Blood Mountain sunrise
April 2, 1981 - Blood Mountain Shelter to Low Gap Shelter-
Left Blood Mountain at sunrise. Got a fantastic sunrise. The night before a skunk came in the
stone structure. Twelve people held their breath until he left. Hiked to Neel's Gap and got a few
groceries from a store there. Got some much needed moleskin for my poor battered feet. Left
and hiked to Low Gap lean-to. I was beat. 13.5 miles. My right knee is giving me a lot of
trouble. It is swelled up and is giving me a lot of pain. I can hardly bend it. Took a bath in
creek at 6:00 p.m. Very cold water. Burrrrr. Eight in shelter and one on ground outside.
April 3, 1981 -Low Gap Shelter to Camped on hill north of Unicoi Gap-
I was the last to leave the lean-to at 8:00 a.m. Hiked into Unicoi Gap, 54.5 total miles, and went
into my first town for supplies. Got ace bandage for my knee. Helps a lot. Ate roast beef
hoagie, bought film, suspenders, and did laundry. Got a ride into town of Helen Georgia with a
truck driver. He flew down hill in empty truck. I’m used to driving a truck this size and I did not
think that a truck could even do the things he did with it. Scared the heck out of me. It was nine
miles into town. Helen is a resort town like Gatlinburg Tenn., but is Austrian. Got a ride back to
trail with a man who was going to hike back to Amicalola Falls. Hiked .7 miles up hill. Ran out of
1ight so set up camp. Cooked over opened fire. .
April 4-1981 - Camped near Unicoi Gap to Addis Gap Shelter-
I was up at dawn. I didn’t sleep well on unleveled ground. It was very uncomfortable. I had a
nice fire last night with plenty of firewood all around. I went to Addis Gap Shelter. I did 11 miles
today. I have gone 65 miles so far on the trail. My knee is getting better but still hurts after a
long day of hiking. I cleaned up in the creek here Man it is cold. I got here at 3:00 p.m. Five of
us slept in lean-to. Roger Boiese from New Jersey put Jell-O in the creek for dessert. The cold
water works well in the cold creeks.
April 5-1981 -Addis Gap Shelter to Plumorchard Shelter-
I was up early and left Shelter at 7:35a.m. I was the last to leave on this day. I walked 6 miles
to Dick’s Creek Gap by 10:30 a.m. I ate lunch there and left at 11 a.m. I walked 4 more miles to
Plumorchard Shelter. This is my last night in Georgia. I have 4.5 more miles and I will be in
North Carolina. I have been on the trail a week today and it is cold. It has been pretty hiking
through here the passed few days. There are few leaves on trees in this area of Georgia.
Left Blood Mountain at sunrise. Got a fantastic sunrise. The night before a skunk came in the
stone structure. Twelve people held their breath until he left. Hiked to Neel's Gap and got a few
groceries from a store there. Got some much needed moleskin for my poor battered feet. Left
and hiked to Low Gap lean-to. I was beat. 13.5 miles. My right knee is giving me a lot of
trouble. It is swelled up and is giving me a lot of pain. I can hardly bend it. Took a bath in
creek at 6:00 p.m. Very cold water. Burrrrr. Eight in shelter and one on ground outside.
April 3, 1981 -Low Gap Shelter to Camped on hill north of Unicoi Gap-
I was the last to leave the lean-to at 8:00 a.m. Hiked into Unicoi Gap, 54.5 total miles, and went
into my first town for supplies. Got ace bandage for my knee. Helps a lot. Ate roast beef
hoagie, bought film, suspenders, and did laundry. Got a ride into town of Helen Georgia with a
truck driver. He flew down hill in empty truck. I’m used to driving a truck this size and I did not
think that a truck could even do the things he did with it. Scared the heck out of me. It was nine
miles into town. Helen is a resort town like Gatlinburg Tenn., but is Austrian. Got a ride back to
trail with a man who was going to hike back to Amicalola Falls. Hiked .7 miles up hill. Ran out of
1ight so set up camp. Cooked over opened fire. .
April 4-1981 - Camped near Unicoi Gap to Addis Gap Shelter-
I was up at dawn. I didn’t sleep well on unleveled ground. It was very uncomfortable. I had a
nice fire last night with plenty of firewood all around. I went to Addis Gap Shelter. I did 11 miles
today. I have gone 65 miles so far on the trail. My knee is getting better but still hurts after a
long day of hiking. I cleaned up in the creek here Man it is cold. I got here at 3:00 p.m. Five of
us slept in lean-to. Roger Boiese from New Jersey put Jell-O in the creek for dessert. The cold
water works well in the cold creeks.
April 5-1981 -Addis Gap Shelter to Plumorchard Shelter-
I was up early and left Shelter at 7:35a.m. I was the last to leave on this day. I walked 6 miles
to Dick’s Creek Gap by 10:30 a.m. I ate lunch there and left at 11 a.m. I walked 4 more miles to
Plumorchard Shelter. This is my last night in Georgia. I have 4.5 more miles and I will be in
North Carolina. I have been on the trail a week today and it is cold. It has been pretty hiking
through here the passed few days. There are few leaves on trees in this area of Georgia.
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