I laughed when I saw the sign: shelter 1.2 miles (OFF TRAIL). One can only laugh when they realize their plan has been thwarted. I was NOT about to hike a total of 2.4 miles out of my way. I looked at my guidebook. Sure enough, it was listed as being off trail. Lesson learned: check the guidebook. Always. Might as well make some progress and go on to the next shelter, 4 miles away. At least it was still light, though a bit rainy.
That shelter was overflowing with people; I counted 35 tents and hammocks shoved together along a creek. Perhaps we weren't the only ones to make that mistake. I fell asleep to the melody of tumbling water.
The first drops of rain fell as I reached the shelter. It had been a short day. There were many people huddled around the table eating lunch. We must have smelled really bad because once there was a break in the rain, everyone headed out, leaving the place to Diane and I. New people filtered in and out, wanting to keep pushing on. As the evening approached, those who arrived stayed, and I delighted in talking with Australians and a girl from the Netherlands.
As the sun set, it was brought to my attention that it was pi day. Deciding to not let this holiday go by uncelebrated, I decided we should make a pie. So we did. With our combined ingredients, the girl from the Netherlands and I smoothed together an oatmeal crust, steamed some dried fruit with chia seeds, and sprinkled on some granola topping. It was quite delicious.
I cruised down the hill into Indian Grave Gap where my college had given trail magic a few years ago. Trail magic is an act of kindness toward hikers, usually in the form of food, given by generous groups and individuals. Now, the gap was empty, so we began our ascent of Trey Mountain.
Diane and I booked it up the foot of the mountain, eager to find a note we had left for ourselves in the hollow of a tree. "It shouldn't be much farther than pretty close," I told her, recognizing the area. I spotted the tree to the right of the tree and eagerly approached. Laying on the ground was our note! A rodent had recently chewed through the middle, but much of it was legible. "Are you tired? Hungry? Sore?," wrote my past self, "Well get over it!" Words of wisdom.
Near the summit, with trail magic still on my mind, I was delightfully surprised when I saw the gleam of a car and the smell of hotdogs. Our first trail magic! I helped myself to chips and fruit, thanks to a couple elderly men from Hiawassee. Many miles of hills awaited us so we forced ourselves to move on. In a junk food coma, I soon discovered that the hardest hill is the last one of the day.
I was introduced to Pain today. I was wondering when we would meet. I ran into him as I trudged past mile 11, and he insisted on hiking with me for 2 miles til we got to the campground. He took residence in my feet and knees. I had met his cousins Ache and Stiff earlier, but they had much more bearable personalities. Pain was heavy, a strong presence. I hope he leaves.
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