Day 7 - Blue Mountain Shelter to Deep Gap

Lots of catching up to do. We have been hiking what's known as the “Pennsylvania section of Georgia.” Very rocky. Each step had to be taken with care. Also, at the Blue Mountain Shelter, when one man was asked if he was a thru-hiker, he replied, “Well, I’m through hiking for the day.” Thought it was a good line.

As for the trail itself, usually it’s only wide enough for one person to pass comfortably. It’s been rocky and very muddy/slippery in parts, with roots making the walk dangerous at times. Also, I don’t think this would be a good experience for someone who’s afraid of heights. There have been lots of places where one wrong step would have had disastrous consequences. 

As for the wildlife, we’ve seen a couple of hawks, heard a wild turkey, a woodpecker and an owl…that’s about it. No squirrels in sight. I wonder why. I guess the other night a couple of people staying at the Low Gap Shelter had a close encounter with a bear. It keep poking its nose underneath Dan’s tent door, even though he had no food or toothpaste inside. I guess it stayed around for 5 or 10 minutes before wandering off. Glad I wasn’t there that night!

At the Blue Mountain Shelter, everyone was hanging out inside their sleeping bags in the shelter. Kind of like a big slumber party. Also, the rain dripping from the trees sounded like popcorn popping during the night.

Do you know how hard it is to put on wet (not damp) extremely smelly clothes from head to toe? It’s pretty damn hard. The only way to warm up is to start walking. I’ve been a bit stiff in the morning, but no real blisters or complaints. Not sure if I’ve lost any weight. Probably a little, but I have been eating high-fat foods (Lipton noodles, peanut butter, Snickers bars).

Today was by far my hardest day on the trail physically (and mentally). It was humid, which is not my ideal weather. The day started with a big up (Rocky Mountain), then another big up (Tray Mountain). Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, we got to Kelly Knob. Wow. It went up forever. The sun had just started beating down, and I still had my rainpants and a black silk top on. Let’s just say I felt close to hyperventilating. 

But then it was downhill to the shelter. We had quite a crowd there – Charlie, Murph, Matt and Nate, Dan, and others. Steve (Pacman), who we met earlier in the day, came, too. From Pennsylvania, he got his name because when he started the trail his pack weighed 91 pounds. We hung out at night, went to bed around 9:30. I fell asleep OK but woke up and had trouble getting back to sleep. Can’t seem to get my temperature quite right. It’s been too hot in my zero degree down bag.

P.S. - There was a man named the Bavarian Marmot who told us that all he eats is a handful of nuts and piece of fruit a day – even when he’s hiking. Anything else is poison to the body, he said. Also, he hibernates for two to three weeks during the winter, doing nothing but sleeping, drinking water, and getting up to pee. Huh.