Appalachian Trail - Section Hike 1 --- Day 6

Wow yesterday was harder than expected! 

It has rained off and on everyday we have been hiking. Good for our water sources, good for cooling our day down...not great for the length of our hiking days...LOL! 

I watch the weather and make us get up and on the trail before the rain starts so we don't have to pack and carry a wet tent and then we don't stop for the day until we get a dry window to put up the tent back up.

So last night we walked past Unicoi Gap, after indeed gathering some trail magic of raisins, cookies and fuel! So worth it!! Thank you again to all trail angels.
We had neighbors they seemed very jolly indeed. It wasn't until we woke this morning did we meet father daughter duo, Boyd and Casey. They were heading to Dicks Creek and stopping there. Casey is coming back to thru hike the AT in 2019. 

We had some tears last night, some frustration and some decisions to make. 
I realized I double counted some miles from map 1 to map 2 and that the NOC is not 163.1 miles from Amicalola Falls. NOC and 163.1 miles were our original goals. 

So do we stop as planned shy of our goal or do we push ahead? We are only 6 days in and could reach NOC early than 14 days.
Well we have a few days to figure out that plan.

Milli is tired, so am I. We also learned how our energies affect one another and how one of us can't carry the positive energy for the both of us. This hike is too strenuous to double down on doubt or even bear the slightest negative energy. 

We learned about how personal balance impacts "team balance". 

Todays weather predicts HUGE thunder and lighting storm coming in...more immediate decision was do we hoof it and make it to Dicks Creek and TOG hostel? Can we make another 15 mile day with elevation and severe weather...and oh yeah can we make it to TOG by 7pm...after 7pm, they close...

Well we admired the views on top of Tray Mtn. made it up the steep incline at Sassafras Gap, at Addis Gap we thought we would take a break...when we saw someone had written in the dirt --- "BUGS BAD WENT 2 TOG, John".

Milli and I looked at each started laughing, ate something quickly, made our reservation at TOG and started moving twice as fast as we had been... Just as we were summiting Kelly Knob the heavens opened and the light show began...it felt like the thunder and lightening were chasing us all the way to Dicks Creek.

We still had 4 miles to go.

We missed Vista, because we barely could see three inches in front of ourselves. I was leading but getting tired and panicking that we wouldn't make the hostel closing time deadline. 

At 2 miles to go, my boots were filled with water, i could feel my feet were withered in my sloshing socks, we were covered in mud, i was cold, exhausted and discouraged. We were so close but i didn't think we were going to make it. 
I stopped and burst into tears.

Milli was quick to my side, telling me we could do this, reassuring me we were not too far away and to just think we could sleep inside in we kept on going...she offered to lead...we were off again. My body jumped at every clap of thunder, i looked up after each flash of light in the sky, always watching to make sure a tree wasn't falling towards us...

We made it to Dicks Creek Gap by 6:30pm...They picked us up at the Gap and within an hour we had a welcome drink, a hot shower, clean scrubs to wear, fresh laundered clothes and a pizza...oh yeah we had dinner with "john"!

DAY 6 SUMMARY:
From/To: Rocky Mtn. Trail to Dicks Creek Gap
15.8 miles
Weather: Started sunny...then thunder/lightening...we were shaking in our soggy boots...
Food: Today was a granola bar start, a short stop for turkey jerky/cheese roll ups.
Water: We were light on drinking water because we were drowning in it...happy to have ginger ale, hot cocoa and a diet coke greet us at TOG though!!!
People we met: We met Boyd and his daughter Casey. The gang at TOG, the infamous "john" and three other people staying at the TOG.
Highlights: Thunder and lightening like I have never seen before. 
Musts: Weather gear. 
Where we stayed: TOG --- highly recommend. Top of Georgia Hostel. What I came to grips with rather quickly was, I could be a purest and never see the inside of anything but a tent for 14 days or I can ebb and flow based on my audience to make 14 days memorable, in a good way!

Good morning day 6...

Tray Mtn. and beyond...

A little lunch at Addis Gap...

Just before the storm hit...

God gives you what you can handle! People before and after us saw rattlesnakes, bears...we saw pretty flowers, butter flies, a frog and a ring neck snake (more like a large worm)

Morning sun light

Knob Hill, the calm before the storm, literally...

Appalachian Trail - Section Hike 1 --- Day 5

Day 5 started with smiles! Or at least, no tears! 

A night at Mountain Crossings proved to be just what the doctor ordered...we woke at 7:30am, started repacking our packs, pulling a few more things to be mailed back home, made some oatmeal and tea, Milli took another shower for good measure and we lined up 8:30am...waiting for MC to open their doors.

As we sat on the stone terrace with our gear, there was a weird phenomena, hikers started appearing out of no where, they were coming from both the NOBO and SOBO trails, solo hikers, families, church groups and pairs, some we had seen the day before, others we would see later on and then others we probably would never see again. There also was a large contingency of cyclists pulling in to take a morning break.

We said our goodbyes to Joel and Damon and when the MC doors opened we were off to find inserts for Milli's shoes, more candy for the road and a number for a "ride" to the Hogpen Trailhead. Unlike our trail angel Sara, this morning we had to pay $30 for a ride...

The gang at Mountain Crossings was awesome --- thank you again to Carley, Tyler, Mike & Bill --- you and your positive energy were sights for sore eyes and humbled spirits. 

We heard from a few hikers early in the day to stay away from Blue Mtn. shelter because of mice and Barred owls...thanks for the heads up...gladly we will!

Milli and I were both thrilled today would be an "easier" day because we didn't have any "big" climbs...as we paid up for the lift and were adjusting our packs, an elderly woman was watching us. As we started to walk into the woods she leapt from her car, asked us if we were hiking the AT. I said yes a section. And with tears in her eyes she said, "its so nice to see a girl this age not glued to her phone and to see a mother & daughter spending time like this together, enjoy your journey together"...well I am a big baby, I said thank you, off we went, now I had tears in my eyes.

As we walked I thought, I AM lucky to have such an awesome kid, to have good health and to be out in this beautiful wilderness in our country.

Today I feel like we can make it to NOC...feeling inspired. A trail angel of inspiration sent us on our way today.

DAY 5 SUMMARY:
From/To: Hogpen Gap to Rocky Mtn. Trail (had to pit stop at Blue Mtn. shelter bc of severe thunder/lightening storm) 
15.2 miles (our longest day yet!)
Weather: Started sunny...then thunder/lightening...ended sunny. Often times we felt like we were in the jungle. 
Food: Well today we started with oatmeal, hoarded candy and feasted on a mountain house meal for dinner.
Water: Damon works for the military and gave us some electrolight powered. I think this helped us go so far especially in bad/jungle weather conditions.  
People we met: We met Grant, we saw him the day before but didn't catch his name. He told us of another hiker we met yesterday whom took out her shirt at camp and it was riddled with holes. Turns out she was hiking with a mouse in her pack! "Zipper up your tent" he advised us. Gross!! Milli and I snickered a little because when we get in our tent...we don't come out again until morning. Met a thru hiker completing his thru hike from last year because this section was shut down due to fires.
Highlights: Blue Mtn. Shelter...here is the scene --- we have been warned not to stay there bc of mice, we pull in because the rain was so bad we couldn't see, there were seven people and a dog already there. They nicely made room for us to sit. We grabbed tortillas out our bag to eat, took a seat, ate them and tried to get warm. Within minutes of finishing our tortillas there was talk of someone having "chiggers", someone else spearing a tick with a knife within six inches of where we sat, a lively comparison of the size of the shelter mice vs. rats and "said" trail magic at Unicoi Gap (candy bars, fuel, water and granola bars)! Well thats all it took for me...as soon as the rain let up enough for us to see 10 ft ahead, we ran!!! 
Musts: Know when to keep on truckin' !! :) and bring a waterproof case for your phone...
AND for all you northern folk here some info on--- chiggers  ... YUCK!
People we met: Grant

Mountain Crossings terrace

MC parking lot waiting for our ride

Not sure what this is...but we hope we don't see it on the trail!

Smiles and candy...ready to go!

Hmmm, I thought today was supposed to be "easier"...not!

Heard there was some trail magic at Unicoi Gap...cookies, raisins, fuel...

Clothing line, Eno disco lights, headlamp chandelier...home is where your heart is & our tent is our castle!