainment!

GA/NC

1506-Natural Tunnel
1507-View from near the border
1505-My reward for walking 76.4 miles.

Zero Day

Yesterday morning the forecast was thunderstorms, so I got an early start ans was out of camp at 7:55. About 10 minutes later the rain started and I threw on my rain pants and jacket over a T-shirt and shorts. As I walked the rain started to really come down and the temperate really dropped. Soon I was freezing, but getting anything warmer out would mean getting it wet and then it wouldn't keep me warm.

I made it to the Georgia/North Carolina border in the rain, one state down 13 to go!

About Noon I made it to Muskrat Creek Shelter to dry off and have some lunch. The Brits were already there preparing for their daily mid day nap. Bob and Jeff showed up while I was getting water and were headed to meet a man to take them home. We said goodbye for at least the third time. Out here you never know for certain that you will see someone again.

All morning in the rain my knees had really been bothering me. The knee braces and meds weren't working. On the wall of the shelter was an area map showing "blue blazed trail" (not official AT trail) that would take me to a highway. I decided that with my knees hurting so badly I'm going to try giving them a full day of rest and I headed towards the "Chunky Gal Trail"

With a name like that I figured it had to be easy. Was I ever wrong!!! I thought it was about 3 miles and it had to be at least 8 up and down and up. It was by far the hardest trail I have ever been on. I slipped and fell, I climbed over trees above my waist, I ripped my rain pants.

When I made it to the road I got a ride from a couple in an suv and their dog. The dog was a rescue dog and was very sweet, she put her head on my shoulder. They drove me to town and then around town to find a place to stay. I found a perfect motel with a $30 a night hiker special.

I went to the grocery store down the street and bought barbecue chips, tortilla chips, an apple, soft pretzels, powdered donuts, milk, beer, soda, a can of cheese, burritos and a pizza lunchable. I'm pretty sure I ate almost all of it last night, it was all delicious.

I'm going to stay here again tonight, spending all day resting and icing my knees and then hopefully get back on the trail tomorrow.

4/9 Pics

1500-knee braces
1501-Plumorchard shelter
1502-Privy
1503-the first instructions I've seen on how to use the bear cables

Quote of the Day

"On a thru hike 1/3 of the time its too hot, 1/3 of the time its too cold and 1/3 of the time its raining"

Hiawassee

Today I hiked 6 miles and then caught a ride into Hiawassee from a family with a Mom, Dad, daughter and two dogs. Them along with myself and the 3 Brits with all four packs made it a crowded car ride, but the family was very nive to drive us the 11 miles into town, which was 9 miles out of their way.

In town I went to the post office and got a mail drop from my mom with snack bars, drink mixes, beef jerky and my cell phone charger. Then I headed over to the local pharmacy and picked up two different knee pads since they only carry one of each kind. The picture of me wearing these stylish bad boys will follow. Then I went to Hardees to get some lunch and charge my electric devices. An extra value meal at Hardees is over $8!!! That is crazy, I could get a huge meal at the Huddle House for that price. Then I went to the grocery store and got an apple, some mac and cheese and some candy bars.

As I was ready to leave town I was walking down the street talking on the phone and a car pulled of and offered me a ride. It was a very nice woman who loved the trail and again drove out of the way to drop me back at the trail 11 miles outside of town.

Back at the trailhead I ran into Bob and Jeff who were both taking a break. I headed up the first hill with a head full of steam from Hardees. I quickly got exhausted. I'm not sure if it was burger burnout, the new knee pads, the warm weather or just edhaustion but every step of the 5 miles to the shelter was a chore.

The forecast for tomorrow is rain so I wanted to stay in a shelter tonight. The Plumorchard shelter is a 3 story shelter that was 2/3rds full with 8 fireman from Florida. The shelter finished being full when the Brits showed up to completly fill the shelter. Also at the shelter tonight but camped out are Bob, Jeff, and 8 time thru hiker Baltimore Jack.

The plan for dinner was mac and cheese, but Baltimore Jack brought Caesar Salad, asparagus, pork roast and potato salad and had plenty of extras so I added pork to my mac and cheese and it was amazing.

Fill in the blank

This is an actual quote, see if you can fill in the blank. I will post the real quote in 2 days.

"I'm currently an antique restorer, I used to be a BLANK, but there isn't a real need for that anymore."

4/8 pics

1491 Jeff, Bob and I
1495 View from Rocky Mountain
1496 The trail
1497 Trail magic folks

Freezing pics

My footsteps in the snow

Sap-cicle

Low gap shelter

View from some mountain

Wed 4/8

We decided we deserved to sleep in and so I slept in until 9am and took a shower, showers are amazing! I forgot last night to wash my socks and shirt so everything really stinks.

We got out of the motel around 11am and walked down to the Huddle House, like a Waffle House. It was really good I had 3 scrambled eggs bacon, hash browns, biscuits and gravy and orange juice. By the time we got a ride to the trail it was 12:45.

Immediately we had to climb over 1000 feet in just over a mile. After 3.5 miles I came across the best trail magic yet, two couples had set up in the middle of nowhere and were doing a barbecue for hikers. They had hot dogs, baked beans, chips, snickers, soda and BEER! Three days of beer in a row on the trail. I doubt that will happen again.

Then I had to climb 1000 feet in a mile and a half and the beer and hot dog didn't feel so great. I ended up doing 10.4 miles this afternoon and in total have done 61.3 miles. I am now at least a day or two ahead of the main group that started on the same day I did.

I have decided that barring bad weather or something free I won't set my destination for the night until the afternoon so that I can hike my own hike and not end my day at 2pm.

The weather today was incredible compared with yesterday and should be in the low 60's tomorrow.

Freezing

Monday night we got dominoes pizza, drank beer and sodas and had chips and salsa for dessert, it was incredible.

I went to bed around 8:30 because once the sun goes down its hard to get anything done. Unfortunately that also means I keep waking up at 3:30am everyday and have to try to get back to sleep until the sun comes up. I got out of bed at 6:55. And was ready to head out before 8 am. Unfortunately the day of only 3 miles hasn't helped my knee.

There have been recent bear food stealings North of the hostel and so we were advised to go at least 11.8 miles to Low Gap shelter. When I opened the door to leave it had started snowing and was accumulating on the ground. As I started I could tell I was the first one to leave for the day because there weren't any other foot steps in the snow.

It was an amazing morning with snow coming down, everything glistened and it was a really good hike. I went over Levelland, Cowrock, Wildcat and Poor Mountains. I went off to go to the restroom and found a full non frozen can of coke, this would be saved for lunch.

I finished the hike to Low Gap around 1:15 and sat in the shelter drinking my coke and eating ritz covered with peanut butter and honey. I talked with a couple from Chicago who was down on the husbands spring break. I had some friends show up around 2pm and tell me they were planning on hiking to Unicoi Gap and catching a ride into Helen GA because it was so cold. Then an elderly couple came who I had seen earlier in the morning at Neels Gap and told me they were going to be pushing on as well. So I had two options sit in the cold and wait for night to sleep or head out with my friends. I decided if the elderly couple could do it so could I. So I started walking.

At first I was thinking of all the delicious food I was going to eat in Helen. Then I decided I had just stayed in town and I should stop at Blue Mountain Shelter for the night, it would buy more time and keep me warmer longer. Once I got to BMS however I saw a sleeping woman who was shivering in her sleep. I decided to push on to Helen.

Bob, Jeff and I were able to catch a ride from a parole officer and found a warm motel. We ate next door at the Southside Bar and Grill. I had 12 wings, 4 potato skins, 2 tacos and a couple of beers.

In total we walked 20.2 miles today on the trail, though it is always more, they measure the trial straight and I often find myself zig zagging all over the place. The decent into Unicoi gap is 1.5 miles and over 1000 feet of decent. It was tortorous on my knee and now the other one is hurting also because I've been using it to take the brunt of the force.

21 miles in the snow

As the title suggests, I walked 21 miles in the snow today and I'm exhausted. Ill update tomorrow with all the details and pictures.

Pics monday 4/6/9

1475-Bunks at Neels Gap hostel
1474-sign in the hostel
1467-some people stayed on top of blood mountain where they don't have bear cables. They hung their food in trees and in the middle of the night they watched as a bear stole all their food. This is a claw print in a tree
1469-view from blood mountain

Monday 4/6/9

I slept well and woke up to a very cold mornining, but I stayed dry in ther shelter. Everything about my body feels really good except for my knee. I don't have any blisters and none of my muscles are very sore.

Its getting very cold and I decided I need a low mileage day. There have been some very active bears north of where I am and I could either do 4.2 miles and stay at a hostel or do 15 miles and stay in a supposed snow storm so I'm going to stay at Neels Gap and only do the 4.2 to give my knee a rest.

I climbed blood mountain today, the highest mountain in Georgia along the AT. It wasn't bad at all I flew along with the vision of burgers and pizza in my mind.

Once I got to Neels Gap they have an outfitter and hostel and they make pizzas for $7, much less than I was willing to pay. There was als a church group here making free burgers and spreading the word of god, it was delicious!

"One track" called a friend to pick her up and stay there until the weather gets better, I have a feeling she won't be back.

I'm staying here with sean, miami jeff and rochester bob. I took a shower and did some laundry, it was heaven. I'm getting another pizza tonight from dominoes, so excited!

Tomorrow is going to be a long day, so I hope my knee gets better. There are 16 bunks here and they are all filled tonight, the smell of sweat, bo and stinky feet fill the air, but its an incredible smell. I'm glad I am here.

Quote of the day

If you hear banjo music, start running.

Pics 4/5/9

1447-Snake
1456-Big Cedar Mountain
1463-Machette
1464-Woods Hole Shelter
1466-Bear Cables

Sunday 4/5/9

The plan for last night was to go to bed early. Then an english/history teacher named Eric started a fire outside of the shelter. I decided that I'm not out here to do miles for miles sake I'm here for the experience so I stayed up and talked with people. The spanish cowgirl (I cannot spell the word she used) played a harmonica for a while and then Eric recited some Shakespeare. We talked for a while and it was a good night.

I decided that I like shelters, no bugs, wind or moisture and with earplugs I didn't even notice the mice.

Sunday was my biggest AT mileage day yet of 12.4 miles. I went from Gooch Mountain Shelter to Woods Hole Shelter. My knee is killing me and today was some really hard work, I now understand why so many people leave the trail at Neels Gap. In the morning it was freezing and then as the day went on it got really sticky and hot. I climbed three mountains today, Ramrock, Big cedar and Burnett.
Until today I hadn't seen any animals except for some random birds and chipmunks. Today however I saw a snake, raccoon and turkey.

About a mile away from the shelter I met "One Track" a female hiker out by herself. We talked for a while but then I sped ahead of her so I could get my leg elevated and rest. At the turn off for the shelter there was a machatte stuck in the wood. I got to the shelter shortly after 2pm and elevated my leg and quickly fell asleep. I woke up at 3:30 and still noone was there. I walked a quarter of a mile to get water and was in immense pain, elevating my leg definetly did NOT help. After I got water and there still wasn't anyone at the shelter and I started to think about what I was going to do if noone else showed up by dusk, I was tired, with a sore knee and no cell service and someone with a machatte was out there. Around 4:30 "sailor jay" showed up and told me there were others behind him. Then "solar", "the scarecrow", "birdbrain", "rochester bob" and "miami jeff" (the two guys from the first day) all showed up.

The forecast for the night was rain and pretty much for the whole next week. Its supposed to get into the 20's Monday night and Tuesday night.

I unwisely only packed 4 advil and others have been kind enough to give me theirs, four at a time three times a day. That along with 2 shots of Jack from Julian(a camper up for the night from Atlanta) made my knee feel pretty good.

Sunday night I stayed in a shelter again and I'm starting to like them, I don't have to mess with my tent and my sleeping pad doesn't slide around.

Terrible Charger

My cell phone died sunday morning and so I walked all sunday with only one trekking pole and the solar charger in the other hand, it didn't charge at all and was useless. My battery on my blackberry also drains even with the power off. I am going to remove the battery when not in use to try to make the battery last longer than two days.

Pictures from 4/4

The shelter, a bridge over a river, view from Sassafras mountain