107.3 miles in

I’m at Franklin!  I left Standing Indian Shelter yesterday morning and planned on hiking to Big Spring Shelter, 14.5 miles beyond.  I did that, including a grueling climb to the top of Albert Mountain (with an observation tower), but I didn’t feel like staying at Big Spring.  There were a bunch of bugs in the shelter so I was considering pitching my tent (which has a bug bivy), but if I’m going to pitch a tent anyway I might as well put on some more miles and camp further down the trail.  Also, there were a bunch of people showing up at Big Spring, and they weren’t going to stay the night but I was feeling crowded anyway, so I moved on.  On the way I met two guys who also stayed at Standing Indian the previous night, and they were pushing hard to reach Franklin that night, so I figured I’d do the same.  9 miles later I had completed a 23.3 mile day and was sleeping in a hotel.  That was last night.  I’m taking a zero today.

I’ve been making a bunch of friends on the trail.  The first was Bullit Bob, but I’ll probably never see him again because he’s flying along at breakneck speed.  After my stay at Neels Gap, I hiked 11 miles to Low Gap and camped there.  The same day, Bullit Bob made it to Low Gap at 3:00pm and kept going.  He then made it to Blue Mountain Shelter at 7:15pm (where I slept the *next* night), and kept going.  He must have ended up camping just a couple miles past Blue Mountain, but ever since that night he’s been leaving me in the dust.  Too bad – he was a nice guy.  Also, he’s 53.  Wish I’d got a picture of him before he disappeared over the horizon.  Another guy I camped with was Tomahawk, named as such because he carries one.  I think he’s a fair bit behind me, especially after my 23.3 mile day.  He packed a NY Strip steak out of town and cooked it over a campfire as shish-kabobs on tent stakes.  There’s also Steve, who has yet to get a trail name that I know of – he gave me a Snickers bar at Blue Mountain Shelter on my birthday.  Thanks Steve.  He also carries a baseball to help with massaging sore muscles.  There’s another guy named Qi Whiz (Pronounced “Chee” Whiz) who’s been keeping about my pace.  I haven’t seen him for a bit because he hiked a full day when I did a short 4.4 after resupplying at Hiawassee, but with my long day yesterday I may see him again.

On 4-15 I stayed at the Blueberry Patch hostel.  That place is amazing.  Gary and Lennie are incredibly generous.  They’ve got real beds with real sheets and blankets and real pillows.  Every bunk bed has its own power outlet so you can charge all your electronics.  There’s a stove and fridge in the bunkhouse, and the fridge is kept stocked with Coke.  Gary picked a bunch of kale from his garden for us and supplied butter, garlic, and onion so we could fry it up nicely.  There’s a shower house stocked with towels, washrags, soap, shaving cream, razors, shampoo, conditioner, etc.  Behind the bunkhouse, there’s a supply of stove fuel – I topped off my denatured alcohol.  They even do laundry for every hiker individually.  All of this is free of charge, and they give a free breakfast too.  For breakfast I had 3 pancakes with home-made blueberry syrup from home-grown blueberries, 1.5 sausage patties, 1 homemade biscuit with cheese, a hash brown, a scrambled egg, coffee, orange juice, and water.  Again, this is free of charge.  They do take donations though, and I left a good one – as should every hiker.  I’m starting to get a hiker’s appetite too.  After that breakfast I went to McDonald’s for lunch and had 2 double cheeseburgers, 2 small fries, 2 apple pies, and a parfait.  I don’t remember what I had for dinner – some hiker filth I’m sure.

I wrote new lyrics to Eye of the Tiger.  I sing it while hiking:
Floyd’s the man, hikin’ up hills
Got his poles, got his Tevas
Went to the top, now he’s got to get down
Take it slow, or your knees won’t survive
It’s the eye of the hiker, mostly tunnel vision
Or rising up for the chance at a great view
And it’s [spoken, miles left to Katahdin] miles ’till he cries at the top
Of the northernmost point on the trail
Mount Katahdin

I lost my chapstick in Hiawassee – that sucked.  I’ve been rubbing antibiotic ointment on my lips for a few days.  Glad to be in Franklin – first thing I did last night post-shower was to buy carmex at the gas station.  I’ve also given away my fleece vest and bought a full fleece jacket, and I picked up some warmish gloves.  That will go with the long johns I got at Neels Gap to create a decent cold weather gear for hiking in the Smokies.  I also bought two knee braces at Neels Gap, ’cause my knees were hurting rather badly.  Everyone says to go easy when you start, and those high-mile days will come once you’ve got your trail legs.  Well, those knee braces are my trail legs.

I crossed my first state line on 4-17.  Got a few pictures of the sign.  It’s just a simple little “NC/GA” scrawled onto a chunk of wood, but it means quite a lot to the hikers.  Shortly afterward I found trail magic in the form of cold beers sitting at a campfire ring.  Shortly after that, I ran into Zappa (he looks just like Frank Zappa) hiking south, and he told me about a great view at the end of Raven Rock Trail.  I never would have taken a side trail without his suggestion, so I’m glad I met him.  That was the best view on the trail so far.  I set it as my facebook picture, and you’ll see pictures of it on this post too.  Also, I’ve added pictures to my last post as well.  I’m trying to keep the photos kinda chronological.