My Hiking Life: Top of Georgia Hostel

Friday, March 17, 2017

Top of Georgia Hostel

Day: 7
Start: 42.9
End: 69.3
Miles: 16.4
Hours: 7
High temp: 68
Low temp: 26
People met: 15

One last meal before leaving. I'm in the Huddle Hut eating breakfast, it's 0630 hrs. My ride to Unicoi Gap with Babbet and Straps is not until 0800 hrs.

Wolfman drops the three of us off at 0830 hrs. Gracious pleasantries all around and I'm off on a 28 degree morning. My strength is maximum and I'm climbing out of the Gap at good speed. The trail is frozen hard with nice traction marks from other hikers boots. The only sound is the occasional distant whisper of cars as they traverse the highway. My boots making their soft sound on the tread and soft creak of my pack are the only constant sounds in this super quiet forest.

Most everything is frozen tight this morning

Just a bint of sunrise

The sky is overcast and the air is thankfully still, a welcome relief for the stinging winds earlier this week.

Still and quiet morning

The cool air makes the rhoddies hang their leaves like an old sad bloodhound's ears

The trail is open but snow still remains

What's left of the old tree points the way north

A small smattering of hikers appear from time to time. There is a nice spacing between hikers. Some day or section hikers and an equal amount of thrus.

I am pleased with my strength today, I'm feeling the strong beginnings of my usual hiking abilities. Today has the earmarks of a good hiking day.

Sunshine!

The temperature is about 50 degrees at 1200 hrs. Still nice hiking temps. The trail now shows spots and even some stretches of mud. This mud is deceiving as it is extremely slippery, but doesn't look it. After a few heal slips I learn to use my front section of the foot in smaller steps.. This muddy trail lasts well into the afternoon when much lower elevations have kept the trail dryer. So amazing and welcomed, the sun comes out and the clouds clear away. Now it does feel like spring.

Almost to Dick's Creek Gap and the end of my hike today I come upon Trapper John and his excellent crew. There is shared joy and stories as to what has happened in the last couple of days. They pulled off the trail the following day after me, staying at the Holiday Inn. Much of their experiences where similar to mine, curious we never met in this small town.