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[at-l] Trip Report: Georgia



Here in Northern Virginia work was let off early on Friday at noon for
the Memorial Day weekend. I posted a quick note to Coosa (yes, our own
AT-L Lister Trail Angel had volunteered to shuttle me), made fresh
coffee, changed clothes and started driving south. I had originally
planned to stop and camp near the Trail crossing at Sam's Gap but due to
getting off so early decided to keep going until dark, which found me in
Franklin, NC. I negotiated the Franklin Motel down to $40 using my new
AARP discount (I just turned 50) and settled in for the night.

Saturday I slept late (meaning 6:00 AM), had breakfast at a nearby cafe
(complete with biscuits with white gravy) and drove to Dicks Creek Gap
in Georgia. I was unpleasantly surprised to find the parking lot full.
Coosa obviously had gotten my note and pulled up at 9:00 instead of
noon. She got me parked in the grass well out of the way and off we
went. We flushed 2 deer on the drive to Amicalola, discussing strategies
along the way of dealing with her new mouse problems (See the "Earl has
to die" thread in the List archives).

We arrived at Amicalola Park, and stopped at the Visitors Center, where
I signed the register, checked out the famous scales, and warily
observed the rattlesnakes behind glass. We drove a backpacking couple up
to the upper falls and I treated Coosa to the buffet at the Lodge (how
often do you get to buy lunch for an Angel?). The waitress showed us
photos of a deer eating out of her hand in front of the lodge. We
checked out the falls and I set off up the Approach Trail.

The day was hot, in the 80's, but I was so excited I got to within a
half mile of the top before taking a break. At the top, I reverently put
my foot on the First Blaze (or the last for you Southbounders), read
both plaques, signed the register and peered out at the rather hazy
views trying to make out Mt Oglethorpe. 

I hiked on to Springer Mt Shelter, a neat half-timbered shelter with a
loft and window and even a piped spring. It was too early to stop so
dodging the Benton McKaye trail I coasted down to Stover Creek Shelter.
I spent the evening with three soldiers/airmen from Ft Benning on a 3
day pass, swapping dated Viet Nam war stories for a good look at MRE's
(By Crackee, in my day we ate C rations, cold, and we LIKED 'em!!).

Sunday morning it rained, the only rain of the trip. I walked through a
virgin hemlock grove near Three Forks. The trail was rather uneventful
and I passed by Justus Creek where I had planned to camp in favor of
Gooch Gap Shelter, even so having an easy 15 mile day. I did see 3 small
snakes that day and a rather fat lizard. And one tick.

Monday was more dramatic. In the morning I hiked over Preaching Rock and
visited the new Woods Hole Shelter, which has a privy with a window and
a picnic table under a pavilion. The spring was kind of feeble though,
and the shelter was quite a bit off the trail, but without too much
elevation loss. The trail up Blood Mountain from Slaughter Gap was well
graded. I had not realized that Blood Mountain was a laurel slick,
treeless on top but covered with a 10 foot high layer of impenetrable
laurel. The top had great views, a two room CCC-built stone cabin, neat
rocks to ascend, crowds of Memorial Day visitors, and a great descent
over bare rock. Looking back, Blood Mountain was the high point of the
trip.

I descended past Balance Rock to the Walasi-Yi Center at Neels Gap,
picking up my second of the 3 AT bronze plaques just north of the road.
I talked with the Hansens, resupplied, ogled the Ben-and-Jerrys, drank a
huge orange juice and decided to try for the spring at Buck Mountain a
mile up the trail for the night. Jeff warned me the springs were low and
that the Goose Creek Campground would shuttle me back to the trail the
next day if I wanted to stay there. But I wanted more miles. Boy, I got
them.

At the end of a 456-pace faint blueblaze past the top of the mountain
was nothing but a dusty hole in a bank - the ground wasn't even moist.
Shaking my water bottle sadly, I hiked on to the next water source shown
by the guidebook, 2 more miles north. Fortunately, Rock Spring Top was
flowing - but just barely. Water issued from a crack into a 2 inch deep
stone basin, and then dribbled out 6 feet to disappear back into rock.
Although teeming with tadpoles and needing to be scooped out a cupful at
a time, it was fine (i.e, wet). I set up my beautiful blue homemade
tent, made dinner, bear bagged, and conked. 19 miles for the day.

Tuesday, Day 4, started with the steep rock-stair climb out of Tesnatee
Gap. Does anyone know why this isn't graded? I imagine the temptation to
take the road in bad weather must be strong. When I got over to Hogpen
Gap, 2 large jugs of water were awaiting, with a trail magic note from
Coosa! I filled up, scratched my name from the note and imagined the
grateful looks of those behind me - it was indeed quite dry, and it was
very thoughtful of Coosa - a boost to a tired hiker's morale.

I took the new relocation down from Sheep Rock Top. Neither it nor the
old trail showed blazes so I figured I had the option. Blazes in Georgia
are crisp, but sparse. Up in Virginia they tend to be frequent but
occasionally sloppy. I figure this relo is the one that Gutsy worked on
- I have lots of admiration for those who volunteer to hack sidehill
trail out of a sea of Poison Ivy. Thanks, Guys!

I ate lunch at Low Gap shelter, reading an account of a bear raid a few
nights back. Yeah, right, probably a raccoon in the dark. I set off up
the old woods road towards Poplar Stamp Gap when I saw Mr. Bear himself,
about 80 yards up the trail. He was BIG, walking away from me, fuzzy,
and BIG. He didn't see me. Prudence won out and I started banging my
hiking stick against a rock. He looked all around, then back, and
finally saw me, and started loping up the trail. He came to a water bar
and dove down a 45 degree slope. GOOD bear. Did I mention he was big? -
NOT a raccoon. My fifth lifetime bear, and first outside of Shenandoah.

That night was spent in Blue Mountain Shelter. Like every shelter I had
slept in it was overrun with mice. They start scurrying as soon as it
gets dark. I was tired and hung my food bag from the front overhang of
the shelter, improvising a mouse-proof cord down from the end of a
rafter. At 1:00 am, I was awakened by a mouse dropping from the middle
of that rafter, which I was sleeping under. He fell onto the middle of
my sleeping bag. I jumped a foot, cussed out young mouse, and found him
in my flashlight beam. He was so cute and scrawny. I hurled a boot at
the hantavirus-infested brute, but missed. Darn.

Wednesday, Day 5. I had 17 miles to get to the next shelter, then end up
on day 6 with 3 miles left to the car. This was to be a strenuous day,
with three climbs. It started out with 1000 feet up Rocky Mountain from
Unicoi Gap and the last of the 3 bronze plaques. Then up past the fancy
stone spring at the Cheese Factory to Tray Mountain.

Now Coosa had warned me about a big rattlesnake that liked to sun
himself near the top of Tray. "He lives under a big rock at the side of
the trail. He will be in the grass where the trail gets narrow and
there's no way around him. Don't worry, just repeat three times 'Coosa
says begone' and he'll move", Fine. So here I am, going up the last 600
feet of Tray, looking at every rock bigger than a softball, panting:
Coosa - says - begone - pant, for a half mile. The snake probably was
ROTFLHAO, cause I never saw him. Coosa, please stop telling hikers that
one - it's mean!

The view from Tray was worth it, second best of the trip after Blood
Mountain. I met Tumbleweed on the way down, who I had last seen in New
York near the Lemon Squeezer last year. He's getting ready to hike Mt
McKinley in June.

The last major climb of the day was 1100' Kelly Knob. I stopped in at
the elaborate Deep Gap Shelter but decided I had enough light to go for
the car. The call of a bath and a non-Lipton meal was just too powerful
to resist. I raced against the failing daylight. On the last mile before
the parking lot I came upon three young ladies in shorts and halter tops
setting up camp. I halted dead in my tracks at the sight, and then did
what any red-blooded hiker five days out on the trail would have done at
that point. And they obliged! They told me, in detail and with
directions, about every restaurant in Hiawasee. I settled on Mexican,
reputed to have huge portions.

At the car, I dried off with a towel, changed, and drifted down past the
Blueberry Patch to Hiawasee. I ate (they WERE huge portions) and checked
into Mull's Motel. This time when I asked for the AARP discount I was
told "Honey. I already figured it in for you". I also was told I wasn't
as dirty as "some hikers we get". I took two baths anyway.

Thursday, 670 miles back home. I stopped at Rainbow Springs to check out
the hostel (hear it's for sale) and at Wesser to inquire about parking
for the next section.

79 miles hiked, 67 new trail miles. I'm now up to 1,315 miles.

- Gary from Fairfax, "Pass the Calamine, Dude"
Work here in Northern Virginia was let off early Friday at noon for the
Memorial Day weekend. I posted a quick note to Coosa (yes, our own AT-L lister
Trail Angel had volunteered to shuttle me), made fresh coffee, changed
clothes and started driving south. I had originally planned to stop and camp
near the Trail crossing at Sam's Gap but due to getting off so early decided
to keep going until dark, which found me in Franklin, NC. I negotiated the
Franklin Hotel to $40 using my new AARP discount (I just turned 50) and settled
in for the night.

Saturday I slept late (meaning 6:00), had breakfast at a nearby cafe (complete
with biscuits with white gravy) and drove to Dicks Creek Gap in Georgia. I
was not prepared to find the parking lot full! Coosa obviously had gotten
my note and pulled up at 9:00 instead of noon. She got me parked in the grass
well out of the way and off we went. We flushed 2 deer on the drive to
Amicalola, discussing strategies along the way of dealing with her new mouse
problems ("Earl has to die").

We arrived at Amicalola Park, and stopped at the Visitors Center, where I 
signed the register, checked out the famous scales, and warily observed the
rattlesnakes behind glass. We drove a backpacking couple up to the upper
falls and I treated Coosa to the buffet at the Lodge (how often do you get
to buy lunch for an Angel?). The waitress showed us photos of a deer eating
out of her hand in front of the lodge. We checked out the falls and I set off 
up the Approach Trail.

The day was hot, in the 80's, but I was so excited I got to within a half
mile of the top before taking a break. At the top, I reverently put my foot
on the First Blaze (or the last for you Southbounders), read both plaques,
signed the register and peered out at the rather hazy views trying to make
out Mt Oglethorpe. 

I hiked on to Springer Mt Shelter, a neat half-timbered shelter with a loft and
window and even a piped spring. It was too early to stop so dodging the
Benton McKaye trail I coasted down to Stover Creek Shelter. I spent the
evening with three soldiers/airmen from Ft Benning on a 3 day pass, swapping
dated Viet Nam war stories for a good look at MRE's (By Crackee, in my day
we ate C rations, cold, and we LIKED 'em!!).

Sunday morning it rained, the only rain of the trip. I walked through a virgin
hemlock grove near Three Forks. The trail was rather uneventful and I passed
by Justus Creek where I had planned to camp in favor of Gooch Gap Shelter,
even so having an easy 15 mile day. I did see 3 small snakes that day and a
rather fat lizard.

Monday was more dramatic. In the morning I hiked over Preaching Rock and
visited the new Woods Hole Shelter, which has a privy with a window and a
picnic table under a pavilion. The spring was kind of feeble though, and the
shelter was quite a bit off the trail, but without too much elevation loss.
The trail up Blood Mountain from Slaughter Gap was well graded. I had not
realized that Blood Mountain was a laurel slick, treeless on top but covered
with a 10 foot high layer of impenetrable laurel. The top had great views, 
a two room CCC-built stone cabin, neat rocks to ascend, crowds of Memorial
Day visitors, and a great descent over bare rock. Looking back, Blood Mountain
was the high point of the trip.

I descended past Balance Rock to the Walasi-Yi Center at Neels Gap, picking
up my second of the 3 AT bronze plaques just north of the road. I talked
with the Hansens, resupplied, ogled the Ben-and-Jerries, drank a huge orange
juice and decided to try for the spring at Buck Mountain a mile up the trail
for the night. Jeff warned me the springs were low and that the Goose Creek
Campground would shuttle me back to the trail the next day if I wanted to
stay there. But I wanted more miles. Boy, I got them.

At the end of a 456 pace faint blueblaze past the top of the mountain
was nothing but a dusty hole in a bank - the ground wasn't even moist. Shaking
my water bottle sadly, I hiked on to the next water source shown by the 
guidebook, 2 more miles north. Fortunately, Rock Spring Top was flowing - but
just barely. Water issued from a crack into a 2 inch deep stone basin, and
then dribbled out 6 feet to disappear back into rock. Although teeming with
tadpoles and needing to be scooped out a cupful at a time, it was fine (i.e,
wet). I set up my beautiful blue homemade tent, made dinner, bear bagged,
and conked. 19 miles for the day.

Tuesday, Day 4, started with the steep stair climb out of Tesnatee Gap. Does
anyone know why this isn't graded? I imagine the temptation to take the road 
in bad weather must be strong. When I got over to Hogpen Gap, 2 large
jugs of water were awaiting, with a trail magic note from Coosa! I filled up,
scratched my name from the note and imagined the grateful looks of those
behind me - it was indeed quite dry, and it was very thoughtful of Coosa - a 
boost to a tired hiker's morale.

I took the new relocation down from Sheep Rock Top. Neither it nor the old
trail showed blazes so I figured I had the option. Blazes in Georgia are
crisp, but sparse. Up in Virginia they tend to be frequent but occasionally
sloppy. I figure this relo is the one that Gutsy worked on - I have lots of
admiration for those who volunteer to hack sidehill trail out of a sea of
Poison Ivy. Thanks, Guys!

I ate lunch at Low Gap shelter, reading an account of a bear raid a few nights
back. Yeah, right, probably a raccoon in the dark. I set off up the old woods
road towards Poplar Stamp Gap when I saw Mr Bear himself, about 80 yards up
the trail. He was BIG, walking away from me, fuzzy, and BIG. He didn't see
me. Prudence won out and I started banging my hiking stick against a rock.
He looked all around, then back, and finally saw me, and started loping up
the trail. He came to a water bar and dove down a 45 degree slope. GOOD bear.
Did I mention he was big? - NOT a raccoon. My fifth lifetime bear, and first
outside of Shenandoah.

That night was spent in Blue Mountain Shelter. Like every shelter I had slept
in it was overrun with mice. They start scurrying as soon as it gets dark.
I was tired and hung my food bag from the front overhang of the shelter,
improvising a mouse-proof cord down from the end of a rafter. At 1:00 am, I
was awakened by a mouse dropping from the middle of that rafter, which I was
sleeping under. He fell onto the middle of my sleeping bag. I jumped a foot,
cussed out young mouse, and found him in my flashlight beam. He was so cute and
scrawny. I hurled a boot at the hantavirus-infested brute. I missed. Darn.

Wednesday, Day 5. I had 17 miles to get to the next shelter, then end up on 
day 6 with 3 miles left to the car. This was to be a strenuous day, with three
climbs. It started out with 1000 feet up Rocky Mountain from Unicoi Gap and
the last of the 3 bronze plaques. Then up past the fancy stone spring at the Cheese Factory to Tray Mountain.

Now Coosa had warned me about a big rattlesnake that liked to sun himself near 
the top of Tray. "He lives under a big rock at the side of the trail. He 
will be in the grass where the trail gets narrow and there's no way around
him. Don't worry, just repeat three times 'Coosa says begone' and he'll
move", Fine. So here I am, going up the last 600 feet of Tray, looking at
every rock bigger than a softball, panting: Coosa - says - begone - pant,
for 600 feet. The snake probably was ROTFLHAO, cause I never saw him. Coosa, 
please stop telling hikers that one - it's mean!

The view from Tray was worth it, second best of the trip after Blood Mountain.
I met Tumbleweed on the way down, who I had last seen in New York near the
Lemon Squeezer last year. He's getting ready to hike Mt McKinley in June.

The last major climb of the day was 1100' Kelly Knob. I stopped in at the
elaborate Deep Gap Shelter but decided I had enough light to go for the car.
The call of a bath and a non-Lipton meal was just too powerful to resist. I
raced against the failing daylight. On the last mile before the parking lot
I came upon three young ladies in shorts and halter tops setting up camp.
I halted dead in my tracks at the sight, and then did what any red-blooded
hiker five days out on the trail would have done at that point. And they
obliged! They told me, in detail and with directions, about every restaurant
in Hiawasee. I settled on Mexican, reputed to have huge portions.

At the car, I dried off with a towel, changed, and drifted down past the
Blueberry Patch to Hiawasee. I ate (they WERE huge) and checked into Mull's 
Motel. This time when I asked for the AARP discount I was told "Honey. I 
already figured it in for you". I also was told I wasn't as dirty as "some
hikers we get". I took two baths anyway.

Thursday, 670 miles back home. I stopped at Rainbow Springs to check out the
hostel (hear it's for sale) and at Wesser to inquire about parking for the
next section.

79 miles hiked, 67 new trail miles. I'm now up to 1,315 miles.

- Gary from Fairfax


Work here in Northern Virginia was let off early Friday at noon for the Memorial Day weekend. I posted a quick note to Coosa (yes, our own AT-L lister Trail Angel had volunteered to shuttle me), made fresh coffee, changed clothes and started driving south. I had originally planned to stop and camp near the Trail crossing at Sam's Gap but due to getting off so early decided to keep going until dark, which found me in Franklin, NC. I negotiated the Franklin Hotel to $40 using my new AARP discount (I just turned 50) and settled in for the night.

Saturday I slept late (meaning 6:00), had breakfast at a nearby cafe (complete with biscuits with white gravy) and drove to Dicks Creek Gap in Georgia. I was not prepared to find the parking lot full! Coosa obviously had gotten my note and pulled up at 9:00 instead of noon. She got me parked in the grass well out of the way and off we went. We flushed 2 deer on the drive to Amicalola, discussing strategies along the way of dealing with her new mouse problems ("Earl has to die").

We arrived at Amicalola Park, and stopped at the Visitors Center, where I signed the register, checked out the famous scales, and warily observed the rattlesnakes behind glass. We drove a backpacking couple up to the upper falls and I treated Coosa to the buffet at the Lodge (how often do you get to buy lunch for an Angel?). The waitress showed us photos of a deer eating out of her hand in front of the lodge. We checked out the falls and I set off up the Approach Trail.

The day was hot, in the 80's, but I was so excited I got to within a half mile of the top before taking a break. At the top, I reverently put my foot on the First Blaze (or the last for you Southbounders), read both plaques, signed the register and peered out at the rather hazy views trying to make out Mt Oglethorpe. 

I hiked on to Springer Mt Shelter, a neat half-timbered shelter with a loft and window and even a piped spring. It was too early to stop so dodging the Benton McKaye trail I coasted down to Stover Creek Shelter. I spent the evening with three soldiers/airmen from Ft Benning on a 3 day pass, swapping dated Viet Nam war stories for a good look at MRE's (By Crackee, in my day we ate C rations, cold, and we LIKED 'em!!).

Sunday morning it rained, the only rain of the trip. I walked through a virgin hemlock grove near Three Forks. The trail was rather uneventful and I passed by Justus Creek where I had planned to camp in favor of Gooch Gap Shelter, even so having an easy 15 mile day. I did see 3 small snakes that day and a rather fat lizard.

Monday was more dramatic. In the morning I hiked over Preaching Rock and visited the new Woods Hole Shelter, which has a privy with a window and a picnic table under a pavilion. The spring was kind of feeble though, and the shelter was quite a bit off the trail, but without too much elevation loss.  The trail up Blood Mountain from Slaughter Gap was well graded. I had not realized that Blood Mountain was a laurel slick, treeless on top but covered with a 10 foot high layer of impenetrable laurel. The top had great views, a two room CCC-built stone cabin, neat rocks to ascend, crowds of Memorial Day visitors, and a great descent over bare rock. Looking back, Blood Mountain was the high point of the trip.

I descended past Balance Rock to the Walasi-Yi Center at Neels Gap, picking up my second of the 3 AT bronze plaques just north of the road. I talked with the Hansens, resupplied, ogled the Ben-and-Jerries, drank a huge orange juice and decided to try for the spring at Buck Mountain a mile up the trail for the night. Jeff warned me the springs were low and that the Goose Creek Campground would shuttle me back to the trail the next day if I wanted to stay there. But I wanted more miles. Boy, I got them.

At the end of a 456 pace faint blueblaze past the top of the mountain was nothing but a dusty hole in a bank - the ground wasn't even moist. Shaking my water bottle sadly, I hiked on to the next water source shown by the guidebook, 2 more miles north. Fortunately, Rock Spring Top was flowing - but just barely. Water issued from a crack into a 2 inch deep stone basin, and then dribbled out 6 feet to disappear back into rock. Although teeming with tadpoles and needing to be scooped out a cupful at a time, it was fine (i.e, wet). I set up my beautiful blue homemade tent, made dinner, bear bagged, and conked. 19 miles for the day.

Tuesday, Day 4, started with the steep stair climb out of Tesnatee Gap. Does anyone know why this isn't graded? I imagine the temptation to take the road in bad weather must be strong. When I got over to Hogpen Gap, 2 large jugs of water were awaiting, with a trail magic note from Coosa! I filled up, scratched my name from the note and imagined the grateful looks of those behind me - it was indeed quite dry, and it was very thoughtful of Coosa - a boost to a tired hiker's morale.

I took the new relocation down from Sheep Rock Top. Neither it nor the old trail showed blazes so I figured I had the option. Blazes in Georgia are crisp, but sparse. Up in Virginia they tend to be frequent but occasionally sloppy. I figure this relo is the one that Gutsy worked on - I have lots of admiration for those who volunteer to hack sidehill trail out of a sea of Poison Ivy. Thanks, Guys!

I ate lunch at Low Gap shelter, reading an account of a bear raid a few nights back. Yeah, right, probably a raccoon in the dark. I set off up the old woods road towards Poplar Stamp Gap when I saw Mr Bear himself, about 80 yards up the trail. He was BIG, walking away from me, fuzzy, and BIG. He didn't see me. Prudence won out and I started banging my hiking stick against a rock.  He looked all around, then back, and finally saw me, and started loping up the trail. He came to a water bar and dove down a 45 degree slope. GOOD bear.  Did I mention he was big? - NOT a raccoon. My fifth lifetime bear, and first outside of Shenandoah.

That night was spent in Blue Mountain Shelter. Like every shelter I had slept in it was overrun with mice. They start scurrying as soon as it gets dark.  I was tired and hung my food bag from the front overhang of the shelter, improvising a mouse-proof cord down from the end of a rafter. At 1:00 am, I was awakened by a mouse dropping from the middle of that rafter, which I was sleeping under. He fell onto the middle of my sleeping bag. I jumped a foot, cussed out young mouse, and found him in my flashlight beam. He was so cute and scrawny. I hurled a boot at the hantavirus-infested brute. I missed. Darn.

Wednesday, Day 5. I had 17 miles to get to the next shelter, then end up on day 6 with 3 miles left to the car. This was to be a strenuous day, with three climbs. It started out with 1000 feet up Rocky Mountain from Unicoi Gap and the last of the 3 bronze plaques. Then up past the fancy stone spring at the Cheese Factory to Tray Mountain.

Now Coosa had warned me about a big rattlesnake that liked to sun himself near the top of Tray. "He lives under a big rock at the side of the trail. He will be in the grass where the trail gets narrow and there's no way around him. Don't worry, just repeat three times 'Coosa says begone' and he'll move", Fine. So here I am, going up the last 600 feet of Tray, looking at every rock bigger than a softball, panting: Coosa - says - begone - pant, for 600 feet. The snake probably was ROTFLHAO, cause I never saw him. Coosa, please stop telling hikers that one - it's mean!

The view from Tray was worth it, second best of the trip after Blood Mountain.  I met Tumbleweed on the way down, who I had last seen in New York near the Lemon Squeezer last year. He's getting ready to hike Mt McKinley in June.

The last major climb of the day was 1100' Kelly Knob. I stopped in at the elaborate Deep Gap Shelter but decided I had enough light to go for the car.  The call of a bath and a non-Lipton meal was just too powerful to resist. I raced against the failing daylight. On the last mile before the parking lot I came upon three young ladies in shorts and halter tops setting up camp.  I halted dead in my tracks at the sight, and then did what any red-blooded hiker five days out on the trail would have done at that point. And they obliged! They told me, in detail and with directions, about every restaurant in Hiawasee. I settled on Mexican, reputed to have huge portions.

At the car, I dried off with a towel, changed, and drifted down past the Blueberry Patch to Hiawasee. I ate (they WERE huge) and checked into Mull's Motel. This time when I asked for the AARP discount I was told "Honey. I already figured it in for you". I also was told I wasn't as dirty as "some hikers we get". I took two baths anyway.

Thursday, 670 miles back home. I stopped at Rainbow Springs to check out the hostel (hear it's for sale) and at Wesser to inquire about parking for the next section.

79 miles hiked, 67 new trail miles. I'm now up to 1,315 miles.

- Gary from Fairfax


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