Crossing Some Mountains

Every shelter has a composition notebook in a pneumatic tube for you to write a little blurb. I love this concept but I never come up with anything good to put in there. I definitely thought I would think more on this trail. All the blog ideas I had before I started? Out the window. I don’t have the energy to content-create. Maybe I should switch to a pen and paper journal instead of the Notes app to get the juices flowing. If nothing else I’ll at least seem more erudite. Deesha the Philosopher.

Saturday 4/1

I was so sad I didn’t realize it was April Fools Day. I didn’t have time to come up with any pranks besides “I broke my ankle”, which would have just been mean.

I did 11 miles today, which felt pretty good actually. I was worried about Blood Mountain, which is the highest point on the AT in Georgia, but the downhill was tougher than the uphill.

I ended up stayed at Mountain Crossings in Neel Gap. I was originally planning on camping but apparently it gets super windy. The frozen pizza was 10 dollars… definitely the most expensive but also the best frozen pizza I’ve ever eaten.

Sunday 4/2

This morning was so, so cold. I was hiking in my shorts and kept needing to stop because moving took so much effort. I felt like I was in a rut. Weirdly, the thought running through my head was “mamma didn’t raise no quitter” but she totally did. She would love it if I quit. The sooner the better.

Luckily, it warmed up by the afternoon. We played cards at the shelter – finally! I needed my game fix.

Monday 4/3

Today was the worst day so far. I hiked 13 miles after doing two 11 mile days. I shouldn’t have pushed myself like that, especially not to keep up with the group, who ended up pushing 2 extra miles to the next shelter. So I camped alone (not unsafe alone, just like I didn’t really speak to the other 3 people there). It was miserable.

When I told other people this, they were like “yeah but you’re probably going to end up alone a lot when the crowd thins out”. And that’s true, but it’s only been a week and I’m not yet comfortable without a group. Like I thought I heard wolves and I tossed and turned all night because I was afraid the imaginary wolves would come eat me.

I hope that after some time I won’t feel alone whenever I’m physically alone. But for right now, I need to find a group going my speed.

Tuesday 4/4

I found a group going my speed! I hung out with them at Deep Gap shelter and they’re nice and inclusive. And fun. We’re zero-ing in Hiawassee and then I’ll start hiking with them! I’m excited about this.

Wednesday 4/5

I stayed at Around the Bend Hostel and it was lovely. There was wifi, Klondike bars, and foot massagers. Someone there shook down my pack and I sent 2 lbs of stuff home, some of which I might regret. Soap? Apparently I don’t need that. Or bug spray. Or a stuff sack for my clothes. He asked me how attached I am to my deck of cards. Um. Very. I might go through withdrawal if I had to get rid of those.

Next stop, North Carolina! See you next week.