Day: 30

Yesterday’s Goals:

I’m looking to get twenty or more miles in tomorrow.

Activities of The Day:

Of course, I didn’t sleep. This morning, I was awakened by the sound of rain and a strong wind. Matt and his dad, Scott, got up around seven and discussed the plans for the day. Matt told me they were leaving at 8:00 if I wanted to join. I packed up and was ready a little before 8:00, and we started walking soon after.
As it was raining, I took only a few pictures today. I thought of you all, though the rain made a few small waterfalls at a stream from which we got water. I was soaked, cold, miserable, and didn’t want to take the picture. Sorry, but not really.

Climbing to the top of a ridge started the day, and ridge walking was the day’s activity. At one turn onto a ridge, the wind came at us from the right side like it was mad at the world! It pushed me and my pack around, making me look like a drunk man walking the trail. That’s how it felt like. At one point, when I was freezing, I told Matt there were three flat areas where we could wait this out. I was thinking of warmth, getting out of this sixty-mile-an-hour wind. Being the intelligent person between us, Matt said no, we could freeze up here; we need to get off the ridge. About half a mile down the trail, there was a rock garden we didn’t walk through, but the larger boulders were a perfect wind block for us. We spent a few minutes there before continuing.

The wind picked up even more and brought hail with it! About a mile and a half later, the trail took a slight right and dipped down into the treeline; that was the ticket. We were out of the wind for the rest of the day, and the rain stopped.

As we came off that part of the trail and onto a road to take us down the rest of the mountain, we heard the start of a crashing sound. I didn’t stop, but I took a half step to look up the mountain to see what was happening. Well, the tree right next to me had decided that with all this rain, it was done rotting and was coming down, missing me by two or three feet!

The Tree laying across the road Didn’t Like Me

We all freaked out! That was close! There was no wind, nothing but us walking by.
As we walked away, Matt exclaimed, “You better write about that! If you didn’t have witnesses, no one would believe how close that was!” I then turned around and got the picture for you all. Who’s ever God is still trying to kill me, you fail again! HA HA!

About three miles later, we were picking out tent sites near a creek. My hands weren’t working for me, so setting up my tent took an extra-long time. Once inside, I made my way into both my sleeping bags and have been in them since. I ate, relaxed, ate some more, stretched some, and now I’m ready to try once again to go to sleep.

What’s Ahead:

Tomorrow is more ridge walking, a climb to start, and a few descents.

Goals:

Get to a river crossing to camp and lay my gear out to dry.

Stats:

Mileage of the day: 13
Mileage on Trail: 242/350
Days on Trail: 30
Number of Zero’s: 4
Number of Nero’s:4
States: Alabama, Georgia
Trails completed:
The good: I’m still alive
The Bad: RAIN!
Thank you for following along!