AT Notes #2: Hiawassee, GA to Natahala Outdoor Center, NC

4-1
The four of us used Hiawassee's Holiday Inn express as base camp for two days. The hospitality there was borderline ridiculous as we were showered with cinnamon buns and juice--the equivalent to ambrosia. April was born after a gully-washer of a night. We actually hitched into Hiawassee with "Dick Tracy's" wife (Dick Tracy was the trail name for the GM retiree). His wife picked him up for a couple days of bathing, brats, and beer in the little- Germany town of Helen, GA.

In Hiawasse there was buffets, rest, tarp drying, and thorough washing. I also shaved the "beard-like" thing I started growing in January once I decided to hike (pictured above).

4-2
We hitched out from Hiawasee courtesy of a very nice Latino gentlemen. He actually took us to the wrong gap ( Rock Gap instead of Dick's Gap) but instead of correcting him we just walked south to complete the 16 mile section between the two roads confusing all the other thru-hikers we had met. We slackpacked (finding alternative transportation for your gear and just bringing the essentials as you would on a dayhike)--some call this freedom walking...some being me.

Had a heck of hitch back into Hiawasee, but Charley helped out throwing the extra thumb and smile and a retired army officer gave us a ride down. Like most hitching situations on the trail, despite the desparation someone always extends the favor. A lot times you meet old thru-hikers who actually go out of their way during thru-hiker season to reciprocate all the love, aka, trail magic they received while walking north or south.

The evening was punctuated by Gen Tso's Broccoli Chicken at a Chinese place that later got a reputation for food poisoning thru-hikers. I still think it was amazing.

4-3

Well the short 80+ miles of trail in GA was about to end, but not without Bly Gap. This climb extends well past heaven; the trailblazers here I think were going for the whole Babylonian approach. I had just picked up my first food drop and packed too much--which always made eating lots so productive: the theory being the more you ate the less you carry. It was a lot of up and had gained some epic quality to it as hikers of yore all warned us of imminent peril. I steadily swallowed ibuprofens to quell the pain in my right knee and foot--aptly referred to as Vitamin I.

4-4
A week on trail!
A glorious day to be alive. We did 19.3 miles today. The day ended with a near vertical and rocky ascent up Mt. Albert. It may be true that near exhaustion your perceptions are exaggerated, but this was ruggedly steep not matter what anyone says. And it's hard to call a rock face a "trail."

On top we had sunny views of southern NC totally unobstructed. There is a firetower atop Mt. Albert and I took this opportunity to see where I came from and where I was going--north that is. I got brilliant views of the valley to the East: small farms, mostly trees and hillsides. We are travelling to Franklin tomorrow for a BBQ lunch--essentially fuel for such a journey in such a place.

4-5
I'd intended to hitch back to the trail after lunch, but I accepted the town vortex and we got a hotel. I honestly needed the rest as my knee was only getting worse and now seriously slowing my pace. The night consisted of thermawraps on the knee, icy-hot, and pain meds. That morning I set out alone from Franklin as the other guys were not ready to leave town so early. The next trail stop would be the Nantahala Outdoor Center(NOC) and the comforts there. I planned to do the 27 mile section in two days, but changed plans along the way. When I stopped around five to set up camp at Cold Spring Shelter I was overwhelmed by the need to press on.

I was fatigued after a long slow pace due to my knee, but I just couldn't stop. I ended up pushing on for another six miles after a long 16. I was inspired along the way by the views I took in from Wesser Bald. Here again was another firetower with an open top platform for viewing the smokies far north and the mountains south. A little farther and I was able to quench my thirst from a sacred spring and find room at the shelter.

4-6
I literally could not move my knee after I stopped that evening. I was immensely satisfied with a day so long and so full of spirit. I hobbled down--I mean straight down--to the river valley where the NOC was busy with early morning noise. True to form I found a pint of Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate and sat down to catch up with friends. I found Provost who had hiked the entire 27 mile section the previous day and crashed on top of the tables at the hostel. We washed clothes and waited for Charley.

There is a famous book about thru-hiking the AT called Walking with spring. The beauty about the hike this far south is that you see spring in all of its stages as you go up and down, ascending to the mountains still brown and grey sparkled with few dabs of color, and descending into the river valleys and low lands that assault your senses with the sweetness of pollen and the possibilities of color. This for me was so special. I feel now that walking and being exposed to the elements awakens your senses and accordingly I had never experienced spring so vividly and viscerally. I treasure this and miss this connection sometimes in the more sheltered modern life.

We got hostel bunks that smelled of mildew and raided the hiker box--a glorious installation at most hiker hang-outs filled with stuff other hikers parted with in order to benefit someone behind them and lighten their packs. That night we met Southpaw and Beamis. These southbounders had started last summer in Maine and had hiked through the winter on a very meandering walk south. They were the best characters I met on the trail full of stories of being rescued in a blizzard and how you'd have to keep your beard clean lest the shelter mice scurry along your face all night.They were all about zero's (zero mile days and free accomodation). If you have the time I think in a lot of ways their odyssey approach would be a very full experience.
(Southpaw and Beamis displaying their patented hitch-hiking technique: confidence, sadness, and desperation in equal amounts with plenty of prayer)
4-7
Zero day. I spent the day not moving and decided to sleep in the hostel eating quarters on top the wooden tables--for free. The only catch is you have to stay up as long as all the bunkers stay up. So I was up all night with this crazy friggin' New Zealander dubbed "Kiwi"--imagine that. Well he liked drinking so I had to join in a little, but the day was all about healing so I took care to eat a lot and not move--literally. The next I planned on continuing north towards the approaching Smoky Mts.

(At Cheoah Bald after the long climb out of the Natahala river valley)