Each day out on the trail I felt my legs getting stronger. Unfortunately my knees were lagging behind a bit. Each day of lugging my 40+ pound pack up and down mountains left my knees swollen and sore. At Neel Gap I had talked with my folks and we decided it would be a good idea to take a zero day soon. I looked at my map and noticed I’d have an opportunity to go into Helen, Georgia at an upcoming road crossing.  

However before I could enjoy my zero I still had over 20 miles to hike. My next stop after Neel Gap was Low Gap Shelter. The hike between the two was easily the most beautiful terrain I have yet to cover. The trail led along the top of several ridges providing spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The weather was gorgeously cooperative.  

I made my way to the shelter and found a good site for my tent. It was going to be another bitter cold night. Some of the hikers started a fire in the fire pit. It was nice to enjoy some warmth and camaraderie after dinner.

That night I spent my coldest night ever outdoors. I’m not sure exactly what the temperature was but at one point I put on my sleep mask not to keep out the light but because even my eyes were cold. I’m very thankful I purchased the 15 degree sleeping bag and not the lighter 30 degree bag. 

 I was up pretty soon after sunrise. I had a good day of hiking under beautiful skies. Packs just seem lighter when you have the reward of a zero waiting at the end of the day. I made my way to Unicoi Gap where I had to find a ride into town. I was delighted to find when I made my way across GA 75 and into the parking lot there was a group from a church in Raleigh, NC doing trail magic. They offered me as many burgers as I could eat. They were also generous enough to give me a ride into town once they had finished distributing their magic. I can’t thank Jace and those folks enough!

The summit of Blood Mountain 

The Blood Mountain Shelter

The rock slabs on the north side of Blood Mountain 

Mountain Crossings

Those who decided they would go no further left their mark.

The fourth day on the trail held more unique experiences. Today I was hiking from Lance Creek over Blood Mountain to Neel Gap. It was a short day but Blood Mountain was the longest and highest climb I have faced on the trail. Neel Gap offered a good reward because there was a hostel there as well as an outfitter that sold pizzas. It started out as a gorgeous cold day. Anytime I was on a ridge or the west side of a mountain the continuous arctic breeze made it almost impossible to stop for any amount of time because you’d freeze. The climb up Blood Mountain was steep and difficult but because I knew it was coming it didn’t seem so bad. I just kept my head down and kept climbing. The trail seemed to go on forever. Around every turn there was more mountain. I’d look up and see sky all around and think I was almost there but nope, here’s more mountain. Finally I saw the big stone shelter that sits almost at the summit and I knew I made it. I took a short break, signed the shelter log, got a snack, and got the heck out of there before I froze. The wind was relentless. Apparently very few people ever stay at the shelter this time of year because it is so exposed.  

I’m glad I got to climb up the south side of Blood Mountain because the north side was unlike anything I had hiked on the trail thus far. The upper portion was mostly large rock slabs. Further down the trail turned into a sadistic jumble of boulders though which the trail snaked. Parts of it looked as if the trail makers wandered out there with a bucket of white paint and just randomly splattered it all over the place. I heard later from a few hikers that they navigated this section at night. I’m really not sure if I could have done that without breaking my neck.

With Blood Mountain behind me I walked into Neel Gap for a much needed rest. The guidebooks say about 25% of the hikers who start the trail hang up their books and call it quits here. The tree out front of Mountain Crossings outfitters is decorated with these discarded relics. I walked into the store and got a room at the hostel. It was going to be a crowded night because the weather was going to get wicked cold that night. I found a bunk then took the most delightful hot shower, my first since starting the trail. I put on some clean clothes, walked back up to the store, and attacked a pizza. It may have just been a simple frozen pizza but to me it was a feast and I took down the whole thing. I then grabbed a few sodas and did a little shopping. I had to resupply some items in my pack. I also made the most important purchase of my hiking career. I had started the trail hiking in tights. I thought this would be a good defense against the dreaded chafing. It worked well enough for the first couple of days. The the tights stretched out. I spent most of the climb up Blood Mountain constantly rearranging the damn things to try and find a comfortable position. In my shopping I came across a hiking kilt made by Mountain Hardware. This purchase combined with a tube of body glide has become an epiphany. No matter the temperature the kilt has been comfortable to hike in. It’s got two large pockets so it’s already infinitely more utilitarian than the tights.

The night spent at the hostel was warm and comfortable.

Day 2 and 3

I hadn’t made it quite 7 and a half miles into the trail on my first day but it was a start. I don’t like dealing with the hassle of cooking in the morning so I usually eat a cold breakfast of beef jerky and oatmeal creme pies (Hail Saban and Roll Tide!)  

The second day I had to face some actual steep climbs. This only reinforced how utterly out of shape I am. I’d hike 20 or 30 yards up the trail then lean on my trekking poles gasping for air and guzzling down water. It didn’t help that I still hadn’t seen the sun since I started hiking. But it was kind of fun listening to Prince’s Purple Rain as I hiked in the rain. Before the worst of the climbs that day I ran into my first bit of trail magic. There in Cooper Gap someone had parked an army water tank so we could top up our water before the punishing climb.

That second day I made it to Justus Creek. This was another campsite with tent pads. This place had water and while it was still raining it had slowed quite a bit. I got my tent set up, got everything inside, and then the bottom just fell out. It rained pretty well for the rest of the evening. I ate a cold dinner that night because I didn’t feel like cooking in a downpour. I was so exhausted I forgot to hang a bear bag. Bad, I know. Luckily that lapse in judgment didn’t bite me in the ass. I think I may have had a little help from the Army Rangers training in the area. See, sometime after dark they decided to have a full on fire fight with machine guns and mortars. I doubt there was any wildlife left that hadn’t fled the county.  

The next morning I ended up hiking with a guy named Tuck from Dallas. It was a nice break in the solitude to have a conversation while hiking. I made it all the way to Lance Creek that day where three hikers were kind enough to let me share their space. I was able to see the sun that day finally for all of 20 seconds. We got our things set up, did our chores, and the shot the shit as we cooked and ate dinner. We shared stories of our experiences on the trail. It was nice and I was finally feeling like a real hiker. After I got dinner cleaned up the bottom dropped out. I hunkered down in my tent while an impressive lightning storm raged outside. I enjoyed being in my tent that evening. I put on my headlamp and read while the storm continued outside. There was something oddly cozy about it. After the rain finished the wind came. And when I say wind it felt like the whole of the north wind was piling through that valley. And the wind brought the cold. But it also brought the sun.

Day 1 

After not nearly enough sleep and a few other hiccups my folks drove me over to Springer Mountain to start my hike. We pulled into the parking lot and dad hiked the mile back to the beginning of the trail leaving mom with the car. As we hiked the gentle grade it began to sleet. It was chilly but since we were moving it wasn’t bad at all. We made it to the beginning of the trail, snapped a few photos then booked it back to the parking lot. Just as we arrived it began to rain. I got suited up, said a tearful goodbye to my folks and I started my adventure.

  I was doing this. It was chilly and wet but I was now officially on my thru-hike. I had thought since I work on my feet that I could get away without doing much conditioning. I was wrong. I am a husky (remember shopping in that section as a kid) out of shape bar tender. What was I doing with 45 pounds of my life strapped to my back walking up mountains? Luckily the first day that I hiked was gently graded so I didn’t just bag the whole trip right there.  

Even though it was cold and rainy it was beautiful. The trees and the streams were enchanting. I walked all afternoon and by the early evening I had made it to Hawk Mountain campsite. It was down a side trail to the west. Even though it was situated in a valley the local trail club had constructed level tent pads on which to camp. My home for the night was the fifth pad. The rain had abated and I set up my tent. I then set about the other chores required each time you walk into camp. I got water, unpacked my things setting up my sleep system and cooking gear. Then I made some dinner. I didn’t have much of an appetite for some reason but I knew I needed to eat. By the time I finished with everything it was getting dark. I was drained both physically and emotionally. That was day one.