[at-l] Stop Smoking Hike 2001/another Trip Report

[RussDade@aol.com (RussDade@aol.com)]

Quit Smokingtrip highlights

Saturday, September 1st
Arrived at the Springer lot on 42 at about 12:30. I had planned to eat lunch & relax on top of Springer, but due to rain & strong winds, wife & I ate in the car. I heard someone yell “Pittsburgh”, so we went over & introduced ourselves. Got my pack on & adjusted , posed for a couple of pictures and headed to the summit of Springer (Russ, Steve & Pittsburgh). Others had already braved the wind & rain to go up to Springer & back, they went down the trail towards Hickory Flatts. As we trudged up the trail to Springer, we saw many people coming down from the top (we weren’t the only crazy people on the trail). When we reached the top, I took a few wet pictures of people, fog & rain, signed the register, then readjusted my pack for the umpteenth time & headed back down the mountain. Pittsburgh was rolling a wheel down the trail to measure distances between side trails, shelters, & water, so we stopped in at the Springer shelter on the way down & took pictures of all the wet people huddled in the
 shelter to get out of the rain.
As we made our way down the trail, I decided to take off my rain  gear.  Since I got wet from sweat wearing it anyway, I may as well get wet from clean water… As I got used to walking in the rain, I realized it wasn't so bad. We walked through some nice rhododendron thickets, as we made our way slowly towards Hickory Flatts, stopping at the Stover Creek shelter for lunch.  It was a nice down hill walk as far as Long Creek Falls, where we took a break to get water & relax (The falls were great, surging with rainwater runoff). After resting we began the uphill hike to Hickory Flatts. When we arrived there at 7PM, there was a nice camp fire burning & friendly faces waiting.  I dropped all my gear in the Pavillion, got out my food bags & started dinner, as I sipped on a glass of Merlot (to chase my 3 Advil & a Zantac).  Our group was at the Shelter, plus a few others. 2 brothers hiking together, a retired Army woman & her son, plus Rebecca & her dad. Rebecca was a very friendly young girl, she shared some 
of their supplies with us (at least what was left after Clyde got done). I relaxed & poured Merlot for all takers, took a few pictures, relaxed in conversation & went to bed at 9PM in the pavillion.  The night started warm, but turned cold after midnight. Most everyone was cold & tossed & turned during the night (plus there were a few snorers in the house to keep the others from getting a good nights sleep... I found I was one of them...). 

Quote for the night: “Dad, your squashing me!” 
Miles for the day:  7.0
People in our party:   Clyde, Steve, Russ, Linda & Jan, Jan, Pittsburgh, David.
Weather for the day: Rain & wind, cool temps..
Pack weight at the start: 45 pounds (too much)
My location on the trail (40 minutes behind Jan)

Sunday, September 2nd
 
I woke up every ½ hour all night or so it seemed Partially from sleeping on concrete, that got cold, and part getting used to my Thermarest (too much air in it). Finally after choruses of Coyotes, owls, whipper wills & snores, the group emerged from their bags & started preparing for the day.  Coffee was my first task, but others sipped water & remarked how their cups seemed to taste like Merlot… I had my breakfast bars, took a few pictures of the pavillion in daylight, then Tuckerized a few pounds from my pack. I’m finally awake & my pack is now about 38 pounds. It’s not raining this morning, but there is a mist is over the mountains.
We started hiking for the day, with Sassafras Mountain on our minds.  I didn’t really notice the first couple of Mountains I crossed, because my pack was comfortable & I felt good. David & I stopped for a break at Cooper Gap after crossing Sassafras Mt, and much to our delight found a few jugs of hiker water there (trail magic, I was almost out of water). As we rested, people started arriving there after jogging over the last mountain. They said that Pittsburgh was having some difficulties & they were picking him up to take him to Gooch Gap. David was pretty Overheated & tuckered out too, and with 4+ miles left to hike, he waited for Pittsburgh. We had been filled with stories on how bad Sassafras Mt. was, but I felt so good, that when I had finally gotten there it was not as bad as I expected.  I also continued over Justis Mt feeling good, I stopped at an overlook & took a break, a few pictures (of me in the fog & mist, but no view) & called my wife to make sure she had gotten home OK after dropping m
e off at the Springer lot the day before (send all cell phone flames to someone who cares... not me  :-) ). As I stood at the overlook a sprinkle started & I loaded up my pack & was on my way, water was available only ½ mile ahead (or so I thought) at the creek. As it turned out, I was wrong. Water was about a mile or more away, with another up to do first. At this point, I was out of water, and starting to feel the 7 miles I had already hiked. My legs were wearing out fast & I had water on my mind (To help things out, it really started to pour). After a long session in Trudge mode (1 foot in front of the other), I finally arrived at Justis Creek for water. I filtered 2 bottles of water & Drank as much as UI could. I was soaked to the bone & dog tired, I knew I had 2+ miles to go yet, but I knew they were mostly down hill or level (so I had been told). After a short break I slowly put on my pack & started towards Gooch Gap… 5 minutes down the trail I realized I had forgotten my hiking stick & went back
 to get it by the creek (sigh…). I was now really wiped out, but finally on my way to Gooch gap. As I got  walked down the trail, it started up hill. I figured it was just a small rise & thought nothing of it, until I turned a corner & there was another one… It was wet, and there was no breeze here, because the trail was in a sort of tunnel of green. My body was screaming for me to stop & cool off, but I trudged forward.  Finally I came to big log along the trail and I collapsed on it. I had bonked, hit the wall, I was wiped out… I knew I couldn’t take another step without some help. The help came in the form of GORP, water & 2 hikers that were as tired & disenchanted as I was (which is a good thing, since they were the ones that told me this section was level or down hill…). I ate, drank & started up the trail, the hikers were like a magnet, drawing me up the trail, keeping me moving. I followed them up hill and then passed them on the down hill after that (too tired to slow do
wn). As we got to level ground we were all together, loking for signs of the Gooch Gap shelter. Finally we saw the shelter sign, pointing to a side trail up a Steep, steep hill. I almost collapsed after looking at the hill, but instead just bent over & groaned. After 10 miles, to be defeated by an uphill path to the shelter was too much to believe. The other hikers made a few choice remarks about what kind of an A H would put a shelter up such a steep path. We all started slowly up the stairs in the path, on our way to the shelter, the thought going through my mind was, “I have to get there first, or I may not get a spot”.  My long legs came in handy, I was able to climb the path faster & as I approached the shelter heard someone call my name & I knew I was finally done for the day. I collapsed into the shelter, Jan rolled out my Thermarest, and David handed me a cup of Hot chocolate. I was finally able to change into dry clothes, sit, relax, and think about my day. I had never hiked 10.5 miles b
efore, let alone with a 38 pound pack (and in the rain), so I really felt good about what I had accomplished that day. I was amazed how helpful people were when I reached the shelter, I really must have looked as bad as I felt. The biggest surprise was when Hummingbird & Dutchtreat suddenly appeared with a little charcoal grill and hamburgers… I was in Heaven… I ate, unpacked, wrote in the Ledger, & waited to see if the mice & bears would appear that night. I slept better this night, but kept waking up to snoring & an elbow in my ribs when I was the snorer.. After dark a big dark shape entered the shelter heading for our food, but it turned out it was the brother of the hiker sleeping next to me (he was running late & his brother was worried about him, so it was good to see him (especially when I figured out it was a hiker & not a bear).  I didn’t sleep all through the night (too many elbows in the ribs from one side & snores from the other side), but I was rested by morning. No bears ate u
s, no mice chewed on us.

Quote for the day: “From here to the shelter is easy, mostly level & down hill…” 
Miles for the day 10.5
People who hiked the whole 10.5 miles: Clyde, Jan, Steve, Russ
Weather for the day: Rain, cool temps..
Pack weight at the start: 38 pounds

Monday, September 3rd

Woke up at around 7:30, signed the register (no bears or mice), made coffee & ate cereal bars while I packed up my stuff (I later found out I forgot my pack cover, but Dutch Treat  saw it and he brought it to me later).  I walked to the tenting area where we found out we could slack pack today, so I loaded my fanny pack with what I needed & put my pack in the truck. My fanny pack uses the packs hip belt, so it felt pretty good (this was to change & cause problems later), I was happy to only carry 8 pounds for 9.5 miles. The drizzle started as we left camp, up a gradual slope then over 2 short steep slopes before we tackled Big Creek mountain. At woody gap, we stopped  & I ate a cliff bar for lunch (my last one ever, I really hate those things!!!), before we continued on. Big Creek Mountain was very steep with lots of switch backs & lookouts, but not too bad since we weren’t carrying full packs. There were no views, but the mist boiling over the lookout areas was very cool (literally). I love standing o
n the big rock overlooks looking out into the fog, with the wind blowing in my face! I took a few fog pictures, then a group fog shot at the top, it was a fun day of hiking. I like foggy weather, where you see people appear & disappear in the fog.  We hiked down to Jarard Gap, David & I following behind Clyde & Jan (Clyde has had a knee problem since a fall yesterday).  David & I got to Jarrard gap, walked down the steep road to the left & saw the van & Pittsburgh waiting for us. YEEEEHAW!!! Then we found out that we were going to Goose creek cabins for the night (Clyde needed to rest his knee), so no more hiking for the day!! And on the ride to Goose Creek, someone handed me an Amstel Light… I’m in Heaven again… We arrived at Goose Creek lodge, where I scarfed up a Honey ham stick. Then we unpacked the van into a cabin, where my back started to ache. Clyde threw on more hamburgers, Linda & Jan took Pittsburgh back to his van, and we all took turns showering & gathering up dirty clothes to 
clean. After eating 2 Hamburgers, I wrote in my Journal & then gimped down to the Lodge to relax. My back was really starting to act up now, spasms on the right side (not a good sign, this is a known problem area in my back). I took 3 Advil, a muscle relaxer & a Zantac.  As we were relaxing at the lodge, Pittsburgh arrived in his van with 2 pizzas, which we promptly finished off. Tally for the night: 1 ham stick, 2 hamburgers & four slices of pizza with 2 sodas. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  We sat around the Cabin & discussed the next days schedule, but I was doubtful I would be hiking. The worst part, was that Blood mountain was the part of the trip I wanted to do most… My wife (Shari)is meeting me at Neels Gap with more supplies tomorrow, but I may be going home instead. My back needs a doctor & Chiropractor to get it back in shape. I went to bed at 8:30, tosssing & turning a bit, but finally dropping off to sleep. I woke in the middle of the night & limped over to my pack for 3 more Advil, a muscle 
relaxer & a Zantac (Clyde commented the next morning, “Russ really must be hurt, he was even limping when he thought nobody was looking..”). 

Tuesday (Ache day)
I woke in the morning, a bit better, but still sore. As we sat around the cabin drinking coffee, Pittsburgh said, “Well how about a town breakfast?”. I never saw so many people pack their stuff and jump into a van so fast!  Then we drove down to a local Breakfast place in Blairesville and lounged around eating biscuits & sausage Gravy with sausage patties (at least one of us ate this....) & drinking more coffee...After this an & David headed onto the trail & I went to Neels Gap to meet my wife & head home. 
At least I got to spend my anniversary with my wife. But I was very disapointed, since I felt good, but tired after hiking the 3rd day, the back spasm came after I was done for the day.

It wasn't until the next Saturday, that I could walk standing almost erect. Today, Sunday, I still have a weak back, pain and a limp, but no black toes, no puling & no diahrea (Clyde, I hear that those are the symptoms of beef & sausage poisoning...). I've been to the Doctor & Chiropractor, I lived on muscle relaxers & Advil for 3 days, & wore an electric stimulator unit all week (sounds kinky). I sometimes wonder, is hiking worth the price that we have to pay sometimes? 
...Yep, it is.... 
Even hiking in the rain is worth it... Even 3 days in the rain...

Insights from this trip
1) I carry too much weight, I should cary 25-30 pounds max (I already know where to cut 5-10 pounds, thanks to Hummingbird, Dutch Treat & Jan).
2) I really don't mind hiking in the rain
3) I really should hike more often
4) 10.5 miles is too much for the 2nd day (if I do # 3 it will be OK)
5) Cliff bars really suck
6) Never carry a fanny pack with a bad lower back
7) I have to hike faster to get some of Davids Gourmet dinner food.
8) Merlot is heavy, but tasty
9) Sausage gravy & Biscuits works better than Ex Lax...
10) My wife is very supportive of my backpacking, spending many hours on the road to drop me off & bring in new supplies... Pretty cool...

Enough for now... Back to my electric shock therapy...

Russ