It's the 27th, a Saturday, and I'm planning on doing a short day. Seven miles ish from Siler Bald to Wayah Bald.
I am so very glad to have made it to Wayah today. There was a lovely woman ag the top of a surprisingly hard climb giving out trail magic from the back of her car.
She gave me two bottles of water, some rice crispy cake and SIX bananas!
The rest of the day after that was devoted to debating whether to have an easy seven mile day or a medium twelve mile day.
Dear diary, on the twenty fifth of April I walked a little. Skypilot had developed a pain in her back shoulder area and so she and Mushroom got off trail. I managed to catch a ride with them and so I entered Franklin with them. I resupplied and so my pack is rather heavy again, and met up with a few people for dinner.
On the twenty sixth day, today, your loving writer was dropped back off where he was collected yesterday. Then came Mount Albert. It wasn't the highest climb but it was the steepest (at parts). It was most fun. I'm feeling young fit and healthy and so will be silly and push on for a long day.
I was silly in pushing on. But it meant catching up with some friends which is always good.
It's too sunny!
I've had a great time hiking, including some seriously steep tall climbs to start the day with. But it's so sunny. It's maybe 20 degrees.
Yesterday I hiked through the heat, but today I'm planning to hide from the sun during noon.
I made it up Standing Indian from the shelter. The views were phenomenal. The rest of the day was nice but far too hot. There were a few steams to ford or skip over rocks with but nothing major.
On Saturday, the 20th of April, we slack packed with TOG. The Top If Georgia hostel dropped us off at Unicoi gap with only water and snacks before abandoning us to hike the 17 miles back home.
Eight of us started. I ended up hiking slowly in the rear with Soul Mum. We had great fun on our ten hour stroll back to the hostel. Though we are definitely incredibly grateful to Thistle for buying us dinner before the shop closed as we were set to arrive in the depths of night. At around quarter past seven, about an hour before sunset.
The snow was very pretty, but we didn't really get to see any great views due to the never ending fog or mist or clouds we were walking through.
On Sunday, Easter Sunday, I took my first zero.
And visited a highly recommended doctor due to a minor problem in my left ankle.
There's a thing called a birsa underneath the tendon that is supposed to be soft and loose and squishy. Apparently my tendon was tight and rubbed against it which annoyed it and made it swell. Which increased the rubbing and so the swelling increased and so on... You see where this is going.
Now I have to ice it (dunk it in a stream) twice a day for ten minutes, and have a couple extra stretches to do. But I get to keep on hiking! Though the doctor mandated ten miles a day maxium until the pain goes away.
The doctor at Serendipity Clinic was very thorough and examined my legs and all the rest of my that might have any problem - she head my cough and made sure my heart and lungs were okay - and then charges about 60 dollars, which she charges everyone. It took over an hour for her to finish with me. She's highly recommended.
So today, Monday, I have a shorter hike planned but I still get to hike which is the main thing.
I need to resupply so we hiked two miles to meet a shuttle in to a hostel.
We're staying at the Top Of Georgia, where there's plentiful room and warmth. Which is very good as another storm appeared last night. We managed to set up camp in the dry, but over night the heavens opened. Thunder, lightning, and strong winds!
Than goodness we're staying at a shelter now so where things can get warm and dry. I got through the night without major issue, but some worry. My hammock got a little damp somehow along with my quilt, but they're drying now.
