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[at-l] Journal Entries from 3/18-3/20

I just got back in town last night (after midnight), so I just
typed up the first set of journal entries here.  I got two
in the mail last week, so I'll be getting some more up in the
next day or so.  Also, for those with WWW access, some pictures
have been added from March 11-14th.

Hope you enjoy them!

- Andy

------------------------

Monday, March 18 - Day 8
11 mi to campsite past Dick's Creek Gap - 67.2 mi cum

A very long day.  I awoke to a breathtaking sunrise at Tray Mtn.
My tentsite was close to a rock outcropping that faced due east.
It was a drizzly morning, but the sun broke through just as it
crested the horizon and set the clouds on fire.  It only lasted a
few minutes before the sun ascended into the clouds, but I was
lucky enough to see all of it.

Today I started taking Ibuprofen every two hours while I was hiking
and it really seemed to help ease the pain in my knees and right
shin.  I don't intend to keep taking the pills at this rate, but 
maybe for a week or so until my body adjusts some more.

Not only did I hike 11 miles today, but I also did my first hitchike
too.  I needed to get to Blueberry Patch to get my maildrop package.
Within 10 minutes I had a ride for Micah and me in the back of a
pickup truck.

The Blueberry Patch is an organic farm in Hiawassee, GA.  Gary 
Poteat and his wife have a bunkhouse set up just for thru-hikers
and offer showers, laundry, and a famous blueberry pancake
breakfast for its guests.  Unfortunately, I couldn't stay there
since dogs aren't allowed, but they were nice enough to hold a 
maildrop package for me, refill my fuel bottle, and allow Micah
and me to hang out with some of the other hikers.  There were a
lot of familiar faces there - Stringer, Animal Cracker, Hops, and
Trip.  I also met Mala, who used to work for MountainSmith and he
promised me he'd take a look at my pack to make sure it's fitted
correctly.

Gary's son, Shane, was visiting from Knoxville, TN where he's a 
fireman.  He was nice enough to offer to shuttle me back to the
trail.  So, by about 3:30 I reached my little tentsite and set up
for another dry camp.  Micah and I are both beat, but it was a full
day and we got a lot done.

It's supposed to rain tonigh and all day tomorrow but I don't care
because by this time tomorrow, I should be in North Carolina!



Tuesday, March 19 - Day 9
6.2 mi to site past Blue Ridge Gap - 73.4 mi cum

Well, I'm not in North Carolina.  I'm about 2 miles shy of the state
line.  Today was a horrible day for me and hiking.  I had no energy,
my legs felt like lead, and I think my pack magically doubled in weight
overnight.

I had a hard time getting up this morning and though I was just being
lazy because of the fact it was raining.  I toyed with the idea of
taking the day off, but I really wanted to make the 38 miles to Wallace
Gap and Rainbow Springs Campground by Saturday.  Never Ready's wife is
meeting him there and he offered me a ride into Franklin for a real
dinner with them and Puget Pounder.

I didn't get started until 9 and I was hoping things would feel better
once I got going.  They didn't.  Even the slightest uphill was a 
struggle and I felt like everything was uphill.  I had hoped to make
it 10+ miles to Muskrat Creek Shelter today, but I soon knew there
was no hope of that.  I cut back my goal to 8.4 miles to Bly Gap, but
by the time I struggled through my first 5 miles today, I knew I had
to stop.  I found a tentsite with some nearby water and called it quits.

I really shouldn't be too surprised.  I've been going for 9 days 
straight without a day off and my legs are tired.  I made some tea, ate
some soup, and rested for a while.  I was hoping I'd have a little 
energy after that, but I'm sore now too.

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to celebrate my crossing my first state
line some time tomorrow.  I'm also facing a pretty steep climb up Sharp
Top tomorrow, so maybe it's good I rest up.

I met an older gentleman by the name of Briar today.  He spotted me
breaking camp this a.m. and stopped to see if I'd made it through the
night alright.  I later passed him on the trail and we chatted a
moment.  He told me his strategy for takling hills was to go 50 steps
and take a rest.  A short while later when I was really feeling 
drained on a long climb, I caught myself counting my steps.  :^)

I'm hoping to take a day off this weekend.  I heard Rainbow Springs
has some cabins and it'd really make my week to be able to get one for
a night.  A hot shower, a dry place to sleep, and a bed sound like
heaven to me right now.


Wednesday, March 20 - Day 10
11.4 mi to Standing Indian Mtn - 84.8 mi cum.

A much better day.  I slept in and finally rolled out of camp around
8:15.  I could feel the difference in my legs right away.

The fog and mist persisted until about 11am when I hit Muskrat Creek
Shelter.  Finally the sun broke through and Micah and I soaked up some
rays and dried out a little.  I met Wahoo and Cowboy there.  Cowboy's
from Chapel Hill and works at PyeWacket part-time as a bartender.  His
full time job is teaching mentally disabled adults.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, Spaz, Stumble, and one other
girl showed up.  Meant 2 Be was also there writing in his journal as
always.  Pedlar and Pacman are now 2 days ahead of me.

Soon after leaving the shelter I came upon Mala.  He was resting on the
side of the trail and offered to fit my pack.  He spent about a half an
hour with me and make some major adjustments.  It does feel a lot better.

Mala's an interesting character.  He's 5'6" with a salt and pepper big
bushy beard and he weeards a brown suede hat to cover his bald head.  
He's 48, is studying creative writing at Eastern Tennessee, and this 
is ths sixth year he's spent extended amounts of time on the trail.  He
thru-hiked once and now goes back out to just enjoy himself.

We're camped on a grassy knoll on the very top of Standing Indian Mtn
in the state of North Carolina.  Puget Pounder, Never Ready, Mala, and
an overnight hiker named Bill are here.  We're at 5400'+ of elevation
and the view is outstanding.  We had a great sunset, to my left right
now I can see the Hale-Bopp comet, to my right I've got a bright 3/4
moon, and Bill has started a campfire for us all after much work on
his part.

Crossing the state line today was a pretty good feeling.  The old twisted
oak at Bly Gap was a very welcome sight.  I'd seen it so often in 
pictures, but it wa a stunning presence in person.

I heard a male grouse drumming his wings as I was coming down Sharp Top.
It's like the sound of distant tom-toms beaten slowly at first and then
in an ever-increasing rhythm until it's like a drum roll.  He was
definitely trying to attract some female attention.

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