March 4 - 6 ...... It is 9:10 AM on the 6th and I am in Hiawasee, GA. drinking a cup of coffee and writing this post. The goal for today is resupply and head back onto the trail. Last night I stayed at Deep Gap Shelter, 3.7 miles from the road to town. I was up and out early, hit the road, and caught a ride with the third car by. Not to shabby!
The last couple of days have been just wonderful! The sun has been out, it has been warm and the hiking has been good. Like I said in the previous post, walking in the snow is fun but it is starting to melt off quite a bit. In a few days we will be walking in the mud and slush. At night I have been setting my tent up right on the snow and I've been staying pretty warm. I think a lot warmer than if I were in the shelter. In the tent I am fully enclosed which helps retain heat.
One little story that made me laugh. On Thursday afternoon I came upon Peter and Brian. We talked about where we were going for the day. I said I was going to stop at the "cheesburger factory". They looked at me with the "huh" look. I laughed and said I meant the old ceese factory site but you know now what is on my mind. They were going to push on past there.
They left, I broke out the radio and was just be-bopin down the trail when I see someone coming toward me from the north. He gets close and says, "Are you the guy that's craving cheeseburgers"? I laughed and acknowledged the fact. He then proceeds to drop the bombshell. "Well, two guys just pulled in at Tray Gap and they are cooking up burgers for hikers." I just stared at him in disbelief, thanked him and took off.
Now Tray Gap was about a mile past where I was going to stay but I can stay anywhere and the burgers were calling! I reached Tray Gap and Brian started laughing, "I see you got the message", he said. I nodded and headed for the grill. What a treat! There were seven of us there drinking Mountain Dew and eating a couple of burgers. My earlier slip of the tounge turned into reality!
What happened with the burgers is known on the AT as Trail Magic. Trail Magic can come in many forms, from a full blown cook up like this, to a cooler alongside the trail somewhere loaded with drinks and goodies, to several gallons of water near a long waterless stretch. The people that do trail magic are past hikers and people that just appreciate the trail. Whomever it is they provide that little slice of heaven along the trail.
I a making good time. After I leave town today I will head up the trail about 4.5 miles To Plumorchard Gap Shelter and then early tomorrow morning I will cross into North Carolina. The weather looks to be good through Monday and then there is a chance of rain on Tuesday. Oh well, wet is wet and once you are wet you can't get any wetter.
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