July 3, 2010
As June wound down to a close, it dawned on me that I was going to be home alone for the weekend of July 4th, so I was trying to find something to do to kill time. I had 3 new movies from Netflix and was putting together a shopping list when I checked my email. I had just received an email from Sweet Pea inviting me along on a 3 day trip so she could finish up the Georgia section. Did I want to go with her? Heck YEAH!! So I got the pack together, dug some dehydrated food out of the
freezer, and headed over to Hogpen Gap to meet up. The Traildames already had a hike scheduled for Saturday, so we decided to do that section with them...without packs which makes me very happy. So I packed my day pack with snacks, water and raingear and drove over to Hogpen Gap to meet the Dames. SHOE was scheduled to lead the hike, but she is having major foot pain, so she asked Sweet Pea and I to take care of everyone. So around 10:30 Sweet Pea, her friends Smores and Waterboy, Shemeah, and brand new Dames, Shelley and Latrice started up Wildcat Mountain, headed for Neels Gap.
Wildcat Mt has been a really bad psychological obstacle for me. The last time I climbed it I had a very hard time, I had a heavy pack, I had started getting out of shape, it was hot, and I had about a thousand bug bites from some very mean flying bugs. When I finally got to the top of that mountain, I sat on a rock and just had a good cry. This time, going southbound, was so much easier. I still need to get out and climb it again northbound, just to prove I can do it without crying.
The first 3-4 miles went by very easy, everyone was in good spirits and the weather was great. The new dames began to struggle a bit after that though. Neither had ever been hiking, much less hiked on the AT. We took several breaks, refilled their water bottles because they underestimated how much they would need, and coaxed them up and down all the little climbs and descents. But they were real troopers. They were tired, and at one point, Latrice, who is taller then even me, got her hair tangled up in a tall blackberry vine. I
went back and got her untangled and we both had a good laugh at that situation. It was taking quite a while to finish, and we were all running low on water, so when I got a signal, I called SHOE and told her where we were, and that we were running low on water. As we were coming down Levelland Mountain with about a half mile to go to Neels Gap, Smores and Waterboy were coming up the mountian with 2 full Nalgenes. We gave them to Latrice and Shelley and continued on. We finally made it to Neels Gap around 5:50, where SHOE was waiting for us with cold sodas. We took a restroom break and SHOE drove us over to Trey Gap where we would continue our hike.
We drove up the Forest service road where we met a couple coming down Trey Mountain who warned us that a bear was up on the mountain. We chatted with them for a few minutes, exchanged the day packs for our real packs, and headed south towards the Cheese Factory site, our camp for the night. Despite already hiking over 7 miles earlier in the day, we made the .8 mile trek in about 20 minutes, found a nice campsite, and began setting camp for the night. I brought my Hennessey hammock for this trip so Sweet Pea helped me find 2 good trees to hang from, and I got all set up. When we finished with the camp chores, we went over to the firepit where there was the cutest little couple there trying to cook some dinner. They had hiked up from Unicoi Gap and decided to stop here for the night. Turns out his name was John Wayne III, and he has never even watched a minute of a John Wayne movie...how did that happen I wonder? Anyways, I boiled some water and got dinner rehydrating. I had brought enough makings for Sweet Pea and I to have some burritos, complete with Taco Bell Fire sauce. Man, after a long day, this meal really hits the spot. So we ate dinner and watched Jacky eat 5, yes 5, smores, after which Sweet Pea gave her the trail name of smores. I think she liked it. John Wayne had a fire going, so that saved me having to take care of that. Waterboy was kind enough to hang the bear bags for us, he really is a sweetheart. I totally enjoyed getting to know him and Smores this weekend. We enjoyed the fire, chatted a little bit, then headed off to bed. The others had driven all the way from Charlotte,NC, and had a really long day. I climbed into the hammock, played a few rounds of Bejeweled on the IPhone, then fell asleep, with the IPOD playing softly through the earbuds.
I got up around 3:30 to water the leaves, and for a moment couldn't see my hammock..I stood really still for a few seconds, then I heard SweetPea snore, so I oriented myself and made it back to the hammock safely. I like to kid her about her snoring, but when I turn the IPOD on, I honestly don't hear her. I fell back asleep almost immediately, putting an end to this most excellent day.
Stay tuned for day 2.
As June wound down to a close, it dawned on me that I was going to be home alone for the weekend of July 4th, so I was trying to find something to do to kill time. I had 3 new movies from Netflix and was putting together a shopping list when I checked my email. I had just received an email from Sweet Pea inviting me along on a 3 day trip so she could finish up the Georgia section. Did I want to go with her? Heck YEAH!! So I got the pack together, dug some dehydrated food out of the
freezer, and headed over to Hogpen Gap to meet up. The Traildames already had a hike scheduled for Saturday, so we decided to do that section with them...without packs which makes me very happy. So I packed my day pack with snacks, water and raingear and drove over to Hogpen Gap to meet the Dames. SHOE was scheduled to lead the hike, but she is having major foot pain, so she asked Sweet Pea and I to take care of everyone. So around 10:30 Sweet Pea, her friends Smores and Waterboy, Shemeah, and brand new Dames, Shelley and Latrice started up Wildcat Mountain, headed for Neels Gap.Wildcat Mt has been a really bad psychological obstacle for me. The last time I climbed it I had a very hard time, I had a heavy pack, I had started getting out of shape, it was hot, and I had about a thousand bug bites from some very mean flying bugs. When I finally got to the top of that mountain, I sat on a rock and just had a good cry. This time, going southbound, was so much easier. I still need to get out and climb it again northbound, just to prove I can do it without crying.
The first 3-4 miles went by very easy, everyone was in good spirits and the weather was great. The new dames began to struggle a bit after that though. Neither had ever been hiking, much less hiked on the AT. We took several breaks, refilled their water bottles because they underestimated how much they would need, and coaxed them up and down all the little climbs and descents. But they were real troopers. They were tired, and at one point, Latrice, who is taller then even me, got her hair tangled up in a tall blackberry vine. I
went back and got her untangled and we both had a good laugh at that situation. It was taking quite a while to finish, and we were all running low on water, so when I got a signal, I called SHOE and told her where we were, and that we were running low on water. As we were coming down Levelland Mountain with about a half mile to go to Neels Gap, Smores and Waterboy were coming up the mountian with 2 full Nalgenes. We gave them to Latrice and Shelley and continued on. We finally made it to Neels Gap around 5:50, where SHOE was waiting for us with cold sodas. We took a restroom break and SHOE drove us over to Trey Gap where we would continue our hike.We drove up the Forest service road where we met a couple coming down Trey Mountain who warned us that a bear was up on the mountain. We chatted with them for a few minutes, exchanged the day packs for our real packs, and headed south towards the Cheese Factory site, our camp for the night. Despite already hiking over 7 miles earlier in the day, we made the .8 mile trek in about 20 minutes, found a nice campsite, and began setting camp for the night. I brought my Hennessey hammock for this trip so Sweet Pea helped me find 2 good trees to hang from, and I got all set up. When we finished with the camp chores, we went over to the firepit where there was the cutest little couple there trying to cook some dinner. They had hiked up from Unicoi Gap and decided to stop here for the night. Turns out his name was John Wayne III, and he has never even watched a minute of a John Wayne movie...how did that happen I wonder? Anyways, I boiled some water and got dinner rehydrating. I had brought enough makings for Sweet Pea and I to have some burritos, complete with Taco Bell Fire sauce. Man, after a long day, this meal really hits the spot. So we ate dinner and watched Jacky eat 5, yes 5, smores, after which Sweet Pea gave her the trail name of smores. I think she liked it. John Wayne had a fire going, so that saved me having to take care of that. Waterboy was kind enough to hang the bear bags for us, he really is a sweetheart. I totally enjoyed getting to know him and Smores this weekend. We enjoyed the fire, chatted a little bit, then headed off to bed. The others had driven all the way from Charlotte,NC, and had a really long day. I climbed into the hammock, played a few rounds of Bejeweled on the IPhone, then fell asleep, with the IPOD playing softly through the earbuds.
I got up around 3:30 to water the leaves, and for a moment couldn't see my hammock..I stood really still for a few seconds, then I heard SweetPea snore, so I oriented myself and made it back to the hammock safely. I like to kid her about her snoring, but when I turn the IPOD on, I honestly don't hear her. I fell back asleep almost immediately, putting an end to this most excellent day.
Stay tuned for day 2.
You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.
- Rosalyn Carter
Great blog so far Kellye!
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