[at-l] Labor Day Weekend Hiking Trip report

[mtnstream73 at eufaula.rr.com (Bett Middleton)]

My hubby and I returned yesterday afternoon from our trip to N. Ga. where we enjoyed greatly staying in the private bedroom at the HikerHostel. We were taken care of very well by Josh and Leigh Saint (Profile and Almanac '00) and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast that they prepared for us each morning.  They did not have any other guests this weekend, and I was sort of hoping they would, as I love meeting other hikers and getting to talk with them.  

 

Friday ended up being only a pack and travel day, since I had to work on Thurs. but we got up Sat. morning and soon headed out.  My first priority was to show my hubby some of the wonderful places I had found while backpacking without him.  He's heard lots of talk so I wanted him to actually see them.  We drove up to Woody Gap and then on down to Suches for a look-see.  Then, to  FS 42,  where I planned to stop for a walk into Justus Creek.  Well, with all the summer vegetation, I realized that I had missed the area to park for Justus Creek when we arrived at Cooper Gap.  So, we drove on to the 3 Forks area. While making our way down FS 58, and checking out possible car camping spots for later trips, I noticed another FS road going up at an angle.  I figured this road probably went to Hickory Flats Cemetery, and then I saw a sign that confirmed it.  We drove up this road 2 miles, found a few more car camping sites, and located the cemetery.  A family was camping out there. They had their tents pitched under the pavilion and a campfire going with wood they had hauled in on their truck. After speaking to the family, Mike and I looked around the cemetery and then went over and got on the merry-go-round or flyin-ginny.  It looks like a see-saw but goes around instead of up and down.  We pushed every time one of us went over the low area and got the thing really moving, until I almost got dizzy from the speed.  We coasted then for a very long time until we almost stopped.  We (gray-headed old couple) laughed and played for a while like a couple of little kids.  

 

Then, we drove back to 58 and on down to 3 Forks.  We looked around at the creek and camp spots again (and I managed to poke a broke pine tree limb in my shoulder-ouch) and then we hiked up to Long Creek Falls.  Mike thought it was very pretty and we stayed there a while and just enjoyed the sound of the falls and creek.  Hiked back down to the car, and found someone's lost keys, and decided to stick them in the passenger side of the car that they belonged to.  We hope they found them without any problems, but we didn't know where else to leave them.  We took a break there, eating leftover pizza from the night before and brownies that I had baked  After our break, we drove on up 42 to Springer parking lot, and hiked to the top.  There we looked at the view, and the register, and talked to some hikers.  We checked out the shelter, the spring, and the fairly new composting privy.  Then, we hiked back down, drove back to the HH, showered and went to Blairsville to eat at Rib Country, where we were meeting Coosa.  We enjoyed our meal there and talking with her.  We went back to the hostel, and collapsed into bed.  We'd had a long day.

 

Sunday, we went up to Woody Gap, and hiked up Big Cedar Mountain, and passed it to the blue blaze (1.5 miles in) and checked out the campsite there where you can see the sun rise if you camp there over night. We took a little sit down, lay down, eat break there and then  I managed to locate the spring that's nearby, and felt that my reconizance for my Oct. trip was a success. We hiked back down the mountain meeting many people going up, some with no idea of what lay ahead of them. One person even asked me if this was a long trail?  I said yes.  It goes all the way to Maine.  Big Cedar Mountain was tough to climb since I had done no hiking and little walking this summer.  I will use it to motivate me to get in lots better shape before Oct.  That's when I'm planning to do this section of the AT. Then, we drove over to Helton Creek Falls and walked into it.  It's a beautiful waterfall and not a bad walk.  Anyone who goes over to Neal's Gap really should check it out if they like waterfalls.  It's so close and such a short walk in.  We took more pictures and then went up to Mtn. Crossings to say hello and drool over the gear.  Then, we decided we were too tired to head over to Hiawassee and Unicoi, so we stopped at Turner's Corner Cafe for supper.  

 

Tired and fed, we arrived back at the hostel just in time to say hello to Pittsburg and Barb. Then they all left. We enjoyed wonderful hot showers, and a relaxing night. We each read in our books, enjoyed coffee on the back porch and watching a little TV. We slept well, and after breakfast Monday morning, we decided to head on home to try to beat the rainy weather approaching with Frances. We did stop by Ellijay to buy Fried Apple pies.  

 

We had wonderful hiking weather, and really enjoyed our time away. Hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend also, except for the Floridians whom we thought about.

Swallowtail