Over 50 miles and still counting!!

HIIIII EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike and I are sitting in the little tiny Hiawassee, Georgia library in the children's section, updating our blog so you can see what we have seen on our quest for Pennsylvania.

We made it to River Forks Campgrounds on April 24th. It was an interesting place. The Army Corps of Engineers flooded a huge valley in Gainesville to create a water reservoir - the campsite was overlooking the man made lake. After talking with Mr. Suites, the ranger/caretaker and his wife, we discovered that the ACE flooded the valley with churches, farmsteads and even a race track which are now all under water. A man (extremely racist) we met told us that his "diddy" - southern talk for "daddy" used to row food out to the ACE workers when he was young and he tells stories of church steeples sticking out of the lake. The beaches are also dark red and look something like you would imagine from mars. Apparently, Congress just approved a project that will pump (according to Mr. Suites - this sounded incredible to Mike and I) billions of gallons of water a day to Florida and Atlanta. Why? To use for the fish and muscle farms in Florida and for drinking water for the city of Atlanta. They don't have a stopping point either, so the lake will be pumped until it's dry. The floating docks were already grounded when we were there. The dogwoods were incredibly beautiful though and we got a taxi to ship us to Springer early in the morning.

Day 1: 17 miles Springer to "Devil's Kitchen" campground that runs through Justus Creek

Mike and I could spend hours making up stories to go along with those names. We were astonished that we were capable of so many miles, but also decided that we would NOT repeat so long a distance. If you are travelling so quickly and determinedly that you don't have time to appreciate everythind the forest has to offer, then it isn't worth it. We met the only through hiker we've seen so far during the whole trip. Graig (Poseidon), an ex-Navy dude, older 30's. He had a very kind face and heart to match.

Day 2: 13 miles from Devils Kitchen to Woods Hole Shelter

Whew! The blisters on my feet are so huge and gross even Frankenstein would puke. My thighs are giving out and I have a sunburn - but my oh my, the Chatahoochie National Forest is heaven on earth and we get to walk the expanse of it to take in every Mountain Laurel, violet, trillium, False Helioborus, iris, warbler, vireo, hawk, owl, turkey, bear and poplar the forest has to offer. We've already started talking about what we can mail home from our packs. I brought too many t-shirts. It's easier and efficient to pack two, wear one and wash another in a mountain stream (with vegetable-based soap, of course - Dr. Bronner's has turned out to be indespensable) then let it dry off your pack while you walk. Weather has been high of 80 and low of 50 at night. It's incredible to hear the breeze at night when you are camping high in the mountains. The howl starts low in the valley then works its way slowly up the mountains until it streams over the tent in a gush.

Day 3: 10 miles Woods Hole Shelter to Whitley Gap Shepter

Climbed Blood Mountain today - highest peak in Georgia at 4,470 feet. Met some 19-20 year old guys who were hilarious and made comments about which mountain peak might be Mordor in the distance. I swear you can see to the Gray Havens anyhow - Middle Earth talk. Mike painted some beautiful watercolors on top and I did handstands for the yoga gods on tall rocks. Mike was able to record some warblers. There seem to be so many species of them and they are all so small and beautiful with trilling songs that last all day - we are surrounded by a symphony of forest sounds all day and night. It's the night sounds that we have to get used to. Although we haven't seen any bears (and neither had anyone else we've talked to), bear warnings were in effect for a 6 mile portion of our walk today through which no camping was allowed. It's easy to see why though, especially near gaps (where a road - either forest service road or highway cuts through the trail) trash is prevalent. It baffles me how anyone could throw their Cheeto bag away in heaven... Mike and I spent this night wide awake and shaking in our tents. Forest night noises take a lot of time to get used to and animals ALWAYS come by the tent to sniff - they have every night. Sometimes you can tell they are big, sometimes it's just little mice. The shelters are infested with them - they crawl all over you. Normally I would think this was fun but if you are desperately trying to fall asleep, it's hard to do it with mice sniffing around your hair. Mike and I will opt for the tent, thank you very much. We also had a Barred Owl visit us this night (Tehnyat - weird coincidence - they've been following us, I think!). Their wings are designed for soundless flight but it was flying so low around our tent that we could hear the leaves whoosh up under the huge wings that were flapping just inches above the ground so it's talons could scoop up mice - it sounded so strange and incredible to hear, all night, the flight of an owl above and around your head mixed with the valley winds and creaking of the trees...

Day 4: 12 miles Whitley Gap Shelter to Blue Mountain Shelter

We have basically run out of food. I've never been so hungry, tired, and sore but seeing how my muscles are growing, lungs are getting stronger, determination is becoming more hardened and my fear of the unknown is evaporating. I know they are called Power Bars, but I've never experienced their true powers. After hiking 10 miles, almost all up a rocky mountain path and you have only eated a little Cream of Wheat for breakfast and some instant potatoes for lunch, I almost passed out on the trail. I became light headed and woozie so Mike stopped and handed me a Power Bar, our last, but I needed something to keep going. After I ate it (an apricot Cliff Bar) I was albe to walk another two miles, super speed, while laughing and joking and taking pictures of waterfalls. My body responds so much more quickly and efficiently to food, water, sleep and companionship on this trail than ever. We met a bunch of people tonight at the shelter: Cool Breeze (knows the guy who hiked the AT with his cat - 37 confirmed shelter-mice kills in one night), Tiger Lilly, Ink (tatoo artist), Mayday, Llama Legs (long hairy legs), and some other people without trail names. Mike gave me a trail name today: RAMPS. Ramps are the famous North American onion/leek that are celebrated in festivals throughout the Appalachians and Candada. I've been obsessed with finding them to the point of jumping on all fours and digging up the roots of leek-looking plants to sniff them to see if they taste yummy. I talk about adding them to our potatoes all the time. So far, no Ramps, but the False Helioborus tricks me every time. The onion is so popular in Canada, it's been banned to pick. Mike still doesn't have a name...it's coming though!@

Day 5: Blue Mountain Shelter to Hiawassee via Unicoi Gap

More to come - I'm getting kicked off the computer!!!

Love you all - pictures won't download here - they will come soon though!!!!!!

lisa