Hiawassee, GA (USA)

Bittersweet morning, knowing that this was probably my last day of AT hiking in 2019 but also excited to have a shuttle ride instead of a backtrack. Got gas and picked up a sandwich (the lady making it was very nice) at Ingles in Hiawassee (0705).  I also got breakfast to go from Hardees (0720) and then drove to Unicoi Gap (via GA-75) to meet my shuttle driver. Ron showed up just after I did (0800) and quickly took me over to Hogpen Gap. On the way, he told me all the bailout points for the section and gave me instructions on how to avoid being attacked by the wild hogs on the ridge (!!!). He also shared some of his shuttle business model (24x7x365 service, 8,000+ miles driving every month), giving me some ideas for a possible third career... We drove through some rain but found the sun shining at my starting point. After saying goodbye to Ron, I headed NOBO at 0830. Today, I started on the ridge close to 4,000 feet, so no climb was required. However, the trail soon began to descend... The morning started out warm (low 50s) so I wore a short sleeved shirt all day (gonna miss this weather). While it was dry where I was initially, I saw ominous rain clouds along the ridge where I was going. And those hints turned to reality within about three miles - I went into a cloud bank and walked through a “mister” for the next hour. It wasn’t actually raining but I felt nice and damp when I finally broke out of the cloud during my 1,000 foot descent into Low Gap. I passed two solo backpackers (one guy, one girl) but didn’t see anyone else in the first seven miles. A bonus today: I found a section of AT that must have been built while the evil Trail Designer was on vacation! For the first time in the whole week, I got to walk for miles and miles on a pleasantly graded fire road with few rocks, roots or water hazards! I was feeling really good when the trail started uphill again just past the midpoint. Encountered a Dad-Daughter backpacking duo from Florida (they were cold) and a young man wearing a “Flora-Bama” shirt! I found out he was a Marine Student Aviator on leave just after finishing API - he’s got a huge adventure ahead of him and I wished him well. One challenge interrupted my Zen: the climb up Jacks Knob to Chattahoochee Gap. Ron had told me it was “as bad as Kelly Gap” (steep climb to the north( but I’d shrugged this off with “at least I’ll only have to climb it once!” After the trail leveled off, I met up with a Dad and his young son, who were trying out their backpacks on “the easiest section of AT in Georgia” (I couldn’t argue). I continued towards my car without any problems until I passed Red Clay Gap, which was the start of my climb up Blue Mountain. Several questions came into my head here: (1) who let the evil Trail Designer come back to work?; (2) if the rocks are all green and there is moss everywhere, shouldn’t it be called Green Mountain?; (3) did someone think that piling rocks for hikers to walk on was a good idea? I don’t remember outwardly expressing any curses during my climb over not one, not two, not three, but FOUR false peaks. After a day of flat and featureless terrain, I really paid for this shuttle ride - rocks, roots, mud, slippery leaves, drop offs... Passed one last hiker (and his German Shepherd) about half way up to the “top” (he was coming down, lucky bastard...). Finally, I reached a place where the AT took a turn downhill, despite the fact that there was another ridge to climb. From there, I could hear the cars at Unicoi and see long distances to the north (it had cleared up a bit and the temps had reached the low 60s). Took my time going down the steep trail with the end so close, reaching my car at 1430 after nearly 14.5 miles (some of it retread). Sore but feeling giddy from taking such a huge bite out of GA this week. I just have one more section (to the NC border) and I’ll be done with another state!  I left Unicoi Gap at around 1600 and called Mollie as I drove north on GA-75.  I was trying to stay ahead of the rain and was mildly successful while I was on US-64, heading east.  I called my dad and talked to him until I was on I-40.  Ended up switching to I-26 (and drove north) during the call but then it started pouring and I said goodbye to him.  The drive across Sams Gap was treacherous (it was getting dark - add fog!).  There was a lot of traffic after I passed Erwin.  I stopped for gas fillup at Boones Creek QP in Johnson City, TN (1805) and then took North Roan Street and TN-75 to the northeast (passing Tri-Cities Airport).  This allowed me to use the Airport Parkway until I reached I-81.  I drove to Marion and stopped for the night at Travel Inn (1950).  I ate dinner (part of the sandwich I'd gotten in the morning) in my room and watched TV.  I was glad to be off the road - it was getting wetter and colder all evening.  Really can’t complain, though, because the weather conditions for the hiking this week couldn’t have been better. Hope to see Brenna tomorrow!  AT Today = 14.20 miles / G.T. AT = 1526.36 miles