99 Backpack GEORGIA AT

May 3 - 10, 1999

Monday May 3, 1999 Drive to Fontana Dam

Got up at 6:00 and ran 5.1 miles. Ate breakfast of orange juice, toast with butter and raspberry jam and chocolate milk. Showered and hurried through last minute arrangements. Left at 8:00 and picked Jack Bateman up about 8:25 in Elkridge. Met his daughter Michelle. Drove down US1 to MD100 to US29 to I70 to US340 to VA7 to I81 to I77 to I40 to US19 to NC28 to the Fontana Motel about 7:35. Ate grilled catfish sandwich and ice tea at the Cracker Barrel in Wayneboro, VA for $6.75 including tip. Stopped for gas just inside NC on I77. Mazda did 527 miles in 13.1 gallons or 40.2 mph. It is about 625 miles to the motel but we made a wrong turn adding about 5 miles, then went by motel for 10 miles adding an additional 20 miles. Drove to Tooties restaurant for ice tea, cole slaw, BBQ pork, mashed potatoes, green beans and a vanilla shake for $9.17 plus $1 tip. Roundtrip was 10 miles so we drove about 660 miles. Met Jeff and Nancy Hoch. Paid $80 each for room and shuttle. Called Anne on 800 number. Went to bed at 10:15.

Tuesday May 4, 1999 Shuttle to Amicalola Falls SP & hiked it

Got up at 5:48 and showered. Jeff Hoch was ready & we left at 6:30. Went down back roads to US19 and then some more backroads. Stopped at McDonalds for some orange juice, milk, and egg McMuffin for $3.17. Arrived at Amicalola Falls SP and Jeff dropped us off on a dirt road where the trail crossed it at 8:30. Jack tipped him $10. The trail was mostly up for a few miles over Mt Frosty. I forgot to bring water but we found a nice spring after Nimblewill Gap. The trail surface is very good and the inclines aren’t too steep with some switchbacks. Ate lunch of peanut butter crackers, cheese and crackers, granola bar and water at Black Gap Shelter about 12:05. We climbed Springer Mt for a mile to a mile and a half to the start of the Appalacian Trail (AT). The weather is sunny so we had great views from the two brass plates at 3783’. One plate in a stone foundation has a metal box imbedded in the stone with a register which we signed. It is warm but there is a slight breeze most of the time so it is fairly comfortble. It is easy hiking as we leave Springer Mt at 1:37. Arrived at Stover Creek Shelter at 3:07. Cooked and ate supper of rice, chicken and tea. Left the shelter a little after 4:00. Just after the shelter Jack stumbled backward and fell in the stream getting wet with his gear. Jack has a cheap internal frame backpack that literally hangs off his back pulling him backwards. I’m not sure it has a frame. He changed his boots and wet socks. I discovered he has blisters on both heels and balls of his feet. I must say he is not a quitter but I’m really worried about him. I let him lead and go at his speed which is slow but steady. We crossed the bridge over Stover Creek and found a nice camp site on the left between the trail and creek about 11.2 miles from where we were dropped. Jack said we walked 13 miles due to side trips for water and shelters. Set up tents and washed up in the creek then made tea. I discovered that I lost my water bag so I hiked back a mile to find it then back to camp. I ended up hiking 15 miles. Filled up my water bottle and brushed my teeth. Got in my tent about 7:05 and we immediately had a few drops of rain. It really is comfortable off your feet with no bugs and no shirt so it is cool.

Wednesday May 5, 1999 Hike Stover Creek - Gooch Gap Shelter

It rained off and on all night but not too heavily. Had a few good lightening flashes and thunderclaps. Got up at 6:30 and ate breakfast of 2 peaches and cream oatmeal. Packed up without rain and hiked out of camp at 8:10. We saw the sun briefly a few times but mostly it rained all day sometimes quite heavy. Jack fell several times and staggers almost constantly. His pack lists to the left up to 45 degrees and pulls back about 20 degrees. My surprise is that he seems to know nothing about camping or hiking. We finally got to Gooch Gap Shelter about 4:45 after hiking 12.5 miles. Walked back down to the spring .2 miles and back for a total of 12.9 miles. Had some tea and lasagna for supper. Matt from Saskatchewan, Canada, Dropout from Iowa and Josh from Kansas shared the shelter with us.

Thrusday May 6, 1999 Hike Gooch Gap Shelter - Woods Hole Shelter

It rained most of the night sometimes quite heavily. There were frequent and severe lightening and thunderclaps. The wind blew the rain in the shelter for a while. Matt left his pan outside and said there was 2 inches of water in it. Got up about 6:40 and ate 2 strawberry oatmeals for breakfast. Hiked out of the shelter at 8:22 in the rain. It rained heavy for 3 hours. It then stopped but remained foggy. It got progressively colder and is about 55 degrees at 5:15. Saw no one on the trail. The trail is good with a few flat rocks. Streams and cascades were crossing the trail. Hiked into Woods Hole Shelter about 3:22. We hiked about 10.5 trail miles plus another .5 miles on the trail to the shelter. I walked back about .25 miles for water and return for a total of 11.5 miles. Drank a cup of soup and ate turkey tetrazini. Had cheesecake for dessert. Jack’s pack was better today. Yesterday he looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame with his pack skewed one way and him limping and pulling in the opposite direction all covered with a pancho. Shared shelter with Dropout a Cat 3 bike racer.

Friday May 7, 1999 Hike Woods Hole Shelter - Low Gap Shelter

It didn’t rain all night. It started raining about 6:30 and rained heavy. Got up at 6:40 and ate breakfast of 2 peaches and cream oatmeals. Packed up and got underway at 8:18. Hiked .5 mile to the trail and over Blood Mountain. It wasn’t too bad. Ran into Dropout and Josh at the shelter on top. Missed a turn off the rock plates coming down and got lost. We had to bushwack back up the mountain in the rain but fortunately found the trail after a few hundred yards. Came to US19 and a store at 10:45. Bought a ham and cheese sandwich, 16 ounce orange juice, small pizza, root beer and peanut M&Ms. Jack dried his clothes but left his pack open with his sleeping bag out in a downpour. Fortunately nothing got wet under the roof overhang. Called Anne and left a message. Finally got Jack moving at 12:45. Gave him a small lecture about our predicament and he moved pretty well all day. We came to a road and a 78 year old man gave us a free soda and mints. Also some good info. We climbed a very steep hill and it rained as we topped it. Stopped for water in the rain and continued on to Low Gap Shelter at almost 7:00 after 14.7 miles plus the .5 miles for a total of 15.2 miles. We arrived in a downpour and the shelter full of kids from an outdoor school. Leaders and kids are very nice. Jack stayed in the crowded shelter but after about an hour the rain let up a little so 2 kids and a leader set up a tarp and I pitched my tent under it. I was able to cook chili rice and chicken and a cup of soup. I’m quite comfortable and went to bed at 9:30. The tornado watch ended at 9:00.

Saturday May 8, 1999 Hike Low Gap Shelter - Unicoi Gap, GA75

Got up at 2:30 and there were brilliant stars. Woke up at 6:30 and packed up. Ate 2 blueberry oatmeals for breakfast. Took the tarp down and returned it to the group with many thanks. Hiked out at 8:15 in the sunshine and a nice breeze. Jack was stopping frequently. I told him we needed to hike for an hour between stops. We started again at 10:45 and I told Jack we needed to go until 12:00 before stopping. We passed many temporary small streams and waterfalls which were pretty. Jack had to stop at 11:48. After we ate, Jack started to struggle. I saved him from falling several times but finally he fell. I decided to get off the trail and get some rest. We crossed GA75 at Unicoi Gap after 9.6 miles. AT volunteer Richard Horn gave us some ice water and a lift to Helen about 9 miles. Checked into Super 8 room 222 at about 2:00. Walked around Helen and finally ate super of bratwurst, German potato salad, red cabbage, kraut, black bread with butter, 2 Bass Ales and a strawberry cheesecake for $21.23 at the Troll Tavern on the Chattahoochie River. Walked back to our room and watched a TV movie while Jack did his laundry. Went to bed at 11:00.

Sunday May 9, 1999 Helen, GA

Got up at 6:30 and walked to the Huddle House for breakfast of 3 eggs, sausage, hash browns, grits, toast, orange juice and milk. Went to the Helen Baptist Churchat 8:30. People were very friendly and we met everyone. Gave $10. Watched bikers go through obstacle courses and watched some cross the finish line of an 8 mile course race. Talked to Jason Pettit from Arlington, Texas, an expert amateur rider on the tour. Josh from Kansas and the AT showed up and he took a shower in our room. Ate lunch of burrito and ice tea at the Troll Tavern for $11.02. Got called on shuttle about 2:30. Walked around Helen some more and then supper of trout, baked potato and green beans at the Troll Tavern for $20.93. Pastor Rich Horn in his Jeep Cherokee came by and took Jack annd I for a ride in the mountain roads from 8:06 until 10:30. At one point where the road was like a big lake in the dark, Rich pulled his suit pants up and waded in to check the water depth. Quite interesting.

Monday May 10, 1999 Shuttle to Fontana and drive home

Got up at 5:45 and showered. Jeff Hoch was there before 6:45 and we loaded up and headed for Fontana Dam. He stopped for gas and I got a 16 ounce bottle of orange juice. Arrived in Fontana Dam and we took off for home at 8:30. Stopped in Bryce City McDonalds for pancakes, sausage and milk for $3.17. Drove to Burger King near Statesville, NC for lunch of burger, fries and ice tea for $4.73. Followed US601 north to I77 and then I81 through Virginia. Stopped at Cracker Barrel for chicken and dumplings and ice tea for $10 in Winchester, VA. Followed VA7 to US340 to I70 to MD32 to US29 to MD100 to US1 to Jack’s about 9:00 pm. Got home about 9:25.