Day: 34

 

Yesterday’s Goals:

 

Get to Dalton, get new shoes, and resupply before returning to the trail.

Last Nights Sunset

Activities of The Day:

 

Sleep was great last night, except I was sweating most of the night. I finally decided to sleep in my summer bag with my winter bag over me. That solved my sweating problem and allowed me to sleep. Then the alarm went off. I was tired when I woke. I got up this morning around seven and, with a light pack, started walking/limping around eight.

I had two miles to the highway to take you into Dalton. About a mile in, I saw a fantastic site.

Flag Near Union Soldier Gravesite

I asked myself, who would put a flag out here in the middle of nowhere? It turned out that it was a grave site for a Union Soldier. I could not read the tombstone, so I didn’t take a photo.

Shortly after that, I was on the highway to Dalton. I tried to hitch, but no one picked me up. I ended up walking the entire five miles into Dalton. On my way there, I came across a Civil War Site.

Battle of the Gap Civil War

Dug Gap Civil War

From there, it was a short walk into Dalton. I got into Dalton around ten.

Dalton Arrival Picture

Once in town, I started to eat! Macdees was the first restaurant that I went to. Since it was before 10:30, I had to wait for the lunch menu. That didn’t bother me. I charged my gadgets and watched TikTok. I got a Big Mac, fries, two cheeseburgers, an Oreo Mcfulry, and two cokes. One of my electronics took forever to charge. It’s still not fully charged, but I had been there for two hours and needed to get moving.

The next stop was Elliot’s boots, Shoes, and sandals. The employee sized me and set me up with Hoka Bondi 8s. These are running/walking shoes. I think they will work or they better because I can’t replace them anytime soon.

New Shoes for My Chicken Legs

From there, I went to Chick-fil-A, where I got two chicken sandwiches for dinner and a salad with a Coke. A little girl watched me walk in and was happy to see a hiker. We did not interact. Her parents talked to her, and she was delighted. That made my day, though, to see her excitement. An older lady working the dining area spoke to me and wished me luck after ensuring I had everything I needed. I believe her asking was genuine and meaningful. The whole experience there was uplifting.

Kroger was my final stop, where I got my food for the week ahead. I called and texted my shuttle around 2:30, saying I was ready for him to pick me up. I had scheduled the pickup for four, though, and he did not respond until four. The problem was he was in Chattanooga! Who does that? Anyway, I waited an hour for him to pick me up, putting me at the trailhead around six this evening. So I set up my tent in the rain because the rain started as soon as I got here. Oh well, what can I do? I’m in my tent. I’m dry, and life is good!

End Of Day Photo

I also tried to set up a shuttle from the Pinhoti/Benton MacKay junction to the visitor center on Springer Mountain (AKA the approach trail to the Appalachian Trail. After getting the price, I decided to walk that 70 miles. I figure it will take me about four days to do. No big deal hike; that’s what hikers do. Or so I’ve been told.

What’s Ahead:

There is a good climb right from the start tomorrow morning. Then, the trail levels out for a while. There are ups and downs, and I’ll make it over them. I hope for a big mileage day tomorrow and the next few days. Only time will tell. I can tell you my feet don’t hurt anymore, and my knee wants to participate in walking again.

Goals:

I want to hike about twenty or so miles tomorrow.

Stats:

Mileage of the day: 30
Mileage on Trail: 311/350
Days on Trail: 33
Number of Zero’s: 4 (No miles hiked)
Number of Nero’s:4 (less than five Miles hiked)
States: Alabama, Georgia
Trails completed:
The good: New shoes feel great!
The Bad: Money, but who doesn’t have money issues?
Thank you for following along!